Multi-unit building and Nest location

RPSteam

I have a brick 3-flat in Chicago and have a 2nd gen Nest installed in our 2nd floor apartment. I'd like to move it to the 3rd floor where I live so that I have better access to it. Does anyone see any issue with moving the thermostat from the middle of the building to the top floor? We are on steam heat (professionally balanced and works fabulously) and my only complaint is that it is a little chilly in our 3rd floor apartment when it gets super cold - but no complaints from tenants on first and second floors. Appreciate any insight. Thanks!

nicholas bonham-carter

If the Nest is moved up to the third floor, then the lower floors may become overheated, when it is very cold outside. It sounds like you need some more balancing, if the third floor is chilly when very cold, unless it is under radiated. Balanced means that the steam arrives at all radiators simultaneously.
I would suspect the nest is also partly to blame, and that a Honeywell VisionPro might work better with your steam system.—NBC

HVACNUT

Yeah you can easily convert the Nest to a hockey puck, install a Honeywell Prestige, sensors in each apartment to take an average.
"He shoots, he scores!"

ratio

I believe that Nest now has remote wireless sensors available, it may be possible to add one or two & split the temperature difference between the floors.

NB: I have not actually looked in to this.

Ironman

The best location for the Nest: the garbage can.

RPSteam

Hey thank you for the replies! I will look into the remote wireless sensors - interesting.

@Ironman - appreciating your two-cents here. In our multi-unit building use case, having a thermostat that we can program with a phone app has been really useful, especially with Chicago's winters being completely upside down in the last few years. I was recently away on business and a tenant texted asking if I could bump the heat up a tick or two b/c his family was cold. When I left town, the temp was a mild low 50s - in February! 2 days into my trip the temps dropped 30 degrees. I did as requested and all was well at the homestead. I have really appreciated the convenience the Nest provides.

Also - what I think I really need to investigate is insulating our 3rd floor ceiling. We'll probably broil on the 3rd floor with that done. it's on the list along with remote wireless sensors. Thanks again!

RPSteam

@ratio - one other question. If these sensors work out, does the logic hold that I could move the Nest to the 3rd floor and install the sensors on the 1st and 2nd floors and get even heat?

HVACNUT

> @RPSteam said:
> @ratio - one other question. If these sensors work out, does the logic hold that I could move the Nest to the 3rd floor and install the sensors on the 1st and 2nd floors and get even heat?


Sure.
With a wireless WiFi thermostat, you could carry it in your pocket if you wanted to.
Some of my clients with the Prestige adjust the backlighting to low permanent and use the soft Violet color scheme first.

ratio

If you can control to just the remote sensor, the stat itself can go anywhere. Unfortunately, I don't know any details about the Nest remote sensors (& truth be told my information is anecdotal—I haven't actually checked myself).

You may have noticed an aversion to Nest stats here. They often perform poorly in steam applications, it's not a general hating on Google. In case you were wondering.

RPSteam

Yes - I am getting that Nest isn't well regarded. Thanks for your help - despite the distasteful topic.

pecmsg

There are many many WiFi capable t stats NEST is the worst of the worst

Ironman

The Honeywell Lyric comes in a wifi version that can use remote sensors, but they average between themselves - as I believe most all brands do.

They also have a model that's designed for steam or hotwater systems. TH6100AF2004.