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Radiant in floor heating, apartment won't cool.

sdreeves42
sdreeves42 Member Posts: 5
in Radiant Heating

Hello, I am a person who moved into a brand new apartment building with a strange heating system. They said it was in floor radiant heat that built up heat and released it over time. They said it took like a day or so to cool down if you change it. Ok, not my favorite option but fine.

The problem is that we turned the system completely off because it was so hot in here, and 3 days later the apartment will not cool down. It's winter in Portland and it's freezing outside but 78 degrees in the living room. The floors still feel warm. It just feels like heat is constantly radiating from somewhere. What could possibly be the reason for this? I feel like it's a mechanical problem or they've configured it poorly...I don't know anything about this stuff to really have any specific ideas. Just seems wrong.

Comments

  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,005

    You have no control in turning down the heat for some reason , it is just running on the buildings outdoor reset control …

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • sdreeves42
    sdreeves42 Member Posts: 5

    Thank you. Been trying to reach management but they're out for the holidays and there's no emergency maintenance number. Don't know if they consider it an emergency but I do. I'm very sensitive to heat and heat related illnesses.

  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,841

    do your windows open ?

    known to beat dead horses
    Intplm.
  • sdreeves42
    sdreeves42 Member Posts: 5
    edited December 1

    I'm on the 7th floor of an 8 floor building, with a community room above me. Huge windows. The 3 bedroom windows all crank out. The living room window does not open. I have had all 3 bedroom windows open for days with the doors open to bring as much cool air into living room as I could.

    Today I even hooked up my portable AC and connected the exhaust to the dryer vent exhaust. But that room is around 2 corners and down a hall from the living room. After several hours of having it on the temp went down 1 degree from 78 to 77.

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,257
    edited December 3

    it sounds like a case of ghost flow. Somehow somewhere water flow is bypassing, or going backwards through a control zone valve or zone pump for your space. Could be a shorted or mis wired control Dirt or debris holding a valve open.

    Not easy to troubleshoot over the WWW

    The installing contractor would be the best set of eyes to get on it

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Intplm.sdreeves42HVACNUT
  • sdreeves42
    sdreeves42 Member Posts: 5

    Thank you. I have reported it to them but haven't heard anything yet. Tomorrow I'll ask the manager when they're going to look at it. I'm using so much electricity running my AC 24/7 and even at night it's not getting below 70. My biggest fear is what this will mean come summertime. If it's 78 in the winter when it's 38 outside, then when it's 90 outside is it going to be like 130 in here? That's crazy.

  • sdreeves42
    sdreeves42 Member Posts: 5

    I was officially told NOT to turn the thermostat to off. But to keep it on and lower the temperature by a specific 4 degrees, wait 24 hours and report whether or not it lowered.

    If off isn't actually turning it off isn't that indicative of a problem right there? What kind of system wouldn't allow me to turn it off? Even though the thermostat says off.

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,298

    If it was done right, there should be a manifold in the apartment, or out in a hall utility closet. It could be as simple as an actuator not seated properly.

    I think once it's functioning the way it's supposed to, you'll be happy with the radiant. Once you find the sweet spot, just leave it. What thermostat is it? Do you know if it has a floor sensor?

    GGross
  • GGross
    GGross Member Posts: 1,252
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824467#Comment_1824467

    Management actually gave a decent bit of advice here for the general user. Whether you turn it off, or set it 4 degrees lower, after 24 hours the temp should drop, if not that would mean whatever controls your zone is not working. If it DOES drop then you will want to set your thermostat low enough so the space stays comfortable, even if that number is below what you normally would set. I don't think it was the intent of your property management to give a system that won't turn off, there may just be a broken component. As for the cooling issue, currently your floor is pumping heat into the space for heating right now which is why it is overheating. In the summer your boiler will be off, so you will just need to cool the space like normal, whether or not the A/C is big enough to keep you comfortable remains to be seen

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