Apartment Warmth With A Hallway Thermostat-A Dilema

Ben_3

Your best option and one that will most certainly cut your heating costs is to conrol the system more effectively. There are many great controls that time the cycle based on outdoor temp and check the temperature of the lines and monitor apt. temps. Some are pretty economical starting with the most basic. But it has been my experience if you spend a few extra dollars and get one that can perform a few more functions you will be sure to save even more money I have seen savings as much as 30% and up. Good Luck

Dying in Denver

Apartment Warmth With A Central Building Stat-A Dilema!

I'm looking for steam heating system control improvement ideas that I can take to my next home owners association meeting. The present way of controlling space comfort through warmth sucks! Here's our problem:

The condominium I live in is part of a larger building built in 1951. The heating system is two pipe steam. Each unit, including mine have cast iron radiators. The steam to these radiators can be regulated by a manual valve and the entire steam system is controlled by a central wall thermostat located in the common hallway on the first floor (two story building-11 units). This thermostat turns the boiler on or off depending upon where its set (presently at 72 degrees F).

Often I will arrive home to a cool home only to find that the hallway thermostat is satisfied and no matter how far I turn my radiator valve to open I won't get any steam.

Often I will arrive home to find my home very warm only to find that I left my radiator valve too far open and the hallway thermostat has not been satistfied (the boiler has been running and providing my space with unwanted heat).

If I choose to leave a radiator valve open, when I return I may or may not have a warm (or too warm) space and if I chose to leave my radiator valve shut when I return home I may or may not have steam readily available to quickly warm the space up.

In short, my heating comfort is at the mercy of two uncontrollable variables: a thermostat that's one floor away and my inability to always be phyisically available to open or close my manul radiator valves (if and when the boiler is running)!

WHAT DID THE ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS OF THIS ONCE APARTMENT BUILDING DO TO OPTIMIZE THEIR INDIVIDUAL HEATING DESIRES (I'm told the system controls are essentially the same now as they were in 1951)?

WITH TODAY'S ADVANCEMENTS IN BUILDING ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM CONTROLS WHAT SUGGESTION WILL YOU PROVIDE FOR IMPROVEMENT (starting with the least expensive)?

Respectfully,

Denis Guenther

Big Ed

Helpful Site to Start With

Check out www.heat-timer.com