Heating problems: move along, nothing of interest here.

[icarus]

Update 3, holding steady (heat's not off for the night yet) -

Did I mention they turn off the heat at night? Yeah.

Living room: 78 degrees
Bedroom: 62 degrees

Comments

Re:

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Depends on the type of heating system, how old the building is. Most newer buildings are on a heat pump system.

The system here is a very old radiator system. 1929 architecture. It's beautiful, gorgeous view of the mountains, but you pay for it with these funny little things. It's much harder to control the temperature, because you have to run hot water throughout the entire building. In order to change the temp, you have to dump all the water and run more through the system. Previously they had it on a sort of automatic timer, but that overheated the building. So now they're trying a thermostat set in one of the apartments on the north side, lower floor. Technically that should work. Heat rises, so the lower floors should be cooler. The north side is predictably colder anywhere.

But the Sneaky Heating Bastard is not taking the time to learn the quirks of the building. One of those quirks is that the lower floors are warmer and the upper floors are cooler. It's counterintuitive. It shouldn't be, but it's noticable as you come up the stairs. Each floor is progressively cooler.

I believe there are two factors Sneaky Heating Bastard isn't taking into account. The first is the fact that as the hot water runs through the building, it is gradually getting cooler. The second is that the building has old-fashioned horsehair (very poor) insulation and thin 1950's single-paned glass windows. Between the heat loss and the slow cooling the rule of 'heat rises' is being defeated.

Apartment 108 (where the thermostat is) is always roastingly hot, while the top floor freezes. The two apartments that are complaining the most are on the two wing corners of the topmost floor. They get the most wind (i.e. heat loss). The 'heat loss' is so bad, when my boyfriend tried to light on candle on the windowsill last night, the bic lighter was blown out by the draft. Twice.

As for turning off the heat at the night, that's new. They didn't used to do this. I'll admit it's not as though we're in Minnesota. Seattle's temperatures are pretty mild and constant, ranging from 38 to 45 degrees in the winter. So they figure the temperature in the building won't drop that much, everyone will be asleep snuggled under their down comforters. Then they click the heat back on at 4:30am before anybody wakes.

Over Christmas holidays I complained and explained I was up late writing. So the landlady kept the heat on at night for me. See? They're willing to work with us. The problem is, Sneaky Heating Bastard (who works for the property manager) is determined to be right and not have anyone prove that the building is being underheated. Because that will disprove his theory of heating the building and it will make him look foolish.

I believe this whole issue is because of Sneaky Heating Bastard's pride and the fact that it cost money to put this new thermostat in. He didn't do his homework on the quirks of the building before he stuck it in, and now he has to prove his system works. At any cost, even if he has to bullshit the owners when tenants complain.

I hate crap like this.

Icarus

Re:

[celestialseason.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the information. I feel like a broken record, but I hope you find a way to make this bad situation better. How cold was it this morning when you woke up?

Re:

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It won't be cold again until he completes the 'test.' Then the temperatures will plummet because no one is checking up on him.

Icarus