Too Much Heat from the Radiator or Not Enough? How to Find That Goldilocks “Just Right” Winter Warmth

Do you ever get the idea that your tenants feel like Goldilocks during New York City winters, looking for the perfect temperature in their apartments? Because the steam radiator is a holdover from around 100 years ago, it can be hard to get the precise control you achieve with its more modern cousin, the air conditioner. But all is not lost! Here are some tips for finding that “just right” zone if you have not enough or too much heat from a radiator in your property.

Too Much Heat from the Radiator

Manually close some radiators

The easiest thing to try first is to modify specific radiators in a unit. This works best in large apartments with multiple radiators in one room. For example, if the living room is too hot and there are three radiators in total, turn one or two of them off by closing the valve, usually by turning it in the clockwise direction. This should prevent the radiator from heating up and reduce the temperature in the room.

Use a radiator cover

Some folks like to use radiator covers when turning off a radiator isn’t an option (and you don’t want to open windows, which is what people did in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). While there are ways to make your own covers, it’s safer and more attractive to use a radiator cover that’s built specifically for that purpose. Many radiator covers can also be used as extra shelf space for plants or books, and they’re also ideal for units with small children, pets, seniors, and the disabled, who are more vulnerable to hot radiator burns.

Install a thermostat + thermostatic radiator valves

You can get a much more precise temperature level by installing a thermostat along with thermostatic radiator valves. The thermostat “talks” to the valves, which are preset to allow the desired level of heat. The beauty of this system is you can get a programmable thermostat that can automatically raise or lower the temperature as needed for tenants, such as when:

• They are at work during the day
• Occupants are sleeping and don’t need it so hot
• Tenants wake up in the morning and want a burst of warmth
• Users are away on vacation and you want to avoid frozen pipes from turning the heat all the way off (never do this – keep heat at 55 degrees Fahrenheit at the lowest during winter months)

Double-check your boiler settings

It’s probably worth checking your boiler if multiple tenants complain they are too hot in their apartments. It could be that the entire heat system is simply antiquated and was designed to overheat units when renters were throwing windows open during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. But it could also be a case of your boiler firing too frequently due to incorrect settings, an ignition or switch problem, or condensate returns not functioning properly.

Not Enough Heat from the Radiator

Make sure the valves are operating correctly

If a tenant says they don’t have adequate heat, the first thing to check is the radiator valves. Sometimes they are accidentally in the “off” position and must be opened to allow steam to fill the radiator for heat. Valves that are clogged with sediment or mineral scale will also function like they are turned off. You can clean these by soaking them in vinegar to remove encrustation.

Checking valves is a smart thing to do before the start of the heat season. It’s also a good time to remediate any water hammer (clanging or banging radiators). This can be accomplished by tipping the radiator a few degrees with a small wooden shim toward the return pipe so condensate from cooled steam doesn’t “fight” with steam inside the radiator and create a racket.

Add more radiators

Building in more radiators may or may not be a solution, depending on the configuration of your plumbing and size of your boiler system. You want to be sure the boiler can handle an increased load on it. For some chronically cold units, this might be a worthwhile venture. It may cost a bit more up front, but in the long term, it’s more economical than using electric heaters (see below).

Fix any heat loss to the environment

Finally, make sure cold apartments aren’t losing heat to the outdoors. Seal up gaps, hang thermal window treatments, and apply insulation as needed (thin walls, walls that don’t get sun exposure, and walls that are exposed to wind). Thick area rugs or carpeting can also make rooms warmer.

Can’t get that Goldilocks perfect temperature in your apartments? Call Sanitary Plumbing at 212-734-5000 or schedule a service call online today.