Baby, it’s cold outside
The days are getting colder and the temperature outside is dropping. Since the beginning of indoor plumbing, temperature control in NYC apartments has always been a hot issue. Hot, we say, because sometimes there can be too much heat. This is especially true of older buildings, so pay close attention our friends with rental apartments in the East and West Village, Lower East Side, and Chelsea.
And age-old issue with an age-old solution
NYC apartment buildings typically use steam heat or hot water heating. The temperature is set at the central boiler. So the same system that is providing heat is also providing all that delicious hot water that tenants love. Rental apartments in our classic NYC buildings generally don’t have individual temperature controls. So while you may be feeling a little warm in your studio on the 3rd floor, your neighbors in the multi bedroom share down the hall may feel the temperature is just right. And that is why we recommend the age-old solution: open a window. Yes, one of the distinct advantages of renting an apartment in an older building is that the windows aren’t sealed shut and actually open!
One thing we absolutely caution against is touching the radiator valves. If you feel there is something amiss with the valves on your radiators, please contact your building’s maintenance team and they will take care of any problems.
Sounds that clang in the night
It’s not unusual to hear clinks and clanks in your rental apartment during the colder weather. No it’s not someone beating on the pipes. It’s air traveling through the pipes along with the steam or hot water. Don’t get worried. Just give our maintenance office a call and one of our team can come into the apartment to bleed the radiators. For those of you unfamiliar with bleeding a radiator, it’s a relatively quick procedure, but should only be done by our staff. Do not try to do this yourself!
Getting warm and cozy in your rental apartment while the cold wind blows is one of the things our tenants love about living in New York. Did someone say, “Pass the hot chocolate!”