Be careful what you ask for

[Addie]

By law, the heat in this building is supposed to be turned on by September 15th. Well last year this was done and then came Indian Summer in October. Temps hit the mid 90's. No AC, just heat. So be careful what you ask for. I went before the city council and asked for an ammendment to the law for buildings like ours. Give us the option of when we want the heat/AC turned on. They listened and we got what we wanted.

Now our morning temps are in the 40's. We need the heat. This is a place of the elderly. We are notorious for being cold at the least breeze. Of course we haven't had our Indian Summer. And we may not. And you just can't change the systems over with the flick of a switch. I keep one of my windows open about one inch year round. I could close it, but I hate to. I am a smoker and want some fresh air coming in. So I sit here in a long fuzzy nighgown, housecoat and sweater waiting for the heat to be turned on. I finally gave in and turned on the oven on "Warm." Hey I got what I asked for. So I can't complain. I just wish Indian Summer would hurry up and come if it is going to. Then they will switch over to the heat.

 

[chopper]

A law for when the heat is to be turned on??? That is a little too much for me. I hope you can be comfortable in your home Addie.

 

[Addie]

A law for when the heat is to be turned on??? That is a little too much for me. I hope you can be comfortable in your home Addie.

I am fine. I have a baseboard heater in the spare room. It won't heat the whole aparpment, but it does take most of the chill off. In the morning when it is at its chilliest, I turn the over on warm. There is a vent under the back burner that allows heat from the oven to escape. Fortunately my stove is electric. If it was gas, I wouldn't be able to do that. They will probably turn the heat on Oct. 1st.

The original law stated that when the landlord provides the heat, it must be turned on from Sept. 15th to May 31st. Now it is up to the building manager as to when the HVAC system is turned over. Now it is up to the residents with the help of the building manager. Last year we had a heat wave in October for Indian Summer. Temperatures were in the 90's. And the AC had already been turned off. If you are chilly, you can always put on a sweater or bundle up some other way. But when the temps are in the 90's there is no way to cool down enough without the AC. For a lot of the elderly, they can't breath in that kind of heat. Me for one. We had residents sitting outside at one in the morning because the apartments were too hot. Not a safe practice in the city.

The city last year had to set up emergency AC centers for people who were having trouble with the heat in October. The heat lasted for more than five days.

 

[Aunt Bea]

In CNY the law says 10/1 to 5/31 is the legal heating season for landlords that include heat in the rent.

I dread it when the heat comes on in my apartment complex, it is about 90 degrees night and day!

Most of the residents, including me, keep the windows open in the winter and that makes the boiler produce more heat.

Like the old song from the Pajama Game!

I've got ::cling clang:: fsssss steam heat.
I've got ::cling clang:: fsssss steam heat.
I've got ::cling clang:: fsssss steam heat.

 

[taxlady]

Bea, I hated living in places where the heat was included too. It was always too warm. I once lived in a triplex, landlord lived there too. I tried to convince him that I would shut my windows (his complaint) in winter, if he would turn down the heat.

I'm pretty sure there are laws about when the landlord has to provide heat in Quebec too. In places this cold, people can die if there isn't enough heat.

Many years ago the local gas company turned off the gas in winter for non payment of gas bills. There was one block where it seems everyone was behind on paying. So, in the middle of winter, they turned off the gas. A bunch of elderly died. Then it turned out to be a billing mistake.

In Quebec, they no longer turn off gas or electricity in winter, no matter how far behind someone is on paying.

 

[Aunt Bea]

.
In Quebec, they no longer turn off gas or electricity in winter, no matter how far behind someone is on paying.

It is the same in New York state, the utility company cannot disconnect residential service during the heating season.

The city can shut off the water if your landlord does not pay the bill. That has caused some serious problems for many tenants.

 

[CWS4322]

A law for when the heat is to be turned on??? That is a little too much for me. I hope you can be comfortable in your home Addie.

The city of Ottawa has a by-law re: minimum temperature for apartments. My brother lives in an apartment--he complains in the winter because the minimum heat is 62. When it is minus 25, his apartment is COLD. He has space heaters. The building owner has it so that 62 is what the thermostat is set at--tenants can't change it.

I personally don't heat my house over 62 (16C) very often. When I had sr. double-coated dogs with heart issues, I adjusted the temp so they were comfortable. I learned to wear more clothes. Socks--especially mohair socks--are the secret. And, I like my bedroom COLD (sleeping in a fridge/freezer). I sleep under a down duvet, and keep the window open--a bit more than Addie--mine is open about 3 inches.

In the summer, I kick on the AC when the temp in the house is over 27C (80) unless it is very humid, then I'll kick it on at 25.

 

[Addie]

Same here for utilities. Even if you heat by gas, most heating units are fired by an electric pilot. So they can't shut off the electric or gas. And the minimum temperature for landlord provided heat is I believe 68ºF. They can only shut off water if a building is abandoned. You cannot deprive a person of one of life's necessities.

We have thermostats in the hallways for heating. No AC in the halls. Come winter, I go around and turn the heat up to 70ºF. The idiots in this building insisted on opening the windows that are right over the source of heat in the halls. Finally the building manager put up a large sign last winter telling the tenants to leave the windows closed or they would have to disable the heat in the halls completely. Problem solved. Management is required to provide heat for the apartments, not the halls.

 

[Aunt Bea]

My brother lives in an apartment--he complains in the winter because the minimum heat is 62. When it is minus 25, his apartment is COLD. He has space heaters. The building owner has it so that 62 is what the thermostat is set at--tenants can't change it.

CWS4322,

Tell your brother to set a paper cup filled with ice on top of the thermostat. That will cause it to register a lower temperature and kick the heat on.

 

[CWS4322]

CWS4322,

Tell your brother to set a paper cup filled with ice on top of the thermostat. That will cause it to register a lower temperature and kick the heat on.

+1 I'll pass that along!

 

[Addie]

Today is the reason they haven't switched over to the heat yet. Right now at 6:30 a.m. the temp is 62ºF. And the temp will be going up. Indian Summer is starting. AC is still needed.