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How does my heat work? — Brooklynian

How does my heat work?

urbancowgirl
urbancowgirl
edited November -1 in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
So, this is admittedly most likely a very stupid question, but I just can't figure it out. I've had radiators before in other old apartments, but they had knobs that would allow me to turn the heat on/off/up/down. I'm in a new apartment now and it has radiators, but there are no knobs. So how does it work? How do I regulate the heat (if it has indeed been turned on as my landlord says it has)? I miss my thermostat...

Comments

  • modsquad
    modsquad
    Do you have "baseboard" radiators with hot water or traditional steam radiators? Is your building new or old or maybe a new heating system has been installed in an old building. Maybe more importantly, are you complaining about being too hot or too cold? Or maybe you simply miss the knobs from your old radiators? I had a favorite radiator when I was a child, I used to sit on it with the window open in the winter time and smoke one of my mother's Kents that I stole from her purse. Or was that my fathers purse? Whatever...
  • urbancowgirl
    urbancowgirl
    I've got traditional radiators in an old but somewhat renovated building. The main problem is that my landlord says that the heat has been turned on, but no heat is coming out of them. In my old apt in Kew Gardens there were old knobs on the radiator that would allow me to turn it off or on, but these have no knobs and there's no thermostat or anything on the wall. I don't know the other people in my building as I just moved in a few months ago, but I can't imagine that they don't have heat because one in particular has an infant in the apt. I was just wondering if there's some sort of trick I'm missing. I'd call the landlord (whom I've never met), but judging from the response I've gotten in previous conversations with him I'm not so sure he's even BEEN to my building.

    Oh, and I do totally miss having the knobs and will be sure to pass along which is my favorite radiator as soon as they're working. I imagine it'll be the tiny one in the bathroom. :)
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    Weird. Can you take a pic and post it?

    Does it have a pipe that runs to one master knob? Did you check behind things or in the closets? Seems unlikely, but you never know with old radiators.
  • filmlover44
    filmlover44
    Are there release valves on the radiators? If so, look on them for some sort of dial. Do the radiators get hot? Anyway, if you can't figure it out, ask your neighbors or call your landlord back. If you don't have heat the landlord has to fix it.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    There is a chance that valves for your radiators are located near the riser(vertical pipe that comes up through the building). Those valves might be in the public space and possibly near the ceiling on the floor beneath yours. If you can't see any valves look for the risers to other apartments, see if they are hot.
    I don't know why you have no air vents, the little silver things that hiss, letting air out of the system. Wondering if you see a small plug where there should be an air vent.
  • jimmylegs
    jimmylegs
    also radiators can take in air and won't work until the air is bled out. there should be small valves ont he radiators for this purpose, sort of like bicycle tire valves. you're supposed to use a special radiator key to open them and bleed out the air but you can probably do it with a screwdriver or pliers.
    or better yet, have your landlord do it like he' supposed to!
  • bluemagoo
    bluemagoo
    Most steam radiators have valves that connect them to the steam header. These valves should always be open esp. during heating season. You don't open & close them to regulate the temperature that's what a thermostat is for if you have one in the apartment. Most older buildings may have a thermostat located in the supers apt. or some other place. Steam radiators should also have air vents opposite where the steam pipe comes in and these are used to allow air to escape from the radiators when the steam comes up. Sometimes the tiny air hole gets blocked and they need to be taken off and cleaned out and replaced if necessary. If your radiators become air bound they won't heat up as the steam gets blocked by a buildup of air pressure. Another possibility is that they may be filled with water if the heating system is defective and doesn't drain properly. Any decent plumber could fix this for you or tell your landlord or super to get it done for you. If you are the least bit handy you can replace the old steam vents with newer ones of the Vari-Valve type that allow you to adust how fast the air escapes from the radiator. They are more expensive than the standard ones but they give you more control of things esp. since it seems your missing the standard steam shutoff valves. A plumbing supply store or good hardware store should carry these valves. Related links are below. Good Luck

    http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000288.html

    http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/HeatingProducts/HydronicHeating/heattimer/heattimervarivalvebuy.asp
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    jimmylegs wrote: also radiators can take in air and won't work until the air is bled out. there should be small valves ont he radiators for this purpose, sort of like bicycle tire valves. you're supposed to use a special radiator key to open them and bleed out the air but you can probably do it with a screwdriver or pliers.
    or better yet, have your landlord do it like he' supposed to!
    you're taking about a circulating hot water system. There is always air in a steam system.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    bluemagoo wrote: Most steam radiators have valves that connect them to the steam header. These valves should always be open esp. during heating season. You don't open & close them to regulate the temperature that's what a thermostat is for if you have one in the apartment. Most older buildings may have a thermostat located in the supers apt. or some other place. Steam radiators should also have air vents opposite where the steam pipe comes in and these are used to allow air to escape from the radiators when the steam comes up. Sometimes the tiny air hole gets blocked and they need to be taken off and cleaned out and replaced if necessary. If your radiators become air bound they won't heat up as the steam gets blocked by a buildup of air pressure. Another possibility is that they may be filled with water if the heating system is defective and doesn't drain properly. Any decent plumber could fix this for you or tell your landlord or super to get it done for you. If you are the least bit handy you can replace the old steam vents with newer ones of the Vari-Valve type that allow you to adust how fast the air escapes from the radiator. They are more expensive than the standard ones but they give you more control of things esp. since it seems your missing the standard steam shutoff valves. A plumbing supply store or good hardware store should carry these valves. Related links are below. Good Luck

    http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000288.html

    http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/HeatingProducts/HydronicHeating/heattimer/heattimervarivalvebuy.asp
    If there is a build up water you can generally hear it shloshing around or you can also get the banging sounds as the hot steam hits the water. The only way to regulate a individual radiator is to open or close the valve. Unfortunatly the OP doesn't seem to have access to any valves. You could spend all winter trying to regulate a varivalve, if you had heat to begin with.
  • maytermostats
    maytermostats
    yeah most older buildings may have a thermostat located in the supers apt. or some other place....



    _________________
    Programmable Thermostats
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