Steam Heat

I have "steam heat" in my apartment. This is all new to me having left central air/heat behind in my previous place. There're no radiators, just a few pipes that run floor to ceiling. They have been sort of shooshing, whistling and clanking the last week or so but only generating enough heat to feel if my hand is an inch away.

Is there something I need to turn on or adjust? Is this as good as it gets? My concern really was that it would be too hot, being on the top floor and all, and that I would spend the winter with the windows open. But it's been quite chilly and I'm thankful for my extra blankets and flannel sheets.

I'd prefer not call my property manager just in case someone has a quick and easy answer for me.

Thanks!

There should be radiators - otherwise you wont get any heat.

There should be radiators - otherwise you wont get any heat.

stacey wrote: There should be radiators - otherwise you wont get any heat.

WHAT??? No heat, you've got to be kidding me, my feet are already like icicles at night and fall has barely hit. I was told I have free "steam heat" is that a euphemism for the condensation that'll be freezing off my runny nose?

stacey wrote: There should be radiators - otherwise you wont get any heat.

WHAT??? No heat, you've got to be kidding me, my feet are already like icicles at night and fall has barely hit. I was told I have free "steam heat" is that a euphemism for the condensation that'll be freezing off my runny nose?

I have steam heat, but it's in floorboards. The pipes that run floor to ceiling are the pipes that transmit the heat between the floors. The floorboards send it through the apartment.

If you only have pipes running from floor to ceiling that sounds odd.

Also, if there is a knocking noise and little heat, that usually means your pipes need to be "bled". I know how to do this in my own apartment, but if you have never done tyhat before you could be asking for trouble.

Contact the property manager.

I have steam heat, but it's in floorboards. The pipes that run floor to ceiling are the pipes that transmit the heat between the floors. The floorboards send it through the apartment.

If you only have pipes running from floor to ceiling that sounds odd.

Also, if there is a knocking noise and little heat, that usually means your pipes need to be "bled". I know how to do this in my own apartment, but if you have never done tyhat before you could be asking for trouble.

Contact the property manager.

I agree with Stacey--usually pipes like that are seen when they are carrying steam/hot water up to other people's radiators upstairs. They can get hot to the touch when the heat is on full blast but aren't really effective in heating up an apartment.

Does anyone know where I could find information about radiator service and parts? We have one that just went on for the winter. Yes, one for our entire apartment--and even then we leave the windows cracked open all winter. The previous owner removed all the other radiators because of this but I'm thinking it would be a worthwhile investment to get a smaller one. The old one is noisy/leaky and in bad condition anyway. But who on earth sells/installs new radiators? I feel like I need a time machine to go back to the 1890s or something.

ETA: The clanking is due to pressure and it's pretty normal (though immensely annoying). Some radiators have little valves that "bleed" themselves, but others have a little round thing sticking out that you put a "radiator key" into to release the air. I had to do this frequently in my old apartment. You should ask somebody before you do it, but it's not a big deal--the key costs $0.35 and you just need a dishtowel ready in case a little water leaks out. You can tell when your radiator needs bleeding because it stops being hot!

I agree with Stacey--usually pipes like that are seen when they are carrying steam/hot water up to other people's radiators upstairs. They can get hot to the touch when the heat is on full blast but aren't really effective in heating up an apartment.

Does anyone know where I could find information about radiator service and parts? We have one that just went on for the winter. Yes, one for our entire apartment--and even then we leave the windows cracked open all winter. The previous owner removed all the other radiators because of this but I'm thinking it would be a worthwhile investment to get a smaller one. The old one is noisy/leaky and in bad condition anyway. But who on earth sells/installs new radiators? I feel like I need a time machine to go back to the 1890s or something.

ETA: The clanking is due to pressure and it's pretty normal (though immensely annoying). Some radiators have little valves that "bleed" themselves, but others have a little round thing sticking out that you put a "radiator key" into to release the air. I had to do this frequently in my old apartment. You should ask somebody before you do it, but it's not a big deal--the key costs $0.35 and you just need a dishtowel ready in case a little water leaks out. You can tell when your radiator needs bleeding because it stops being hot!

Jack wrote: ...that usually means your pipes need to be "bled".

I prefer leeches. 8)

Jack wrote: ...that usually means your pipes need to be "bled".

I prefer leeches. 8)

Jack wrote: I have steam heat, but it's in floorboards. The pipes that run floor to ceiling are the pipes that transmit the heat between the floors. The floorboards send it through the apartment.

If you only have pipes running from floor to ceiling that sounds odd.

Also, if there is a knocking noise and little heat, that usually means your pipes need to be "bled". I know how to do this in my own apartment, but if you have never done tyhat before you could be asking for trouble.

Contact the property manager.

I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

Jack wrote: I have steam heat, but it's in floorboards. The pipes that run floor to ceiling are the pipes that transmit the heat between the floors. The floorboards send it through the apartment.

If you only have pipes running from floor to ceiling that sounds odd.

Also, if there is a knocking noise and little heat, that usually means your pipes need to be "bled". I know how to do this in my own apartment, but if you have never done tyhat before you could be asking for trouble.

Contact the property manager.

I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

Jack wrote: Contact the property manager.

Fine, fine, I called him and he said that they'll get warmer the colder it gets but that he'd have someone come check to make sure they're not faulty.

Jack wrote: Contact the property manager.

Fine, fine, I called him and he said that they'll get warmer the colder it gets but that he'd have someone come check to make sure they're not faulty.

stacey wrote: I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

When there are floor boards there is a bleeding valve in either one of two places. One, right on the pipes of the floorboard. Two, in the floor-to-ceiling pipes going between apartments.

In my place, I have a trap-door in the way of two places in my apartment. Behind that is access to the bleeding nozzle. It works great, but man does it smell like oil when they are bled.

stacey wrote: I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

When there are floor boards there is a bleeding valve in either one of two places. One, right on the pipes of the floorboard. Two, in the floor-to-ceiling pipes going between apartments.

In my place, I have a trap-door in the way of two places in my apartment. Behind that is access to the bleeding nozzle. It works great, but man does it smell like oil when they are bled.

Jack wrote: [quote=stacey]I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

When there are floor boards there is a bleeding valve in either one of two places. One, right on the pipes of the floorboard. Two, in the floor-to-ceiling pipes going between apartments.

In my place, I have a trap-door in the way of two places in my apartment. Behind that is access to the bleeding nozzle. It works great, but man does it smell like oil when they are bled.
Now that you mention it, there are valves down there, but all this bleeding talk is making me nervous, I'll let the super deal with and sleep in my sweatpants until then!

Jack wrote: [quote=stacey]I always though to "bled" the pipes you need a nozzle on the radiator.

When there are floor boards there is a bleeding valve in either one of two places. One, right on the pipes of the floorboard. Two, in the floor-to-ceiling pipes going between apartments.

In my place, I have a trap-door in the way of two places in my apartment. Behind that is access to the bleeding nozzle. It works great, but man does it smell like oil when they are bled.
Now that you mention it, there are valves down there, but all this bleeding talk is making me nervous, I'll let the super deal with and sleep in my sweatpants until then!

I've got only the steam pipe in my bedroom (with a few radiators in different rooms) and I'm already suffocating. In the dead of winter, my roommate and I were walking around in shorts and tank tops with all the windows cracked. It can get suffocatingly hot with those pipes.

I've got only the steam pipe in my bedroom (with a few radiators in different rooms) and I'm already suffocating. In the dead of winter, my roommate and I were walking around in shorts and tank tops with all the windows cracked. It can get suffocatingly hot with those pipes.

Let the super do it but try to get him to show you how. Much better to do able to do it yourself when you come home at midnight and find it's cold, rather than waiting for him to come back the next day.

Let the super do it but try to get him to show you how. Much better to do able to do it yourself when you come home at midnight and find it's cold, rather than waiting for him to come back the next day.

Candicissima wrote: I've got only the steam pipe in my bedroom (with a few radiators in different rooms) and I'm already suffocating. In the dead of winter, my roommate and I were walking around in shorts and tank tops with all the windows cracked. It can get suffocatingly hot with those pipes.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was expecting. Haven't even taken the AC out of my window yet, which is probably making it colder now, but I thought it might be so hot I'd be happier leaving it in. Plus I have nowhere to store it just yet until I do a major clean out of my closets.

EmilyM wrote: Let the super do it but try to get him to show you how. Much better to do able to do it yourself when you come home at midnight and find it's cold, rather than waiting for him to come back the next day.

Good thinking but they always come during the day when I'm at work. Is this something you usually do more than once, or do you mean in the event that it goes on the fritz?

Candicissima wrote: I've got only the steam pipe in my bedroom (with a few radiators in different rooms) and I'm already suffocating. In the dead of winter, my roommate and I were walking around in shorts and tank tops with all the windows cracked. It can get suffocatingly hot with those pipes.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was expecting. Haven't even taken the AC out of my window yet, which is probably making it colder now, but I thought it might be so hot I'd be happier leaving it in. Plus I have nowhere to store it just yet until I do a major clean out of my closets.

EmilyM wrote: Let the super do it but try to get him to show you how. Much better to do able to do it yourself when you come home at midnight and find it's cold, rather than waiting for him to come back the next day.

Good thinking but they always come during the day when I'm at work. Is this something you usually do more than once, or do you mean in the event that it goes on the fritz?

Our heat just kicked on for the first time this season about an hour ago, and thank god too because I've been working from home all day in my ski clothes.

Of course now comes the living-in-a-sauna aspect of NYC winters, heh.

Lirio, when I lived in an apartment with those pipe things only, it did indeed seem to get warmer as the weather outside got colder. Can't hurt to have it checked out, though.

Our heat just kicked on for the first time this season about an hour ago, and thank god too because I've been working from home all day in my ski clothes.

Of course now comes the living-in-a-sauna aspect of NYC winters, heh.

Lirio, when I lived in an apartment with those pipe things only, it did indeed seem to get warmer as the weather outside got colder. Can't hurt to have it checked out, though.

EmilyM wrote: Does anyone know where I could find information about radiator service and parts? We have one that just went on for the winter. Yes, one for our entire apartment--and even then we leave the windows cracked open all winter. The previous owner removed all the other radiators because of this but I'm thinking it would be a worthwhile investment to get a smaller one. The old one is noisy/leaky and in bad condition anyway. But who on earth sells/installs new radiators? I feel like I need a time machine to go back to the 1890s or something.

Are you looking for the old cast iron ones or the newer baseboard ones?

EmilyM wrote: Does anyone know where I could find information about radiator service and parts? We have one that just went on for the winter. Yes, one for our entire apartment--and even then we leave the windows cracked open all winter. The previous owner removed all the other radiators because of this but I'm thinking it would be a worthwhile investment to get a smaller one. The old one is noisy/leaky and in bad condition anyway. But who on earth sells/installs new radiators? I feel like I need a time machine to go back to the 1890s or something.

Are you looking for the old cast iron ones or the newer baseboard ones?

I was envisioning getting the same kind of radiator (cast iron), just a smaller one, and hopefully a less leaky/noisy one. I'm not sure we could integrate a different kind of radiator into the building's system. (Actually, I'm not sure this plan will work at all, but it's worth a try.)

I was envisioning getting the same kind of radiator (cast iron), just a smaller one, and hopefully a less leaky/noisy one. I'm not sure we could integrate a different kind of radiator into the building's system. (Actually, I'm not sure this plan will work at all, but it's worth a try.)