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What is considered Adequate Heat?

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What is considered Adequate Heat?

Postby coachgns » Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:30 pm

The Town Code here says that the heat facilities in an apartment must be provided to provide for a room temperature of 68 degrees when the outside temp is 0 degrees. If the temp outside is under 30 or so, in my NEW apartment building we cannot get the bedroom to 68 degrees unless we keep the heat in the rest of the apt at over 80. When it was in the 20's a few weeks ago, we left our heat set at 72 & we woke up to a BR temp of 58. When the temp is down to Zero, I would estimate we'll need to keep our heat at over 85 to get the bedroom to 68, if it will even get there at all.

The Landlord, who built this large, fancy new apartment bldg, the most expensive in the County, claims the heat is working fine because when I set the thermostat to 72, the temp AT THE THERMOSTAT gets to 72 immediately. The thermostat is about 2 feet from the heating unit, so of course it warms up immediately. And then heat (forced Air Heat)to the rest of apt stops.

We have every vent in the apt closed except the BR to get as much air as possible there, but still can't get the room warm.

Question I have is whether anyone knows how that town ordinance would be interpreted: i.e. we probably CAN get the room to 68, but it is unreasonable to keep the rest of the apartment at 85. So I am wondering if the system is violative of the code? I will be caling the TOwn, but I expect that I won't get a straight answer out of them, based on past experience.

As an added piece of info, upon telling us that the heat was sufficient, the LL wrote that from now on any maintenance visit that is needed for the apartment will require a maintenance charge of $200 per visit. Remember, this is a NEW building. The heat has never been used before we moved in. No appliances were used before us. No plumbing was used before us. But if there are any problems with any of those things that the LL must provide, he is now requiring the tenant to pay to get it repaired! This guy has built many Condos thruout the NYC suburbs. This is his only apartment. I think he "doesn't get it", or am I missing something?
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Postby lofter1 » Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:28 pm

Heating regulations in NYC mandate a minimum temperature of 68 degrees in every part of the residential unit. If one area within a unit is 75 and the other is 58 then that is not compliant. There is no regulation about too much heat inside a residential unit in NYC.

In my building units farther away from the boiler historically have received less heat than other units in the building. However the LL is required to maintain a minimum of 68 degrees in the farthest unit, and has been pressed to do so -- even if it means that other rooms / units are sweltering at 80+ degrees.
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