According to NYC housing law, apartments in the winter must be heated according to a clearly illustrated set of rules:
My problem is that it gets SUPER hot at night. I’m talking at least 80. It’s unbearable. I don’t want to sleep with the window open, because it’s the fire escape window and then I’d actually be sleeping with one eye open. I’d be fine if i could turn the heat off at will, but I can’t because the newly-installed open/close mechanism still allows plenty of heat when it’s closed, and water builds up and threatens to (and has occasionally) burst, which scares me too. A fan only mixes up the existing warm air in the room. I’ve asked for properly working pipes, valves, radiators, and whatever else can change; workmen have definitely come in but haven’t done much good.
I’m willing to take it in stride mostly, because that’s part of living here. But it feels unreasonable that we’re comfortable saying that that’s just part of living here…why does that have to be?! Overheating is a waste of energy and also quite uncomfortable…it’s a lose – lose. And worse, I can’t call 3-1-1 about it, because it’s not really in their power to do anything about it; only a minimum required temperature is set! (also, they don’t pick up for 20+ minutes when I have tried to call.)
Suggestions? Or handymen? I’m at a total loss….
Jen Bokoff 