One floor usually stays colder because heat is not reaching it evenly or that floor is losing heat too quickly. Common causes include trapped air, unbalanced valves or zones, poorly placed thermostats, circulation or pressure trouble, and heat loss through the roof, windows or walls.
How heat reaches each floor
Most brownstones have a boiler in the cellar that sends steam or hot water through pipes to radiators on each floor. Many homes also have forced-air or ductless equipment added during later renovations. Each type of system can leave one floor short of heat for a different reason.
The usual causes
- Trapped air can stop circulation in a hot-water system, especially at radiators farthest from the boiler. In a steam system, a failed air vent can keep steam from filling a radiator.
- The system may be out of balance. Valves, vents and zone settings control how much heat reaches each floor, and renovations can change what the house needs.
- A thermostat may be in the wrong place. One beside a radiator or in direct sun can shut the heat off before colder floors are comfortable.
- Low water pressure or a circulation problem may show up first on an upper floor. Pumps, controls and piping all need to be checked.
- The floor may be losing heat too quickly. Upper floors can lose heat through the roof, old windows and uninsulated walls.
What a technician checks first
NYC Brownstone starts at the boiler and follows the heat upward. We check pressure and temperature, circulator pumps, vents, valves and each radiator on the cold floor. We also test the thermostats and zone controls. The inspection comes before any recommendation because similar symptoms can have very different causes.
What you can check
- Make sure radiator valves on the cold floor are fully open.
- Move furniture and heavy curtains away from radiators so they are not blocking the heat.
- Check the thermostat settings and batteries, and note whether the thermostat is near a radiator or sunny window.
- On a hot-water system, a radiator that is warm at the bottom and cold at the top usually has trapped air.
Agreement clients can report uneven heat to their office property manager so it can be checked during a visit. If the house loses heat, agreement clients can use their 24/7 emergency line. Non-clients should call the office, and emergency help is handled case by case. Repairs are performed with affiliated NYC Brownstone General Contracting.