It's to HOT !!!

that should work, I've done this in past. I boxed in a steam pipe to reduce the heat. You might want yo call a plumber and see if he can knstall sometype of shutoff valve

In my building, the steam pipes are not insulated, so we have "warm walls" that effectively act as radiators. Most apartments rarely use their actual radiators. The top floor, without steam pipes in the walls going to the floor above, need the heat from their radiators.

A few years go, they did something to improve the boiler controls and it improved the situation considerably (we rarely have to open windows during the winter as we did before).

This is why it's so important to understand the heating and air conditioning systems in a building prior to buying. Usually you hear these horror stories in pre-war buildings. The best buildings have good controls for proper delivery of heat & air conditioning, some even have systems that allow the building to deliver a/c 12 months of the year, should it be needed.

Yep, I have HVAC but it uses what I assume is a reversing valve, which means the same unit pumps AC in summer and heat in winter. Variable temp times like this, fall and spring are horrible because I cannot get AC and they turn it off so fast due to the temperate/heat laws, nor do I want or am I able to place a window unit. Opening the window is fine but in my bedroom it lets in a lot of street noise, but I learned to live with it.

Its one piece of diligence I wish I had known about and will never forget for next time.

Can someone help me figure out what this heating system is. I'm looking at a post-war 1980 high rise co-op. The apartment has one of big, white "boxes" attached to the floor and next to the window. At first, I thought it's just an central A/C unit. But the agent said I have to pay for heat as well! Basically, he said the building supplies the heat, but I'll have to pay for electricity to operate the "fan/blower" that is inside this box thing, and that in turn, allows heat in. There is no thermostat per se, but there's a dial in which I can choose at which level the fan operates.

Is this an electric heating system then?? That means I have to pay electricity for my own heat?? I'm scare, how much would that cost for 600 feet? TIA!!!

Don't panic, it's not electric heat. It's probably some form of hot water/steam through the system and the electricity is just using a fan in the unit to blow the heat into the room.

Yep, sounds like a forced air electric heater. Personally this would be a deal breaker for me--forced air heat is horribly drying and I get headaches whenever I'm 'forced' to be around it. You will have to pay for electric heating and it will add up in the winter (sorry, can't tell you how much since I've always refused forced-air situations myself ;-)

It sounds as if it's a standard post-war system where the co-op pays to heat the water and pump it to the unit. Then there's a fan that draws air over the pipes and heats the air. The only thing you're paying for directly is the power to run the fan. The fan uses very little power.

In other words, what the broker said. If in doubt, ask the super.

I tried calling ConEd to find out, but for some reason, they can't find it on their system. They said sometimes the service address is different than the physical address. I'll have to find out the meter number from the managing agent in order to verify that.

So...I just have to pay for the electricity to run the fan? THANK GOD! Err...but how much will that run? Sorry, newbie here...

I feel so dumb not picking up on this issue prior. Well, that adds to the million other things that I should have done...I guess there's always a first time, right? THANKS!

Don't call Con Ed, they don't know. As recommended above, call he super. If there's no super, call the manager, someone on the Board, or just ask a resident.

Here's the important question to ask about these systems: is there a condensation problem during air conditioning season?

Thanks for the replies. But why would it cost a condensation problem during A/C season? I'm curious...you mean, there will be water dripping out?

I tried calling the managing agent, who's from Cooper Square, and she hasn't reply yet...and I don't expect her to anytime soon. That is why I want to see if you guys know what kind of system is this. Thanks.

If there's AC in the white box, there may be condensation once it switches into AC mode. I lived in a building with similar boxes and there were persistent condensation problems that caused leakage into the units below and damage.

leecube- you also might want to ask if you can use the AC year round. If you can, then it would mean that the AC works off its own compressor for cold air, not off a building system which uses chilled water going through the pipes for cooling. (buildings using water heating and cooling are those in which the building determines when to turn the heat on and off, and when to turn the air conditioning on and off).

If you do have your own compressor, that will be the larger electricity cost during hot months.

But the big positive about the individual compressor is that you can use the AC at any time of year - outside the "usual" season, even when the weather may just be unseasonable warm in February, for example