Why isn't my heat working

Has anyone else ever had water based heating. Basically hot water runs though pipes that run though my entire apartment and thats the heating system. I just set the temperature and it usually comes on but all last week it failed to kick on and its been about 55-60 degrees in here. Thats well above freezing so I'm not really worried yet but come December when its getting below zero at night I think I might have a few problems on my hands. Anyone know how I can fix this problem?

I would call my landlord but it usually takes them about 2 months to get around to fixing anything so I want to see if I can figure this out my self with out making it worse.

You're living in a house, or an apartment?

For hot-water heat, you have to have something to heat the water (electricity, oil, or gas), electricity to circulate the water, and water in the complete system. Over the summer, it's not unusual for any one of those to quit.

You can check if there is air trapped in the water system. You do that by making sure the water is circulating, then opening the air drain on the radiator in each room, starting with the room farthest from the heater. If you hear a hiss but see no water, keep it open until you do get water coming out.

I live in an apartment and don't have any radiators in my room, just pipes along the floor that run into and out of the wall. The connection in my bedroom had a spicket on it and I opened it and water came out so I quickly shut it. There is also a water cut off that I shut off and then back on but nothing happened.

I lived in water heated apartments when I was a lass and my guess would be that the landlord just hasn't turned the heating system on yet. Ours was not usually turned on until the weather started getting quite cold.

Do you mean radiator heat? Has the landlord even turned the boiler on yet? Since you rent, there's nothing for you to "fix it", and if you try to, and you mess it up, you're going to be liable for it. I don't understand why you wouldn't call your landlord, regardless of his repair history. You had all week to call him and get the ball rolling.

We're pretty remote from December, so I think if you call him Monday, you might be able to avert the problem of no heat in below zero weather.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I lived in water heated apartments when I was a lass and my guess would be that the landlord just hasn't turned the heating system on yet. Ours was not usually turned on until the weather started getting quite cold.

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thats a good point, it only got could this last week and its going to warm up next week and lows will only be in the 50's. I don't remember having this problem last year but then again I didn't try to turn the heat on until mid October if not November last year. All I remember is it really worked except by the windows where there are drafts.

For a split second there I thought your title said why isn't my heart working. I almost fell off my chair. Guess that's what I get for being a scan reader.

You may want to call him to find out if he did turn on the heat, but most likely he didn't yet. But, I know we've had some cold nights here and you're further north so if he did and it isn't working he would probably want to know about it. In the mean time, break out the sweaters and sweat shirts and bundle up. I know I would rather deal with cold than heat because you can always put more on, but there's only so much you can take off.

You probably should call your landlord and talk to him/her.

It seems to be as if the landlord hasn't fired up the boiler yet.

Originally Posted by calico2222

I know I would rather deal with cold than heat because you can always put more on, but there's only so much you can take off.

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

You probably should call your landlord and talk to him/her.

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that's what i would do.

I totally Agree with you Calico, you can always put more on or get more blankets on top of you but once your naked then your doomed. Thats why I live in Platteville and not say...Arizona. I HATE hot, though I am starting to dislike really cold to, and the 110+ inches of snow we had last winder kind of got old after a while.

No answer at the landlords place...what a shocker...I swear we need new management.