No heat in Brooklyn: what to check, and who should fix it
Brooklyn's housing stock is full of brownstones, row houses and pre-war walk-ups heated by old steam or hot-water boilers. When the heat goes out, the cause is often simple, but some of it is a job for a licensed pro only. Here's how to tell the difference.
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Emergency? Gas smell, CO alarm, fire, sparking or flooding: get to safety and call 911 first.
Common reasons the heat stops
- Thermostat problems: dead batteries, wrong mode, or a schedule that changed.
- Boiler safety shutoff: steam boilers have a low-water cutoff that shuts the burner off if the water level drops. That protects the boiler but means no heat.
- Tripped power: the boiler has an on/off emergency switch (often at the top of the basement stairs) and a breaker or fuse. Someone may have flipped it off by mistake.
- Burner or ignition faults: a failed igniter, flame sensor or gas valve stops the burner from lighting.
- Fuel supply: oil-heated houses can simply run out of oil.
What you can safely check yourself
- Set the thermostat to Heat, a few degrees above room temperature, and replace its batteries.
- Make sure the boiler's emergency switch is on and its breaker isn't tripped.
- Look for a reset button or a status light on the burner. Pressing reset once is fine. If it locks out again, stop: repeated resets can flood the chamber with fuel.
- On a steam boiler, look at the sight glass. If you see no water at all, don't add water to a hot boiler. Turn it off and call a pro.
- If you have oil heat, check the tank gauge.
If you smell gas, don't touch switches. Leave, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
What a heating repair usually involves
A technician checks the thermostat wiring, the burner, the ignition and safety controls, the water level and the pressure controls. Many no-heat calls end with a replaced part like an igniter, a flame sensor, a low-water cutoff or a thermocouple. In NYC, any work on gas piping or gas appliances must be done by a DOB Licensed Master Plumber (or a business working under one). Prices vary a lot by boiler type, the part, and how fast you need someone, so always get a written quote before work starts.
Brooklyn specifics
Older brownstones often have one-pipe steam with radiators that haven't been touched in decades, so a no-heat call can turn up other problems too, like vents, pitch or leaks. If you're in a co-op or condo, the building usually controls the boiler, and any contractor working inside your unit will need to give management a certificate of insurance (COI) first.
Questions
What temperature does a Brooklyn landlord have to keep my apartment?
During NYC heat season (October 1 to May 31), from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. the inside temperature must be at least 68°F whenever it's below 55°F outside. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. it must be at least 62°F no matter the outside temperature. If your landlord doesn't meet that, tell them and then file a complaint with 311.
Should I press the boiler reset button?
Pressing it once is reasonable. If the burner locks out again, leave it off and call a licensed pro. Repeated resets can cause fuel to build up and create a hazard.
Can a handyman fix my boiler?
Not the gas side. In NYC, gas work has to be done by a DOB Licensed Master Plumber or someone working under that license. Five Boro Fix only matches heating jobs with licensed businesses.
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