Heating and Cooling
Heating
The College turns the heat on each year when the outside temperatures drop below 55 degrees on a regular basis. Since it is based on weather, the timing varies from year to year but typically happens in October.
During the NYC heating season (Oct 1 – May 31), the College tries to maintain interior room temperatures in a range of 68-70 degrees.
In buildings with seasonal central air conditioning (Sulzberger, Sulzberger Tower, Plimpton, and Elliott), AC is no longer available when the building is switched to heating mode.
Troubleshooting Tips
Please follow these helpful hints to help ensure heat in your room:
- Close windows and doors to prevent drafts and heat loss.
- If you are having trouble closing a window or if you feel air entering around a window, please see below for how to submit a work order and/or call the Facilities office.
- Keep radiators clear of furniture, bedding, and clothing to allow unrestricted air flow around your radiator. This helps keep warm air circulating and distributes heat throughout the room.
My radiator isn't warm, how do I turn it on?
Brooks, Hewitt, Reid, 110th Street, 121st Street, 600, 616, and 620 W 116th Street
In buildings with steam radiators, the radiators are not warm continuously. The steam cycles on and off throughout the day. If your radiator is not hot after heat is turned on to the rest of the building, please contact the Facilities office for support (see below).
Radiator valves are not designed to be turned on and off when the heating cycle is on. Turning the radiator off in mid-cycle traps steam in the unit. The steam condenses to water and the water becomes trapped behind the closed valve. When there is water inside the radiator, steam is blocked from entering which prevents the radiator from heating properly. Additionally, water in a radiator can lead to loud banging noises or leaks from the radiator. This is why the radiator valve must be in the full "on" position to prevent any issues from occurring.
Do not remove, block, or cover the radiator air vent. If the air vent is blocked, the radiator will not heat. A hissing sound is normal as air is being forced out by the incoming steam. If the air vent is spraying or leaking water, please contact the Facilities office for support (see below).
CG, Elliott, Plimpton, Sulzberger, & Sulz Tower
In buildings with central heating & cooling, the heating unit has a dial to turn on a fan to circulate heat. Please note that as with traditional radiators (see above), the heat cycles on and off throughout the day based on the outside temperature.
My room is too warm
If your room is too warm, you can open a window to bring in air to balance the temperature in the room. If your window has an AC unit provided by the College, you can turn on the Fan function to circulate the air.
Problems with your heat?
If your room feels cold or a radiator appears not to be working properly, please submit a Work Order online and/or contact the Facilities Office at 212-854-2041 (8am-5pm). After 5pm and on weekends, please call 212-854-3362 (CARES) to report heating issues. A Facilities mechanic will be dispatched to check and address the issue.
If you live at 601 W 110th St and your room feels cold or a radiator appears not to be working properly, please contact the 110th St Front Desk or dial 0 on your intercom (facility concerns are handled by 110th St personnel).
Cooling
Students who need a placement in a residence hall with air-conditioning because of a disability or medical condition should submit Housing Accommodation Request through CARDS (Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services).
The following residence halls have individual windows air-conditioners (installed by the College):
- 121st Street
- 600 W 116th Street
- 616 W 116th Street
The following residence halls have central air-conditioning, which is typically available seasonally between late May/early June and late September. Once the buildings' systems are switched to heat in October, air-conditioning is not available until the end of the "heat season" in May (see above):
- Cathedral Gardens
- Elliott
- Plimpton
- Sulzberger
- Sulzberger Tower
The following buildings do not have AC. Neither window nor portable AC units can be used (due to the buidings' electrical wiring):
- Brooks
- Hewitt
- Reid
- 110th Street
- 620
Students may use fans in all residence halls; however, no fans or other items may be placed on window sills where they could fall out of open windows and injure people below.