NEW YORK (PIX11) – Heating season has officially begun in New York City.
New York law obligates building owners to ensure a minimum temperature of 68 degrees from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. from the beginning of October until the end of May.
“By law, building owners must provide all tenants with the following levels of heat and hot water Heat (During the heating season, October 1 through May 31.) Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., heat must register at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit,” read a fact sheet from New York State. When the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., heat must register at least 62 degrees Fahrenheit.”
If your heat is not turned on, contact your landlord or file a complaint with 311.
The city recommends following these steps to keep your apartment and building warm:
- Keep your windows fully closed
- Remove your window air conditioning unit or cover it
- Move your furniture away from radiators to keep the air moving freely
- Open the valve on your radiator. Turn the knob to the left to open it, which will provide more heat, and to the right to close it for less heat
- Keep hallway and stairwell windows closed
Building owners who do not remedy their buildings' temperatures may be subject to hundreds of dollars of fines, according to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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