Prevent breakdowns before the cold sets in
Scheduling heating maintenance before New York City's winter arrives is one of the most practical things a homeowner or building manager can do. The city's heating season typically runs from October through May, and systems that have sat idle through the hot summer months often develop problems that only reveal themselves on the first truly cold night—which is the worst possible time to discover your heating is not working. Annual heating maintenance reduces the risk of mid-winter breakdowns by catching worn parts, dirty components, and safety issues before they cause failures. For boiler systems, which heat the majority of NYC's older apartment buildings, maintenance includes cleaning the burner assembly, checking the heat exchanger for cracks, testing safety controls, verifying water levels and pressure, and inspecting the flue for proper draft. For furnaces, maintenance covers filter replacement, burner inspection, heat exchanger examination, blower motor lubrication, and gas valve testing. Heat pumps require both heating and cooling maintenance since they operate year-round. Beyond preventing breakdowns, regular maintenance improves energy efficiency. A dirty or poorly tuned heating system can use 10 to 30 percent more fuel than a well-maintained one—a significant cost difference when you are heating a brownstone through a New York winter or managing energy budgets for an entire building. NYC building owners subject to Local Law 87 must already conduct energy audits, and efficient heating operation is a major factor in compliance. Our maintenance visits include a written report documenting system condition, which is useful for co-op boards, property managers, and building compliance records.
Comprehensive inspection of all heating components including burner, heat exchanger, and controls
Clean burner assembly, check ignition system, and test safety shutoffs
Lubricate moving parts, check belt tension, and verify electrical connections
Test system operation through a full heating cycle and check carbon monoxide levels
Provide a written maintenance report with findings and recommendations
Typical cost for Heating Maintenance in NYC: $100 - $250. Actual cost depends on your building type, system size, and complexity. Get a free estimate for your specific situation.
Pre war apartment: Pre-war heating maintenance often focuses on steam boiler systems. Annual servicing should include cleaning the pressuretrol, checking the low-water cutoff, and ensuring steam traps are functioning properly.
High rise condo: High-rise buildings benefit from coordinated maintenance of the central boiler plant and individual unit components. We can service both building-wide systems and in-unit heating equipment.
Brownstone: Brownstone heating maintenance should cover the boiler or furnace plus zone-by-zone inspection of radiators, baseboards, or ductwork to ensure even heat distribution across all floors.
Commercial building: Commercial heating maintenance is essential for tenant satisfaction and Local Law 87 compliance. We offer scheduled service contracts with quarterly visits and detailed documentation.
"Our building's boiler died on the coldest night of the year and these guys had a technician at our door within an hour. He diagnosed the problem, had the part on his truck, and had us back up and running before midnight. Saved our entire building from a miserable night."
"Had three Mitsubishi mini-splits installed in our Park Slope brownstone. The team was incredibly professional — they protected our floors, ran the lines neatly through the walls, and left the place cleaner than they found it. The units are whisper quiet and our first summer electric bill was actually lower than when we had window units."
"We manage 12 buildings in the Bronx and have been using this company for all our HVAC maintenance for three years. They keep our boilers running, handle all the DOB inspections, and their emergency response has been reliable every single time. Having one company that knows all our buildings has simplified our operations enormously."
High heating bills in NYC are often caused by an inefficient or aging boiler/furnace, poor insulation and air leaks around windows and doors, an incorrectly set or malfunctioning thermostat, unbalanced heat distribution requiring some rooms to overheat to warm others, or heating a space that is losing heat through uninsulated walls and ceilings. A professional energy assessment can identify the specific causes and recommend cost-effective solutions.
For energy efficiency, we recommend 68 degrees when you are home and awake, and 62-65 degrees when sleeping or away. Every degree you lower the thermostat below 68 can save approximately 3% on heating costs. However, NYC landlords are legally required to maintain minimum temperatures of 68 degrees during the day and 62 degrees at night during the heating season (October 1 through May 31).
The best heating system depends on your building type. For brownstones and multi-family buildings, high-efficiency condensing gas boilers with hot water radiators are a popular choice. For apartments without central heating infrastructure, ductless mini-split heat pumps provide efficient electric heating. For new construction, heat pump systems are increasingly favored for their efficiency and alignment with NYC's emission reduction goals under Local Law 97.
Converting from oil to gas typically reduces fuel costs by 20-40%, eliminates the need for oil delivery and storage tanks, and reduces emissions. NYC has been phasing out heavier heating oils, making conversion increasingly necessary. The upfront cost of conversion (typically $5,000-$15,000 depending on scope) is usually recovered through fuel savings within a few years. We can evaluate your specific situation and provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis.
Uneven heating is one of the most common complaints in NYC buildings. Causes include air trapped in radiators (needs bleeding), malfunctioning zone valves, unbalanced system design, heat loss through poorly insulated exterior walls, and stack effect in tall buildings pushing heat to upper floors. Thermostatic radiator valves, zone valve repairs, and system balancing can significantly improve comfort distribution.
Signs that your heating system may need replacement include: the system is over 20 years old, repair costs are becoming frequent and increasing, your heating bills are rising despite normal usage, the system makes unusual noises, some rooms are difficult to heat, or you notice rust, cracks, or corrosion on the equipment. If you are experiencing multiple signs, a professional evaluation can determine if repair or replacement is the better option.
A heat pump moves heat from one place to another rather than generating it through combustion. Modern cold-climate heat pumps work efficiently even at NYC's winter temperatures, with some models operating effectively down to -13 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat pumps provide both heating and cooling from a single system and use only electricity, making them a key technology for meeting NYC's emission reduction goals. They are an excellent option for both residential and commercial applications.
Banging or clanking radiators are common in NYC's steam-heated buildings. The noise, called water hammer, occurs when steam meets trapped water in the pipes. Common causes include an improperly pitched radiator (should tilt slightly toward the supply valve), a failed steam trap allowing condensate to accumulate, a blocked air vent preventing proper steam flow, or pipes that have sagged over time. Adjusting the radiator pitch and replacing air vents often resolves the issue.
Radiant floor heating provides exceptional comfort with even heat distribution and no noise. It works well in NYC apartments when installed during a renovation, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens. Hydronic (water-based) systems are more efficient for whole-home heating, while electric radiant mats work well for individual rooms. The main drawback is the need to access and modify the floor structure, which can be expensive and complex in existing buildings.
Before heating season, your system should receive a professional tune-up that includes cleaning the burner assembly, checking the heat exchanger for cracks, testing all safety controls, cleaning or replacing the filter, checking gas pressure and combustion efficiency, inspecting the flue and venting, and for hot water systems, bleeding radiators and checking the expansion tank. This annual service prevents mid-winter breakdowns and ensures safe, efficient operation.
Fill out the form below and we'll get back to you within 1 hour during business hours.