Q&A
Testing and maintenance at the apartment level, including radiators
0:40:22
·
143 sec
Council Member Chris Banks inquires about testing and maintenance procedures at the apartment level, particularly concerning radiators. Keith Grossman explains NYCHA's approach to in-unit maintenance and resident complaints.
- For hydronic systems, residents are notified ahead of time for pressure testing
- NYCHA analyzes resident complaint data to identify problematic developments
- A Steam Optimization Squad (SOS) performs in-unit maintenance
- Maintenance visits are scheduled to accommodate residents' schedules
- The entire heating system is checked from the boiler to the apartment and back
Chris Banks
0:40:22
But when it gets to the apartment, what what what what role does the apartment play in the in the actual testing that's taking place?
0:40:33
The valves valves in the, in the, with the, what am I gonna the,
Keith Grossman
0:40:39
the Radiators.
Chris Banks
0:40:40
The radiators.
0:40:43
Is is is that also tested too?
0:40:47
Are residents made aware of the this this testing that is taking place when it takes place?
Keith Grossman
0:40:53
So in certain in certain systems like hydronic systems that I mentioned, where there is water flowing throughout the building, we will notify residents ahead of time, and we will apply we will put some pressure on the system leading up to the heating season to do leak checks.
0:41:08
Hydronic systems are older.
0:41:10
They're typically running on the exterior wall, and they're exposed to cold.
0:41:15
Like, you know, just going back to the aging infrastructure question, if they're not well insulated or, maybe it's a vacant unit, there may be some cold air exposing, you know, hitting that heating pipe.
0:41:26
So in those instances, we do, at our problem developments, our problem systems, we do that as well.
0:41:33
And we'll we'll apply pressure to the system and leave, you know, maybe, like, 2 or £3 just to start looking for leaks.
0:41:39
You know, I'll also say that, as far as resident apartments, right, we view all of our data very specifically.
0:41:46
Right?
0:41:47
So, we look at the entire development outages, as it affects the, as it affects the, the boiler plant and the heating system.
0:41:55
And we also look at resident complaint data annually.
0:41:58
So we'll take that resident complaint data, and we'll look at the the the property or the development that has the most number of complaints.
Chris Banks
0:42:07
Right.
Keith Grossman
0:42:07
And we'll address those in unit complaints.
0:42:09
So we will have a team.
0:42:10
We have a team called the Steam Optimization Squad or SOS.
0:42:16
They will go around and do a lot of that maintenance.
0:42:19
We'll coordinate with the residents.
0:42:20
We actually schedule it, you know, when they're when the resident's home, if they work during the day, we'll come a little bit in the evening.
0:42:26
If they work at at night, we'll we'll try to come a little bit later in the afternoon, so we don't wake them, too much.
0:42:32
But they're really in and out.
0:42:33
It's about 15 minutes.
0:42:34
They check the the property, assuming they check the apartment and all the radiators and the elements, assuming nothing's wrong.
0:42:39
So we look at the entirety of the heating system from the boiler to the apartment and and honestly back.
0:42:45
Okay.
