HHeat · heat & steam

Heat and steam in New York City buildings

NYC heat rules apply October 1 to May 31 in every apartment building and every rented unit in a one- or two-family house, and the building owner, not the tenant, keeps the boiler running.

Compiled by Building by Building · plate checked 11 Nov 2026

Close view of an ornate silver-painted cast-iron radiator against white tile — An old cast-iron radiator with an embossed pattern, painted silver.

The plates in this section

H-1What are the NYC heat season rules?NYC heat season rules run October 1 to May 31: at least 68°F indoors from 6am to 10pm when it is below 55°F outside, and at least 62°F from 10pm to 6am in any weather.
H-2How hot must the hot water be in NYC?NYC hot water rules require at least 120°F at every bath, shower and sink, 365 days a year, in apartment buildings and in rented units of one- and two-family houses.
H-3How do you file a no-heat complaint in NYC?To file an NYC no-heat complaint, tell the owner or super first, then report it to HPD through 311 by phone, online or the app, as an apartment or building-wide complaint.
H-4How does one-pipe steam heat work?One-pipe steam heat sends steam up and lets water drain back down the same single pipe at each radiator, with a small air vent on the radiator letting air out so steam can get in.
H-5How does two-pipe steam heat work?Two-pipe steam heat feeds each radiator through a supply pipe and drains it through a second return pipe, with a steam trap that lets water and air out but holds steam in.
H-6Why do steam radiators and pipes bang?Banging radiators and clanging steam pipes are usually water hammer: water left in the pipes gets picked up by fast-moving steam and slams into a bend, valve or the end of a line.
H-7What does a radiator air vent do?A radiator air vent is the small valve on a one-pipe steam radiator that lets air out so steam can fill it; residents watch and report, and the super or a licensed pro replaces it.
H-8Why is my radiator cold when the heat is on?A cold radiator in a New York steam building usually means steam isn’t reaching it: trapped air, a clogged vent or trap, a closed valve, or a boiler cycle too short to fill the far end of the system.
H-9Which NYC buildings need a yearly boiler inspection?NYC boiler inspections are required every calendar year for low-pressure boilers in residential buildings of six or more families, while buildings of five families or fewer are exempt.

Start with the building you live in. Whether it is a prewar walk-up or a high-rise co-op or condo, one boiler in the cellar heats every apartment, and the owner, board or management company controls it. In a two-family house the owner runs the boiler for both floors and owes heat to the tenant upstairs. A brownstone with no tenant sits outside the city heat rules, and in a new-build condo the heat may come from a unit inside your own apartment.

What do the heat and hot water rules require?

From October 1 to May 31, indoor air must reach at least 68°F between 6am and 10pm whenever it is below 55°F outside, and at least 62°F overnight whatever the weather, under the Housing Maintenance Code §27-2029. The full day-and-night grid is on heat season rules. Hot water is a separate, year-round duty: HPD says at least 120°F at the tap, 365 days a year, and hot water rules covers the 110°F floor for showers fitted with mixing valves and how quickly hotter water scalds.

What if the owner does not fix it?

Tell the owner, super or management company first; if the cold continues, report it to HPD through 311. HPD received 344,437 heat complaints in the 2025–26 season, up from 282,606 the season before, according to its heat and hot water page. The steps after the call, from the inspector’s visit to a DHCR rent reduction or an HP action in Housing Court, are on filing a heat complaint with 311.

Why does steam heat bang, hiss or stay cold?

Many NYC steam systems were laid out for coal, have too little air venting and run boilers more than twice the size they need, says the city’s Retrofit Accelerator. Smaller and older buildings usually have one-pipe steam, with a single pipe and an air vent at each radiator; taller ones more often have two-pipe steam, with a steam trap on the return. Noise is explained on banging radiators, hissing or spitting on radiator air vents, and a radiator that never warms on cold radiator. In every case the reader’s part is to notice and report; the vents, traps and boiler belong to the super or a licensed pro.

Which boilers need a yearly DOB inspection?

Low-pressure boilers in residential buildings of six or more families need an inspection every calendar year, filed within 14 days, while buildings of five families or fewer are exempt, per the DOB boiler compliance page. Boiler inspections sets out the deadlines, penalties and what the owner’s licensed inspector files.

How this plate was drawn

A short map of the nine heat pages, not a full account of any rule. Each figure was taken from a city page on 11 Nov 2026: HPD for temperatures and complaints, the code for coverage, the Retrofit Accelerator for steam and DOB for boilers. HPD publishes complaints only as a citywide total, and we could not get a borough split, so none is given here.

Sources

HPD (Housing Preservation and Development) — Heat and Hot Water · season, minimum temperatures, hot water, complaint totals · checked 11 Nov 2026
Housing Maintenance Code, DOB-hosted compilation — sections 27-2028 to 27-2031 · who is covered and the temperatures owed · checked 11 Nov 2026
Retrofit Accelerator, Mayor’s Office — one-pipe steam optimization primer · why NYC steam bangs and heats unevenly · checked 11 Nov 2026
Department of Buildings — Boiler Compliance page · which boilers need a yearly inspection and the 14-day filing rule · checked 11 Nov 2026