What is the normal temperature in an apartment in winter?

Temperature standards in residential premises are established in order to ensure comfortable conditions for human life during the cold season.

Heating in apartment buildings is provided by public utilities. Unfortunately, they do not always adhere to current legislation. If the standard temperature in the apartment is not observed, then its owner has the right to file a complaint with the relevant government service.

Standard temperature in residential premises

Today, the procedure and specifics of central heating are regulated by SanPiN documents. All necessary data is collected in Resolution No. 354 of 05/06/2011. If necessary, a person can go to court at any time if these norms and rules are not observed.

The standard temperature in an apartment according to SNIP is set as follows:

• Not less than 18˚С.
• In the corner room at least 20˚C.
• Temperature reduction by 3˚C at night is allowed.

The heating devices used in the apartment must also comply with sanitary standards. For example, the temperature of a water heater cannot be more than 90˚C.

Battery temperature

Battery temperature depends on several factors:

• The coolant or liquid leaving the boiler, which can be from 95 to 150 degrees
• Weather conditions, degree of soil freezing
• Coolant temperature at the entrance to a specific house
• Floor heights and distance of the apartment from the coolant entrance to the house.

There are no clear standards for what the coolant should be when leaving the boiler, since the temperature in the room is primarily important. Usually, in severe frosts, when leaving the boiler room, the liquid is heated to 130-150 degrees.

However, upon entering the house it cools down to 115-90 degrees. Therefore, in severe frosts, they try to heat more - that is, bring it to maximum values. At the beginning and end of the heating season, the water is heated only to 115 degrees.

In the house, all batteries are washed with coolant according to the ring principle. A residential building can be equipped with several circuits, one for each riser or entrance.

Therefore, when entering the heating circuit, the liquid has a maximum temperature. This is usually on the lower floors of buildings. At the end of the circuit, the coolant has already managed to give up all the heat to most apartments and cools down.

This explains the fact that residents of the lower floors complain about excessive heating of the room, and the upper floors cut off the call to the control room with complaints about the cold.

The heat of the radiators themselves in the apartment should be 80-90 degrees. This ensures the safety of residents when touching the batteries and the required temperature in the room. The maximum water temperature that the battery itself can withstand is 130 degrees for cast iron products and 110 degrees for other models.

Factors affecting the temperature in the apartment

The air temperature in a living room in winter is important. It is formed not only through the influence of heating devices. The following factors should also be taken into account:

1. Climatic conditions of a particular region. The minimum temperature plays an important role.
2. Season. The premises are heated not only in winter. The devices also work in spring and autumn. At the same time, temperature indicators during this period are different.
3. Human factor or individual preferences.
4. Materials that were used to build the house. Today, quite often an additional layer of insulation or waterproofing is used.

The permissible wall temperature in an apartment, according to current standards, should not be lower than 20° degrees. Otherwise, it will not be possible to create comfortable living conditions in the room. It is also affected by the weather and dew point.

Heating in apartment buildings

With the arrival of the first cold snap, chilled residents of apartment buildings are interested in the question: when does the heating season begin? The answer will depend only on the weather outside the window.

There are certain rules following which utility companies supply heat to apartments:

• In autumn, temperature measurements are taken over 10 days. And if throughout this period it remained below +8, it’s time to turn on the heating.
• If the temperature changes, when one day it can be +2°, and after a couple of days +10°, heating is not supplied.
• In spring, the decision to stop the heating season is made based on a five-day interval when the temperature was above +8 °C.

Also, don’t panic if you find out that your friends’ house is already getting warmer, but your radiators are still cold. By law, utility companies have ten days to supply heating to all high-rise buildings.

Temperature standards in various rooms

The optimal temperature in an apartment is a subjective concept that depends on the individual preferences and habits of the owner. The sensations should not cause discomfort. Otherwise the person will feel bad.

Temperature indicators are considered acceptable if they comply with those established by current legislation:

• Any residential type premises - at least 18° C. • The room between two neighboring apartments - at least 16° C. • Kitchen - at least 18° C. • Toilet, bathroom - at least 18° C. • Entrance lobby or staircase cage - at least 14° C. • Storage room - at least 12° C.

In our separate article, you can also find out the recommended indoor humidity standards. These standards also significantly affect a person’s comfortable perception of the indoor microclimate.

The influence of humidity on a person’s comfortable state at the same temperature

What to do if there is no heating

If there is no heating in the house for more than one hour, you must contact the heating supply organization for a control measurement. In cases where the problem lies in a system malfunction, the supplier bears full responsibility for this. In such circumstances, apartment owners are entitled to compensation for heating. The latter is expressed in the recalculation of utility bills or in the form of a complete exemption from this obligation for the period during which the batteries remained cold.

Sometimes this problem becomes protracted. In such conditions, you will have to resort to additional means to normalize the temperature.

Warm floor

Warm floors are not able to bring the temperature to comfortable levels during cold weather. However, such a system prevents the apartment from cooling to levels that pose a danger to life and health.

Electric heater

In winter, when the radiators are cold, the following help warm up the apartment:

1. Oil radiator. Act as a replacement for heating batteries. The maximum area that the device can heat depends on the power of the oil radiator.
2. Light and carbon heaters. These devices, in comparison with oil radiators, consume less electricity. Such devices heat the apartment using radiation that is safe for humans.
3. Fan heater. The device heats rooms using hot air. The fan heater has a low price. This device is not able to warm the air to comfortable values.
4. Convector. An expensive device that can replace the heating system. Convectors pass cold air through them, heat them up and exhaust them back out.
5. Split system. Suitable for heating large rooms. The split system cannot be started at sub-zero temperatures.

The described devices give a temporary effect. Without restoring the coolant supply, the apartment will get cold in winter.

People's recommendations

If the radiators in the apartment are cold, then the owners often turn on gas burners to heat the premises. This option for solving the problem is not recommended, since carbon dioxide is released during combustion, which worsens people’s condition.

The second way is to collect hot water in containers and place them in one room with better thermal insulation. This option is also not able to eliminate the main problem, but gives a temporary effect in the form of an increase in air temperature in a separate room.

Ideal temperature in a child's room

Pediatric sources advise paying close attention to your baby’s temperature. Overheating or hypothermia can negatively affect its general condition. The temperature in the child's bedroom should be 18°-20° C. Thanks to this, all biochemical processes in his body will proceed normally.

Dr. E.O. Komarovsky warns that the increase is dangerous and can lead to disruptions.

However, it is necessary to increase the intensity of the heating system for a newborn who was born ahead of schedule. For its development, it is necessary to create certain conditions, which the pediatrician will tell parents in more detail.

How to measure the coolant?

In the heating system, the coolant is hot water heated to the required temperature. For him in a multi-storey building, the legislation established the following temperature standards:

• with a single-pipe system - 116°C;
• with a two-pipe system - 96°C;
• The average heating temperature of the radiator is 78-92°C.

To measure the coolant, place an alcohol thermometer on the battery for several minutes, after which the result is assessed and 1°C is added to it. And if you want to get the most accurate result, it is recommended to take measurements with an infrared thermometer.

Another way to measure coolant is to use an electrical meter fixed with a thermocouple wire on the radiator.

Optimal temperature during the heating season

Residents of our country observe an increase in utility bills every year. At such a moment of crisis, they are paying a significant part of the budget and want to know that they will be in comfortable conditions in the winter. Unfortunately, public utilities do not always do their work conscientiously. That is why it is important to know what the temperature in the apartment should be during the heating season in the apartment.

The relationship between the owner of this service is regulated by GOST R 51617-2000. It specifies each period of the year and general technical conditions.

In winter, it is necessary to adhere to the range from 18° to 25° C.

If you deviate from the norm, it is difficult to imagine comfortable living in an apartment.

What compensation can you expect: formula and example

The procedure for making recalculation, as well as the formula, are prescribed in clause 101 of the “Rules for the provision of public utilities...” No. 354 and Government Decree No. 307 of May 23, 2006. When recalculating, the fee charged for the service is reduced by 0.15% for each degree. This amount is multiplied by the number of hours during which the temperature was below normal for a residential premises during the heating season.

Formula: Compensation amount = SxAx0.0015x(T norm. - T fact.)

Where:

S – heating fee – the full amount on the receipt for the period for which you want to receive compensation.

A – number of hours when the temperature was below normal

T is normal. – standard permissible air temperature

T fact. – actual temperature

Example. Heating fee per month – 4000 rubles. On December 1, you drew up a report stating that the apartment was 2 degrees colder than the standard, and handed the report over to the utility companies. But within 45 days (until January 14) there was no reaction. 45 days is 1080 hours. Payment for 1.5 months of heating – 6,000 rubles.

Compensation amount = 6000x1018x0.0015x2=19440 rub.

But there is a limitation: no matter how much compensation you calculate, it should not exceed the actual cost of heating. In this case, the compensation will not be 19,440 rubles, but 6,000 rubles, that is, the full payment for heating for one and a half months.

It is important to know that the recalculation period will begin from the moment a citizen files a complaint until the delivery of a service of inadequate quality is eliminated. That is, if measurements taken in December showed low temperatures, a recalculation for December was made, but it is still cold in January, you need to re-demand from the utility service provider a recalculation for the entire period of January.

The importance of maintaining a comfortable temperature

To create comfortable conditions, it is recommended to keep the temperature at 22° C. An increase or decrease causes irreparable harm to the body.

The heat in the room creates a favorable environment for the growth and development of bacteria harmful to the human body. At the same time, normal temperature does not impair heart function. The heat thickens the blood and forces the internal organs to work intensively. Constant exposure leads to dehydration, which provokes nervous tension.

Hypothermia or hypothermia quite often acts as a trigger for the development of a cold. It is important that your body temperature does not fall below 36 degrees. Hypothermia is especially dangerous for children. Their body has little heat transfer, so it cannot recover quickly.

Typical questions

The main questions that apartment owners ask in the event of a sudden shutdown of central heating boil down to the following:

• who to contact to resolve the problem;
• how to speed up the resolution of the issue;
• how not to pay for lost heat.

Some common problems are resolved more quickly. In particular, contacting a resource supply organization will help resolve the issue with a cold battery in one room, and what to do in this case. But if the radiator is equipped with a tap, then to restore heat supply it is often enough to bleed the air.

Who to complain to if there are cold radiators in the apartment

If you find cold radiators in your apartment in winter, you need to contact the management company and submit a request to eliminate this problem. In some cases, the participation of the resource supply organization will be required.

Important: which company fixes the problem depends on the location of the problem. If the heating supply fails due to damage to the pipes running in the house, then the responsibility lies with the management company. In other cases - at the resource supply organization.

If the responsible legal entity does not comply with the legal demands of the owners, then the latter have the right to submit a corresponding application to the housing inspection, the prosecutor's office and the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights.

How to avoid paying for heating if the radiators are cold

After calling the management company with a statement about the lack of heating, an employee of the management company comes to the apartment for a control measurement. If the latter is absent, then the owner has the right to carry out the procedure.

Important: after the control measurement, a report is drawn up indicating the actual temperature. The document is signed by an employee of the management company or the chairman of the council of the apartment building.

After drawing up the act, the owner must resolve the issue with the relevant organizations (resource supply or management). If heating is not restored within a month, the apartment owner can contact Rospotrebnadzor, the housing inspectorate or the court to recalculate payments for poor-quality utilities.

What to do if the battery is cold and the riser is hot

In situations where the battery is cold and the riser is hot, it is necessary to establish the causes of this problem. This leads to:

• faulty radiator valves;
• insufficient volume of coolant flowing through the pipes;
• malfunction (overlapping) of valves running along the riser.

In addition, it is possible that this problem arises due to airing in the system. Having found out the cause of the malfunction, you can restore the coolant supply to the battery.

Why is the battery at the bottom cold?

Radiators heat up unevenly. Therefore, the bottom of the battery is cooler than the top. This can also be caused by:

• incorrect connection of the radiator to the heating system;
• low circulation rate of the coolant inside the battery due to the narrowed cross-section of the pipes or insufficient pump power;
• the presence of third-party elements in heating pipes.

To solve this problem, it is recommended to check the condition of the valves and radiator, and the correct connection of the pipes.

Why are the radiators hot in the entrance, but cold in the apartment?

This problem mainly occurs due to air in the pipes. To restore heat supply, you need to drain water through the riser.

Rules for measuring room temperature

The rules for measuring air temperature are very important, because only if they are followed will it be possible to obtain the correct result. To perform the manipulation, you will need a regular mercury thermometer for internal use. It should be located away from heating appliances. The optimal solution is to place it suspended permanently.

Temperature measurements must be carried out by a registered device according to current regulations. Today there are many devices on the market that have a high level of accuracy. It must be located at least 1.5 meters from the floor. In this case, there must also be at least 1 meter to the outer wall. You can get an accurate result only if the thermometer remains in the selected position for at least 10 minutes.

How to measure air temperature

You can take measurements in rooms using a mercury or electronic thermometer.

Is it possible to do this yourself

If there are suspicions that the air is colder than the norm, an experiment carried out independently will help make sure. But it will not be possible to use these results as official confirmation of violations on the part of the management company.

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In order for the act to be considered a legal document, measurements must be made by a government organization using special certified equipment.

A home thermometer does not meet these criteria. But independent research makes sense before calling a competent organization, as it will make it possible to verify the correctness of suspicions.

How to measure correctly

You can use a home thermometer; buying a specialized one is pointless. The measurements must be taken by an accredited organization, but they cost much more. When experimenting, you should take into account the following nuances:

• first you need to make sure that the windows and doors are tightly closed;
• the device should not be exposed to heating or cooling devices, direct sunlight;
• when measuring, you do not need to hold it in your hands so as not to increase the readings;
• allow the thermometer to record readings (10 minutes);
• more objective results will be obtained by using several different instruments;
• You need to measure the temperature of at least two living rooms, depending on the construction features of the apartment;
• It is advisable to take measurements in the center of the rooms and display the average result.

Indoor climate control

The indoor microclimate is regulated not only by the heating system. Attention should also be paid to the following factors.

• Ventilation provides the necessary air exchange. Oxygen enters the room and carbon dioxide leaves. The latter factor negatively affects a person’s well-being and can cause severe headaches. An inlet valve can solve the problem. It will prevent warm air from escaping from the room. At the same time, oxygen flows in sufficient quantities.
• Central heating significantly reduces indoor air humidity. To eliminate the negative effect, it is recommended to purchase special devices. They periodically spray moisture into the environment.
• In the bathroom, hot tap water causes condensation to accumulate on the walls, which can lead to the formation of mold or mildew. Properly organized ventilation helps solve the situation. Experts advise installing a small hood.

Problems with the heating system

Such problems, as they say, lie on the surface. Their consequence is not only barely warm radiators, but also increased humidity due to freezing and thawing of the walls. This inevitably leads to the formation of fungus. Of course, such conditions are far from normal for living. Typical signs of heating problems:

• small leak in the radiator,
• noise and bubbling in pipes,
• difference in radiator temperature within one apartment,
• heat distribution is uneven across the floors of the house,
• problems in the apartment building system as a whole.

When preparing apartment buildings for the heating season, the management company is obliged to check all systems. If any of them fails, then a number of actions must be taken to eliminate it.

Responsibility of utilities for violation of temperature standards

Violation of the temperature standard not only causes discomfort, but can also lead to exacerbation of a number of chronic diseases. If utility services did not check the functioning of the system in a timely manner, then residents of the house have the right to file a complaint. She initiates a review by regulatory authorities of the validity of this application.

The responsibility of utility services for violation of temperature standards comes down to the need to recalculate the cost of services already provided. Additionally, they are also required to correct all system faults. After completing the work, the microclimate of the room is re-checked. The result is recorded in a special act.

Temperature check report for residential premises

If irregularities have been identified in the central heating system, the apartment tenant has the right to claim a recalculation of the amount accrued to him in the amount of 0.15 per hour of use. Thanks to this, payments can be reduced by 90% within 28 days. However, to obtain such a decision, you will need to file a claim in court.

In practice, there are many examples of poor quality heating services for entire houses. Residents can file a class grievance that will allow them to obtain the compensation they are entitled to under the law.

To assert your rights, it is recommended to contact regulatory authorities. The application may indicate several residents at once who are not satisfied with the service provided by the utility organization. If she refuses to carry out repair work or inspection, then a lawsuit is filed.

Arbitrage practice

Judicial practice on issues of compliance with temperature conditions and heating in apartment buildings is quite extensive and contains answers to key questions, failure to comply with which will entail a refusal to satisfy the subscriber’s requirements.

For example, in the Decision of January 24, 2021 in case No. 2-278/2017, the court refused to satisfy the subscriber’s requirements for recalculation due to the fact that all measurements taken, attached as evidence of exceeding permissible temperature standards, were compiled by the subscriber independently. Moreover, the subscriber in every possible way prevented representatives of the management organization from entering his apartment and did not allow them to take measurements.

But in the Ruling of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated April 11, 2012 No. VAS-3355/12 in case No. A03-1052/2011 on the refusal to transfer the case to the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation, the court satisfied and collected from the homeowners’ association the debt for the supplied thermal energy for heating on the basis of , that the resource supply company provided documents indicating that inconsistencies in the temperature conditions in individual apartments were identified in the network, which is the operational responsibility of the homeowners association. In addition, no evidence was provided to show that there were clear reasons for the temperature deviation.

If the apartment is too cold, you need to contact utility services.
If they don’t react, then the regulatory authorities will. You may receive compensation for services of poor quality. Useful article? Rate and share with friends!