Can I install a heater or air conditioning unit in the apartment?

Post date: Sep 08, 2011 2:39:34 AM

The short answer is NO, because the lease agreement forbids it. If you intend to use such an appliance it is best to discuss it before signing the lease.

Our house has central heating & air conditioning and the temperature is controlled by a programmable thermostat. When the house is unoccupied (during workdays between 8-6), the temperature is allowed to drop a little bit in the winter and to raise slightly in the summer. We generally turn the heat on in the first couple of weeks of September and the turn it off by June 1. We turn on air conditioning for July and August, but we might turn it on earlier if there is a heat wave. Our thermostat operates on the following winter schedule:

• • Mon-Fri

    • wake 5:30 am - 22C

    • leave 10:40 am - 21C

    • return 5:00 pm - 24C

    • sleep 10:00 pm - 21C

  • Sat-Sun

    • wake 7:00 am - 24C

    • sleep 11:50 pm - 21C

As you will undoubtedly notice, the temperature provided is only a guideline; in reality, the temperature on the lower levels is +1 or even +2 warmer in the winter than where the thermostat is located. Generally, you want the air to be warmest in the evening, when you relax after work and a bit colder at night, because if it's too hot you cannot sleep.

If you feel that the temperature is inadequate, please let us know. Please let us know the time you felt cold or too hot - we might simply need to adjust the thermostat program. In most cases, obtaining the best results requires simply adjusting the time schedule, keeping in mind that it might take up to 30 minutes lead-time for the temperature to reach the desired value.

Sometimes you might feel that the air is too dry or too humid rather than too hot or cold, but it might be difficult to tell the difference. Our furnace has also a humidifier that allows for the moisture content to be adjusted. We can provide you with a thermometer + atomic clock that also obtains the outdoor temperature wirelessly and, most importantly, also lists the humidity at $2/month - please let us know if you are interested.

You might also want to consider turning on the ceiling fan in your dwelling. In the summer, the air flow should fall on you. In the winter, reverse the fan's blades rotation so that the air is pushed toward the ceiling, at low speed, so that the hot air is uniformly distributed in the room and does not accumulate only near the ceiling.