Prevent Mechanical Ltd.

Prevent Mechanical is suggesting that you verify the proper function of your in-suite heating equipment BEFORE winter hits!

Many condominiums have so much "thermal mass" that even if your own heat isn't working, the surrounding building will make it feel like your unit is cozy warm. Until the thermometer hits -20C that is; then you may suddenly discover your zone valve or thermostat are not working (at the same moment 2,000 other Calgarians are discovering the same thing).

Better to take 20 minutes this fall to check on the system. Pick a cool day and check your baseboard radiators. If they are just room temperature, go ahead and turn your thermostat all the way up. Wait 20 minutes and feel the radiators again. If everything is working as it should, they should be very warm. This tells you that the thermostat is asking the zone valve for heat, and the zone valve is opening to allow hot water through the radiators.

Then go ahead and turn your thermostat all the way down, within about 20 minutes those radiators should be back to just room temperature again. This tells you that, when the thermostat is "satisfied" with the room temperature, it is able to close the zone valve and stop the flow of hot water.

Checking your system before the first blizzard may save you the cost of an after-hours emergency call out.

You can only check this on colder days since the boilers themselves may shut off when the outdoor temperature is moderate.