Frequently Asked Questions

Thermostat Control
Electric baseboards generally have a thermostat in each room.
Heat sources with a single supply have a thermostat in a central area, and may not exactly reflect the temperature in other rooms.
Anything that produces heat (examples: freezer or entertainment centre, room heater) under, or near, the thermostat, will trick the thermostat.
By varying heat flow to rooms in the unit, other rooms can be balanced to be warmer or cooler than the thermostat setting.
Varying heat flow works with all heating systems
Baseboard water radiators are fitted with flaps to close or open heat flow, maximum setting is centred
Forced air ducts are fitted with flaps to close or open heat flow
Cast radiators have a tap to adjust water flow
When other rooms are too hot, compared with the thermostat area, reduce those rooms controls,
When other rooms are too cool, compared with the thermostat area, increase those rooms control or decrease the room with the thermostat
(that room will always be warm, it has the thermostat)
The landlord cannot enter the unit randomly to change temperatures; the tenant must make these adjustments.

Running out of fuel is preventable.
Fuel use is foreseeable, and continuous
If the tenant runs out of fuel, there are costs incurred in refueling and restarting the furnace, those costs are the tenant's.
Those charges are not the responsibility of the landlord.
Fuel/electricity use, is directly related to thermostat temperature setting.
It is unwise to leave the thermostat turned up when the premises are vacant.
It is unwise to turn the thermostat off when the premises are vacant.

Cleaning
Forced air furnaces have air filters, filters must be cleaned plastic scourer, or replaced paper screen, regularly.   If the filters arent clean, airflow is reduced through the furnace, reduced air means longer burn times, more heat going up the chimney, and higher costs
Baseboard radiators have fins, these fins must be vacuumed from the bottom, to keep out dust or pet hair.   If these fins arent clean there is reduced airflow through the radiator, reduced air means longer run time, more fuel or electricity use, higher costs, and cold.
The landlord can not enter the unit randomly to clean heaters; the tenant must make these corrections.

During extreme cold periods it may be necessary to open cabinet doors, to allow extra air circulation to kitchen or bathroom pipes