On Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:41:39 GMT, "Ray"
wrote:

I live in an 82-year-old six-unit apartment building, and the heat comes
from a single furnace through steam radiators. Needless to say this creates
a problem of reaching an optimum temperature. Not only are there wide
variations in heat between apartments, but some like it hot, some like it
cold.

It seems to me our best solution would be to establish a very low
temperature level for the main furnace -- like 60 degrees -- and then have
each unit provide their own supplementary heat to bring the it up to the
desired level.

I've been looking at these "mini-split" systems which provide both air
conditioning and heat.

Does that sound like a good solution?

Without fiddling,
I don't think that will work.. If all the units are running
their own "supplemental" heat, then no room is below the 60d
temp for the main furnace, and so nobody will call for heat,
and the main furnace won't run at all.

It seems to *ME* that the best solution would be
steam radiators that are adequate to provide the highest
reasonable temperature, but which can be throttled back
by the end-user somehow for people who want lower temps.

Maybe louvered radiator covers and electric fans?
Is this a one-pipe or a 2-pipe steam system?

With little or no insulation between units,
a person who likes it cold sandwiched between
people who like it hot is still going to have to
open a window, though.