What precautions should new multifamily owners take before winter?

Question

I am new owner of 12 units property (2 buildings). This is my first winter season so need an advice from experienced investors and property managers.
What all things I should take care of before winter starts in Chicago?

I have two boiler rooms. What all things I need to do around boilers and thermostat and any other things?

Thanks for your help and time!

Hossein Sharifi · Answer

Chicago winter is where new multifamily owners learn which systems they actually own. Before the first hard freeze I'd treat boilers as a scheduled project, not a hope:

1. Boiler service now: combustion analysis, pressure/relief valves, expansion tanks, circulating pumps, zone valves — get a written ticket from a boiler tech who knows steam vs hydronic for your buildings

2. Thermostats / heat calls: walk every unit, confirm heat actually reaches farthest radiators/baseboards; note any units that chronically run cold (those become pipe-freeze risk)

3. Pipe protection: insulation on exposed supply lines in basements/boiler rooms; know where main shutoffs are labeled

4. Freeze protocol in writing for tenants + PM: if heat fails overnight, who they call, and your emergency plumber on retainer (not Google at 2am)

5. Exterior: gutters clear, downspouts extended, exterior hose bibs shut off/bled, common-area doors latching (hallway heat loss)

6. Insurance / claims readiness: photo boiler rooms + mechanical labels before a loss; confirm freeze/water damage deductibles

Budget a real reserve for one mid-winter boiler emergency — in Chicago that's often cheaper than a multi-unit pipe burst. If you self-manage, put the 24/7 boiler tech number in your phone and in the building.

Paul De Luca · Answer

@Krunal Patel

It would probably be a good idea to have a HVAC tech (boiler specialist) inspect your system. Also, inspect your plumbing & insulation to make sure you're not at risk of a pipe bursting on very cold days.

Amit Patel · Answer

Welcome to your first Chicago winter as an owner! Get ahead of it now and January is a lot calmer. Here’s my pre-winter list:

Boilers

• Have both serviced by a licensed tech now, not in December when everyone’s booked.
• Check pressure relief valves, low-water cutoffs and expansion tanks, and bleed the radiators.
• Confirm whether your boilers need a state inspection certificate. Multi-unit buildings often do.
• Get your heating tech’s after-hours number saved. A no-heat call at 2am will happen.

Have both serviced by a licensed tech now, not in December when everyone’s booked.

Check pressure relief valves, low-water cutoffs and expansion tanks, and bleed the radiators.

Confirm whether your boilers need a state inspection certificate. Multi-unit buildings often do.

Get your heating tech’s after-hours number saved. A no-heat call at 2am will happen.

Thermostats and heat

• If you pay for heat, use locking or limited-range thermostats.
• Know your local minimum heat requirements and make sure every unit can hit them.

If you pay for heat, use locking or limited-range thermostats.

Know your local minimum heat requirements and make sure every unit can hit them.

Freeze protection

• Shut off and drain all outdoor spigots.
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces and garages.
• Remind tenants to keep heat at 55 or higher if they travel.

Shut off and drain all outdoor spigots.

Insulate pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces and garages.

Remind tenants to keep heat at 55 or higher if they travel.

Exterior

• Clean gutters, check the roof, and test sump pumps.
• Lock in your snow removal contract and stock salt for walkways.

Clean gutters, check the roof, and test sump pumps.

Lock in your snow removal contract and stock salt for walkways.

Safety

• Test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector before heating season.

Test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector before heating season.

Krunal Patel · Answer

there is only 1 thermostat in the boiler room, Individual units don’t have any control

Mark Updegraff · Answer

@Krunal Patel We’re in Rochester, NY, so preparing multifamily heating systems for winter is a major part of our maintenance operation.

The single thermostat in the boiler room is what caught my attention.

Before doing anything else, I’d have a qualified boiler contractor verify exactly how that system controls temperatures throughout the building. What you’re describing could involve boiler temperature controls rather than a thermostat actually regulating the living spaces.

I’d want the contractor to inspect the pumps, expansion tank, pressure, safety controls and overall system operation. I’d also verify that the apartments are actually receiving adequate heat, particularly those farthest from the boiler.

Beyond that, frozen pipes, roof drainage, gutters, exterior water connections and emergency maintenance procedures would all be on my list.

Do you know whether either system has an outdoor-reset control, or is the water temperature essentially being maintained at a fixed setting?

Danny Crout · Answer

Your system might also be set up with one thermostat or you could have multiple ones with zone valves to regulate on a per unit basis ￼

Danny Crout · Answer

Congratulations! If you don’t already have one, get an HVAC (or mechanical) company that deal with boilers to come and look at your system before you fire up. Do you know if your system is steam (radiators) or water (baseboard heaters)?

Krunal Patel · Answer

It is a water (baseboard heater).

Divin Kanyama · Answer

Congrats on the new property, @Krunal Patel . With 12 units and two boiler rooms, the best first step is to have a Chicago-licensed boiler contractor service both systems before temperatures drop. That should include checking the burners, controls, pressure, safety valves, pumps, expansion tanks, return lines, vents or chimney, and any signs of leaks or corrosion. It is also worth testing thermostats and temperature sensors in several units—not just near the boiler—to make sure the buildings heat evenly. Confirm that required city boiler inspections are current, and avoid adjusting or repairing safety controls without a qualified professional.

Beyond the boilers, insulate exposed pipes, locate and label shutoff valves, drain exterior faucets, clean gutters and roof drains, inspect the roof and masonry, weather-seal doors and windows, and test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. Have a written snow-and-ice plan for sidewalks, stairs, exits, and parking areas, plus an emergency contact process for no-heat calls or frozen pipes. Chicago’s heat season runs from September 15 through June 1, with minimum indoor temperatures of 68°F during the day and 66°F overnight, so keeping service records and checking actual temperatures is important. A walkthrough with the boiler contractor and property manager can also help turn this into a property-specific checklist before the first hard freeze.

Aaron Zimmerman · Answer

Great list!

What precautions should new multifamily owners take before winter?

What precautions should new multifamily owners take before winter?

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