Please see the email that was sent today to all students living on campus.
Dear Resident Student,
In the coming weeks, we anticipate outside temperature variations as the seasons change. We wanted to provide you with the process we utilize to activate the heating systems within on-campus housing. Determining the timing to switch on heating is contingent upon the forecasting and prediction of outside temperature activity. The residential heating comes from the central facility plant. Typically, it takes 2-3 days to move hot water through the pipes from the central plant to get to campus buildings. Unlike a residential home where individuals can turn the system on and off immediately, there is no individual switch to switch off the heat once it is on. We therefore do our best to anticipate when cooler temperatures have arrived to stay before the heat is turned on for the season.
Approximately 5-7 days in advance of an anticipated temperature change, Residence Life and Housing Facilities will assess the potential temperature activity. We initiate the heating system if 3 consecutive nights of 45º F or lower is forecasted, no earlier than September. The determination to adjust the heating system off is made if 3 consecutive days of 85º F or greater is forecasted, no earlier than April, once the system is active. In any case, New Jersey Tenant Law will supersede these guidelines to provide enough heat from October 1 to May 1 for at least 68º F inside from 6am to 11pm and 65º F from 11pm to 6am.
After September we will monitor the temperatures closely to determine the activation of the heating systems. We are committed to the safety and comfort of our residential students and will respond to outside temperature changes in accordance with the limitations of a complex campus-wide heating system. Once the heating system is activated and you believe you have a heating concern in your space, please complete a work order at ruoncampus.rutgers.edu, under “Maintenance Request” on our homepage.
Should you have any questions, please contact Residence Life at 848-445-0750 or oncampus@rutgers.edu.
Department of Residence Life
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