November 2023
When there is extreme cold weather, high-rise building residents should take measures to prevent pipes from freezing and flooding.
Most recently, temperatures dropped as low as -25C on February 3 and 4, 2023.
Residents in buildings heated by fan coils, including landlord-owners and those on vacation, should take measures to ensure that hot water circulates constantly through these systems. Turning off the fan coil to reduce electricity costs can allow these systems to freeze. Thermostats should not be set below 15 C or 60 F.
If your home is overly warm, do not turn heating off. If opening an outside door or window, only do so for a short time. Open windows or balcony/patio door during cold weather can cause pipes to freeze in a unit.
- Do not set thermostats below 15 C or 60 F during cold weather
- Avoid turning your heating/thermostats completely off
The costs of damage and repair exceed any savings you hope to obtain by reducing heating costs.
When damage and repair costs are covered by insurance, both premiums and deductibles can be expected to increase. Owners of units taking actions that cause pipes to freeze or flooding can expect to be financially responsible for damage they may have caused.
