In the townhome I am renting the furnace is hooked up to the water heater & I have been told it is a hydronic or radiant heat system. I don't know anything about this type of system, but once the weather turned cold & I began using the furnace to heat the home, the water in my facets became unstable- sometimes bursting cold & then scalding hot. I have contacted my landlord, but the problem doesn't seem to be getting resolved. I have been told that with this type of system, when the furnace is off I should have hot water. When the furnace is on, the water will be warm, but not hot. I am not getting any hot water of any kind anywhere in the home unless I turn the furnace on. If the furnace clicks off when I am in the shower, the water bursts scalding hot, then abrutly goes very cold. :eek:I experienced no problems like this until I began using the furnace to heat the home. I am getting the run around & don't know where to go. The system is hydronic/radiant, but it is still a forced air system. The manufacturer on the furnace is Apollo Hydroheat. I called them, but they could not identify the model & serial number on my unit. Any assistance would be most appreciated.

The system you have is common in cheap built residential units. The problem is more than likely in the control valve that senses flow to the boiler/domestic hot water outlets. I can not give you much more info except to say that the scalding problem should be addressed NOW since you can be hurt more than you know. Usually the water valves in these units have a anti scald feature but it is possible yours did not come so equipped.

Tell the landloard you have been burnt by the water and that this item needs to be fixed now. If he brushes you off again call the board of health/plumbing inspector for starters and let them light a fire under his A$$.

What ever you do leave the unit alone so no one can accuse you of tampering.