thermostatCooler air means it is time to turn on the heat in our residence halls. Be prepared by knowing these six facts.

  1. Around Oct. 21. Fall Break in late October often marks the time that heat is turned on in the residence halls. We expect to turn on the heat around Oct. 21.
  2. Hot OR Cold. Most housing facilities run either heat- or cool-air systems. This prevents us from toggling between heating and cooling during a season. Your room might get too warm on an unusually warm fall or winter day as a result.
  3. Don’t Block. Larger residence halls have hydronic systems. These systems need to be free of obstructions so air can flow through and around them. Do not pile clothing or towels on them. Do not push your bed against them or push carpet against the bottom of the heater. Heating will be limited if you do.
  4. The Northwest Quad and Founders Hall have automatic control systems that do not require adjustments. Fan coil units in Founders Hall are equipped with cutoff switches connected to the windows. If a window is opened, the unit will shut itself off. Keep your window shut if you want heat.
  5. Residents in Maple Hill and Walton Halls may need to change their thermostat from cool to heat. Do this by pushing the up or down arrow buttons until the temperature set point is displayed. While the set point is displayed, push the MODE button to change from cooling to heating.
  6. Other Halls. All other residence halls are equipped with fan–powered heaters. Residents will begin to feel convection heat as hot water flows to these units. A fan-powered heater draws cold air off the floor and blows it through the heater core up into the room. This mixes and breaks up cold spots. Please note that the fan will run ONLY when the thermostat is calling for heat. The fan will automatically shut off when the set point is reached.

Other Temperature Factors

  • Building age
  • Building location
  • Heating unit types
  • Distance from mechanical areas or steam/hot water lines
  • Southern or northern window exposure

Contact University Housing

Should you experience any extreme conditions outside the 68-72 degree range, contact us in these ways:

  1. Your Coordinator for Residence Education (CRE)
  2. Maintenance Service Center — 479-575-7005
  3. Submit an online maintenance request — http://housing.uark.edu/fixit.