Brewster, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 148 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 148-25
Heating
Operative Text
A. General requirements. (1) Residential buildings intended for occupancy between the first day of November and the first day of May of the following year shall be provided with heating equipment designed to maintain a temperature of not less than 70° F., at a distance of three feet and more from exterior walls and at a level of five feet above the floor in habitable spaces, kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms. The capability of the heating equipment to maintain such indoor temperature shall be based on the average of the recorded annual minimum outside temperature for the locality. (2) In multiple dwellings, adequate heat shall be provided to maintain the indoor temperature in habitable spaces, kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms at 70° F. from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. when the outside temperature falls below 55° F. B. Smoke control. Fuel-burning heat-producing equipment shall be installed and maintained so that the emission or discharge into the atmosphere of smoke, dust, particles, odors or other products of combustion will not create a nuisance or be detrimental to the health, comfort, safety or property of any person. C. Warm-air heating. Ducts and other air-handling equipment used for heating shall conform to the requirements of such equipment used for ventilating purposes. D. Prohibited locations for heat-producing equipment. Fuel-burning water heaters shall not be located in sleeping rooms, bathrooms or toilet rooms. E. Fuel-supply connection. Fuel-burning equipment shall be permanently fastened and connected in place. Fuel-supply connection to such equipment shall be made with pipe or tubing of solid metal. F. Installation and clearance. Where heat-producing equipment is installed on or adjacent to combustible materials, the location, insulation, clearance and control of the equipment shall be such that the temperature on the surface of the combustible material will not exceed a safe temperature. G. Air supply. (1) Direct-fired heat-producing equipment and the enclosure in which it is located shall be provided with a supply of air adequate both for complete combustion at the rated gross output of the equipment and for the ventilation of the enclosure to prevent the accumulation of heat. (2) Rooms containing fuel-burning equipment shall have such air supply provided by means of one or more openings to the exterior or by means of fixed openings to interior spaces which open to the exterior. H. Removal of products of combustion. (1) Equipment for burning solid or liquid fuel shall be connected to suitable chimneys or flues and shall not be connected to gas vents. Unvented heaters burning liquid fuel shall be prohibited. (2) Fuel-burning space heaters located in sleeping rooms or rooms normally kept closed shall be connected to a suitable chimney, flue or gas vent. (3) Gas-fired equipment shall be connected to a suitable chimney, flue or gas vent when the discharge of the products of combustion onto the space where the equipment is installed would be a hazard. I. Safety devices. (1) Equipment capable of developing hazardous pressures or temperatures shall be provided with means to relieve safely such pressures and temperatures. (2) Controls for the safe operation of automatically operated heat-producing equipment shall be provided to function as follows: (a) When failure or interruption of flame or ignition occurs, the fuel supply shall be cut off. (b) When a predetermined temperature or pressure is exceeded, the input of additional heat shall be prevented or reduced to a safe rate. (c) When the water level in a steam boiler drops below a predetermined level, the fuel supply shall be cut off. (d) When failure or interruption of a pilot light or main burner of liquefied-petroleum-gas equipment occurs, the fuel supply to each pilot light and main burner shall be cut off. J. Heating of garages. Fuel-burning equipment for garages servicing multiple dwellings shall be located in heater rooms, except that equipment burning gas or liquid fuel located in the vehicle storage space shall be permitted in stories at or above grade where elevated so as not to be exposed to possible accumulation of flammable gases.
Section 148-25 of Brewster, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 148 establishes comprehensive heating standards for residential buildings. During the heating season (November 1 through May 1), buildings must be equipped to maintain at least 70°F in habitable spaces, kitchenettes, bathrooms, and toilet rooms, with multiple dwellings required to hit that threshold between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. whenever outside temperatures drop below 55°F. The provision also governs fuel-burning equipment installation, smoke emissions, air supply, combustion-product venting, safety controls, and the placement of heating equipment in garages—setting a broad framework for safe and adequate residential heat.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating residential buildings in Brewster should ensure that heating systems are sized and maintained to meet the temperature thresholds spelled out in § 148-25, including the 70°F standard during the November-through-May heating season and the timed requirements for multiple dwellings. Compliant operators typically schedule regular inspections of fuel-burning equipment to confirm proper venting, adequate air supply, functioning safety controls, and correct clearances from combustible materials. Fuel-burning water heaters must be kept out of sleeping rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms, and all fuel-supply connections must use solid-metal pipe or tubing as required by § 148-25.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 148-25, tenants in Brewster residential buildings have a right to adequate heat—at least 70°F in living spaces, kitchenettes, and bathrooms—throughout the heating season, with specific overnight and daytime protections in multiple dwellings when outside temperatures fall below 55°F. If heat falls short of these standards, tenants may document the conditions (such as recording indoor temperatures and dates) and report the issue to the local code enforcement or housing authority responsible for enforcing ch. 148. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand available remedies, which may include filing a formal complaint or raising a code violation in relevant proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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