Finally got a peek at our boiler room and now the overheating makes sense

I dealt with a similar setup in my old brick building on Elm Street, and the superintendent was just as clueless about the actual mechanics. The real problem we ran into wasn't the boiler running too hot, but how the steam was interacting with the older cast iron radiators. We had some spots where the radiator felt scorching hot right at the top, but the lower half was icy cold, making it feel like the heat was just blasting thru the room instead of soaking into the walls. We found that the connections at the radiator valve were often loose over time, and if you could gently tighten those fittings, it helped push the heat more evenly through the coil. It was a tiny, annoying fix, but it noticeably improved the comfort in the main living area. Another thing worth checking is if the insulation on the main supply line is intact; if that protective jacket is cracked or missing, you are losing a huge amount of energy before it even reaches your apartment.

The fact that the whole system runs at maximum output year-round is definitely the most frustrating part though, especially when you only need low maintenance heat during a mild snap.

I had a similar setup in a duplex in Ohio, and while the big picture of the boiler timing was confusing, my main issue seemed to be that the condensate wasn't being drained correctly. The superintendent was focused on the heat output, but the real problem felt like pressure trapping inside the lines themselves. We used a 'steam trap' wrench to check the vents at the base of the radiator connections because I noticed persistent moisture in the basement when the heating kicked in, even when the temperture felt fine upstairs. This suggested the system was holding onto excess moisture and steam that wasn't condensing properly at the point of use. It meant the boiler was working hard against a partial vacuum or a back-pressure blockage, which is a waste of energy regardless of the thermostat setting. I found that if we could keep the lines clear of trapped air and proper drainage, the cycles were much cleaner, even if the initial heat felt aggressive.

Yeah the asking-for-something-specific part is underrated. I rent in a three-family and spent years saying 'it's too hot' and getting nowhere, then one day I mentioned the radiators never hiss or warm up evenly and the handyman actually replaced a couple air vents on the spot. Night and difference. Turns out a dead vent on one radiator makes the whole system act wierd, heat piles up in the units with working ones. Might be worth peeking at the little brass thing on the end of each radiator when you're down there, if any look crusty or never seem to release air, that's a cheap fix management can't really argue with.