Heat returns to Sunflower before winter storm hits

With so many electric heaters operating in the 1931 art deco multi-unit building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, staff had to be present in the building 24 hours a day, seven days a week, once the weather started chilling. Jacobsen said he also spent nights there. 

The boiler started going out last winter. At that time, he ordered a new one and throughout 2022 was repeatedly told, by the Wichita company, it was on its way. 

“They kept telling us it was on time,” Jacobsen said. “Finally, they said, ‘Oct. 24 it’s going to be here.’ I told them, ‘Alright but that’s cutting it close fellas.’ Come Oct. 26 I called and asked, ‘Where the hell is it?’”

This time the company told him, because of shipping problems due to COVID-19, he would not have the new boiler until spring of 2023, which was unacceptable, he said. By late October and into November, Jacobsen knew Kansas temperatures were unpredictable. 

“We went into panic mode,” he said. “Then they found a much bigger and much more advance boiler. The original boiler installed was $43,000 the new one now was $83,000.”

“The comfort and safety for our tenants is number one,” he said. “We just got hosed though. I went into debt trying to get this done but we couldn’t wait until spring.”

Although it was nearly doubled in price, when the heat came on Tuesday evening and the chill in the air faded, Jacobsen and the residents were relieved, he said. Less than 48 hours after the new boiler kicked on, National Weather Service in Topeka announced winter storm and wind chill warnings.

Wind chills are expected to dip as low as -45 degrees and be accompanied by freezing drizzle and up to 3 inches of snow, according to the weather service.