By Danielle Ngamegni

University of Maryland students experienced schedule changes as a result of a steam heating outage that occurred on Jan. 28, which left them without access to heat in dormitories, dining halls and other administrative buildings.

The UMD heating system is operated by Honeywell, a building automation company that specializes in heating systems, according to Gina Federer, program director for facilities management communications. The steam system generates steam that is used for hot water, air conditioning and building operations across campus. In the extreme cold weather, air lines became frozen and compressed, resulting in the shutdown of boilers and a temporary loss of steam. 

“All campus buildings served by the interim boiler plant that rely on steam were impacted, including residence halls, dining halls, academic buildings, and athletic facilities without alternative energy sources,” Federer wrote in an email. 

Some students living in residence halls said they had to adjust their daily schedule. Freshman public policy major Melat Wonde explained that she usually goes to the Yahentamitsi Dining Hall, but due to the limited menu with no vegan options, she resorted to the Adele H. Stamp Student Union instead. 

“The university accommodated, we had like paper plates and … plastic utensils, because they couldn’t … wash the dishes and utensils,” said Jessica Bui, a freshman biological sciences major.  

The first outage began at 4:30 a.m., then plant operations were reinstated around 8:30 a.m. Another outage occurred before 1 p.m. and was reinstated at approximately 10:30 p.m. The campus encountered additional outages overnight, before full steam pressure was restored by 4:30 a.m., Federer wrote.

Facilities Management repaired the heating system by deploying additional heaters and applying heat to frozen air lines. 

Delays in heating are common after boilers are back online. Severely impacted buildings can take longer to allow steam pressure to build and return the building to a moderate temperature, according to the facilities management website.

“FM coordinates with our student-facing partners: Academic Affairs, Resident Life, Residential Facilities, Dining Services, and RecWell.” Federer wrote.

The Department of Resident Life did not respond to a request for comment.

Featured Image: The outside of Easton Hall on Feb. 13, 2026. Photo by Anika Strikeleather.