Keeping warm in a cold apartment

eternalblame

I recently moved into an apartment. It has electric heating but no storage heating. Its on the ground floor and pretty cold all the time. I turn on the heat a couple times a day, but heat escapes pretty soon after it goes off.... but I dont want it on too long as am worried about large electric bills. Any tips on how to make the place warmer, or keep the heat in?

Thoie

Rugs on the floor, draft excluders at the front door if necessary. Draft seal tape around the windows if needed. Heavy, lined, curtains. Keep doors closed. Other than that, layer up. You could also look into getting a superser, but make sure you have proper ventilation and a working CO monitor.

MTU

The 70s have called and want their superser back.

elperello

Are you renting and how old is the building?

Not being funny but wearing thermal underwear heavy socks and a warm jumper would be a good start.

Any draughts from door and windows should be checked as well.

eternalblame

I remember my granny having a superser back in the day. Are they in any way energy efficient or would i be always be buying gas bottles ?

ted1

Where’s the heat going ? Through the doors, windows , walls?

if the windows are drafty, and you can’t replace them. Try running some sealant around them. Also heavy curtains are your friend.

if it’s the doors try draft excluders.

also a plug in oil radiator might be an better option than the existing electric heating.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427337#Comment_118427337

go to sleep, never wake up. carbon monoxide danger.

JimmyVik

Stick an energy monitor plug on your heater and youll see exactly how much electricity its using. Get one you can connect to your phone that records it.

Im working every day from a large attic room over a garage, about 40sqM. I have a 2.5kw fan heater come on about 15 minutes before i start work and it comes on if the temp drops below 20C after that. Heaviest day was last Tuesday where it used 48c worth of electricity to keep it at 20C from 6:30am til 7pm.

But its good to know exactly how much the heating is costing instead of worrying about the electricity bill. If its too much then you can find another source of heating. I was going to stick a storage heater in but it isnt worth the saving on such a small heating cost.

An electric oil heater does the same job, but the fan heater blows the air at you in the morning to start you off.

eternalblame

Heat escaping through windows and a cold kitchen door next to living room. I will look into draft excluders and sealing drafts

Would people recommend a plug in oil radiator or a gas superser ?

cute geoge

Gas gives off great heat I remember living in a cold old house which had big rooms and always cold .One room had a gas fire insert with the red bottle gas outside .If the gas was on a hour or so you would need to strip off .Gas fultime not probably healtiest but cheap enough .I used find the calor gas last longer then other tins as well

Stephen_Maturin

Be smart about when you run your heating.

Activities such as cooking or even opening the dishwasher after a cycle can provide small additional increments of heat for before you turn the heating on

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427536#Comment_118427536

I'd prefer the oil radiator.

Safer, no combustion in your room and no hauling heavy cylinders.

Also an electric blanket to pre warm the bed might help.

Shilock

I had a similar problem years ago I used a silicone gun, clear so it could be stripped off if the landlord was getting someone else in to do a better job.

A hot bath and lie in it for a while usually helps, hairdryer under the bed clothes for quick warm up before bed obviously making care not to block the back and don't leave it there and walk away your bed will be in flames...just warm up the sheets and under the duvet.....

A hairdryer is handy for warming up under your sweater or jumper on a cold morning before you leave the house....

Gas superser I find is better.

cnocbui

Nothing heats a room quicker than an elctric fan heater. A 2kw hair dryer is a noisier equivalent I have used in a pinch. If you don't want to pay for electricity then the only cheap fix I can suggest is more warm clothing.

eternalblame

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427529#Comment_118427529

my wall mounted electric heater goes direct to a switch on the wall, so i assume that means i cant attach a monitor plug? or is there another way to measure this ?

elperello

What is the BER of the apartment?

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428040#Comment_118428040

I use this kind of one. Not exactly the make I have but close enough.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knightsbridge-1GAKW-Smart-Plug-White/dp/B088RJ2FT1/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=wifi%2Bplug%2Benergy%2Bmonitor&qid=1641545838&sprefix=wifi%2Bplug%2Benergy%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-8&th=1

For working outside when its really cols I also have a usb heated jacket I got for a present a couple of years ago off the kids. My god whoever invented them should get a nobel prize.

I guess you could use them inside as well if you wanted.

Thoie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427337#Comment_118427337

I had one in a previous cold apartment - it heated the whole place a lot faster and easier than electric/oil filled radiators. I think the shortest time a bottle lasted me was about 6 weeks during a particularly cold and windy period. My memory is that I used buy 3 or 4 bottles a year, max.

I installed a CO alarm as well, for safety, and tested it regularly, but the superser never set it off. If you don't have a car/cargo bike, getting the bottles is a pain - they're bloody heavy, and I used have to hoik it up multiple flights of stairs.

Start with your draft excluders/sealers first. If there are really light, flimsy curtains up already, check how secure the pole is before fitting heavier curtains. Floor length curtains are ideal, as long as they're not blocking the existing radiators.

Emma2019

Hot water bottles are really good for cold houses. We mostly feel the cold when we're sitting still, and we moreso want ourselves to be warm rather than the house (unless drying clothes).

I got myself an electric hot water bottle for like 15 quid at the start of the winter and a very fluffy blanket for when I'm just sitting on the couch. The electric one is great because I dont even have to get up to heat it again. Hot water bottle also heats up the bed nicely when going to sleep. My house was built in 1940 with no insulation and I think I've only run the central heating for maybe 2 hours a day while working from home.

Other than that, draught excluders and heavy curtains have already been mentioned. I also put stormguard draught seal tape around the doors and some of the windows. Youbcan get it on screwfix and most hardware shops. I didnt put it at the bottom of the doors as I think they're meant to have a certain gap for ventilation purposes (but open to correction)

Unknownability

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427529#Comment_118427529

Have you a link to that heater?

TimHorton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434847#Comment_118434847

I use this one, It costs me (Energia with 41% Discount) 19c Per Hour at 1000w or 13c per hour when run at 700w - I use it in my home office that is small and very well insulated and never on for more than 90 mins on a very cold wet windy day (Last Thursday), Its been off since Friday and we had a cool weekend but its mild today and the room was 11 degrees at 7 am, Its been on for 30 mins at 1000w and room is now 19.5 degrees and has been turned off, Not sure if it will need to go back on today but the room is lovely and warm!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09BYXXDBW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mr.Crinklewood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118431534#Comment_118431534

Any idea which jacket you have, almost bought one at weekend.

MuttonDagger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447436#Comment_118447436

11 degrees ?

Are you sure its not outside ?

TimHorton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447460#Comment_118447460

The Home office is fully insulated with 150 mm polyiso (4 m x 2.5 m) and is currently the only room in a large attic that has no insulation at the rafter level (Attic is 14 M x 4 M useable space ) so pretty close to being outside as the temp door was open over the weekend.

I intend to make an insulated door from the Home Office to the rest to the attic as not planning to convert the rest of the attic for a year or 2.

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447454#Comment_118447454

I work outdoors & I have a Milwaukee heated hoody. I chose it because I already had Milwaukee batteries. It's brilliant & I love the way that I don't need to wear lots of bulky layers & vary the heat - it has three levels.

TimHorton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447503#Comment_118447503

And you can also charge your phone when out and about !.

Mr.Crinklewood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447503#Comment_118447503

Thank you

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447454#Comment_118447454

Dont know the "model" number. But its a Regatta jacket.

I just have a 10000mha battery in the pocket that i used to use to charge my phone. Now it keeps me warm all day.

3 different heats on it. The lowest is plenty warm.

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448927#Comment_118448927

I didn't know that Regatta produced them. I considered a jacket but liked the idea of a hoody so that I could vary what I wear under & over it.

Mr.Crinklewood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448927#Comment_118448927

Thanks

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448927#Comment_118448927

Leg warmers for ankles and wrists and a hat really help, too, especially if you've to sit still for a long time. I also agree on the hot water bottle, you can get long ones, too, or you can use one for your legs or your feet (I currently have one as foot rest, but I can tuck my toes under it) and one for your body. I personally find that the heat from the water is "warmer"/"more pleasant" than with electric blankets, but that's just me.

Oh and thermal/lined/blackout curtains make a huge difference, too.

As for the Regatta jacket, I had looked at one, too, a couple of years ago - what put me off was:

1. The price (nearly €300, then).
2. The fact that it was difficult to wash/ clean (only specific, proprietary detergents were allowed, IIRC).
3. The battery was not replaceable.

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118473168#Comment_118473168

I dont think ive ever washed a jacket in my life :)

I have some for over 5 years in on the hanger in the hall and they never had a wash, come to think of it a couple of them i havent even worn in years.

New Home

Eeewh.

😋

Discodog

My Milwaukee uses 12 volt drill batteries & can be washed in a washing machine.

New Home

Ok, I'm sold! Have you any links, by chance, please and thank you?

iwasliedto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427536#Comment_118427536

I lived in a house that had drafts around the windows. I could never bring the temperature up because of the amount of cold air that was leaking into the apartment. In the end I used painter's tape to seal all the gaps. You can layer in on and then when summer comes take it off. It made the difference between having a very cold house and one that was livable. Tape is cheap and worth a shot. I would say it made a difference of at least 3 or 4C. Heating cold air that then escapes is a waste of time, stop the heated air from leaving the flat as much as possible.

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118476343#Comment_118476343

I got mine two years ago & if I were buying now, I would probably go for the gilet as the jacket arms aren't heated. The prices vary wildly. I got mine, in a sale, on Amazon & I paid £99. But I already had batteries & a charger. You would need to decide which jacket you want & then hunt around for the best price.

TimHorton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118478849#Comment_118478849

We are getting robbed here , I would go via Addresspal with this on the US HomeDepot site., As Toolfix is over 300 for the same stuff.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427529#Comment_118427529

Would you get an energy monitor that does not have Google or Alexa ?

Is it the kilowattage and time that determines cost.?

I have a fire effect electric stove but never used as there is a low hum and it is in front of the fireplace between me and the TV

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118488551#Comment_118488551

You could say we're getting... fleeced!

...I'll get my coat...

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492132#Comment_118492132

A 1Kw device uses one unit of electricity in an hour. If its on for 30 minutes it uses 0.5units and so on.

Most energy monitors nowadays support google and alexa. You dont have to have goolge and alexa though. You can use them through the app on your phone like smartlife app.

Or you can just buy one that is not smart and has a digital readout on the plug. I wouldnt bother with those ones these days though.

Dr_Colossus

In relation to heated jackets, someone might find this useful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPfRVPIbq4E