My apartment is brutally cold

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happy chick

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:08 am

beyond freezing, like under 60 degrees. with the heater on all night, my room is barely 62. my kids walk around with sweatshirts all day. its insane. putting them in the bath/shower is almost abusive.
I live on a corner, so we get the wind from 2 directions. were also on the second floor so were right on top of a store. the landlord gives heat all day and night, but it seems to be going right out the window. when we lived on the other side of the building, we were beyond hot, we had windows open all winter.
anyone have any suggestions?

cbsp

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:11 am

Oy.

Can you cover/seal the windows with plastic?

crossroad

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:13 am

Not crazy about the idea but portable heaters when desperate.

Last edited by crossroad on Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:15 am; edited 1 time in total

Rappel

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:14 am

Been there, done that, traumatized for life.

It can't only be the exposed walls if there's heat coming in, though that is cold.

If you have the classic steam rediators, check that the little piece on the side is open enough to let the heat up.

What is going on with your windows? Can you seal the cracks? Door edges?

Are there any holes or cracks in the walls? What is going on above your ceiling? Can you get insulation/sealant up there?

exaustedmom

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:15 am

cbsp wrote:

Oy.

Can you cover/seal the windows with plastic?

This! Please buy plastic to cover the windows

FranticFrummie

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:16 am

Get clear plastic, and tape it over your windows. Leave a gap between the window and the plastic, to trap air. This will give you extra insulation.

At night, use extra blankets on top of the curtains or blinds, to keep even more heat in. It will make a huge difference.

Light a candle, and walk slowly around the apartment. When the candle flickers, you have a draft. Using the candle as a guide, try to find out where the draft is coming from, and then close up that gap.

Cold air (and cockroaches and mice) can come in around the plumbing in your kitchen and bathroom. Find where the pipes meet the wall, and seal all the openings with spray foam.

My central heating is broken right now, so I'm also huddled around a small space heater, and wearing my fuzziest warm pajamas. Even my dog is wearing a sweater!

bunchagirlies

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 11:52 am

Is it an old building with old radiators? My old apartment had that type. Had a little door on bottom of each radiator with a dial that can be turned ( mostly painted and rusted over and hard to turn, but once I got it to move once, it was easier) That controls the amount of heat coming through. Mine had been turned to off when I moved in!

IMHopinion

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 12:05 pm

cbsp wrote:

Oy.

Can you cover/seal the windows with plastic?

This.
The only comfort we had was winters when we took heavy plastic ( buy those heavy duty plastic tablecloth) and taped them tightly around windows.

Cherry Blossom

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 12:57 pm

Are your windows double glazed? That should help keep some of the cold out of your home.

ROFL

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 2:04 pm

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Indo.....2NCJI

Real easy to use and makes a big difference in my home.
We also caulked the windows frames with a plastic caulk. Also worked well- but you see the air blowing in when the window is covered. Amazing how much air leaks in

Motherhood

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 3:54 pm

I also live on the corner and get wind from 2 sides. It’s an old apartment building, with steam going all day. It’s boiling here; windows open night and day. I doubt it has anything to do with the layout of your apartment.

DREAMING

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 3:55 pm

You can buy cheap warm “curtains” from target ... and hang all along the exposed wall. It really helps

ra_mom

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 3:57 pm

That temperature sounds insane! Can you figure out where you are feeling the drafts?

Some things that can help you seal the problem areas:

Door sweep for bottom of doors - weatherstrips.

Thermoplastic rubber weatherseals or other self adhesives, for side or top gaps in the door.

Plastic shrink window seal kits, for windows that are drafty.

If you see cracks and feel wind coming through anywhere, you can use a can of spray foam insulation.

And if you can't figure out how to seal the cold out, put up insulated curtains on the problem walls. -- Measure how tall your ceilings are (there are a few lengths but if you have 9' ceilings, you'll only be able to cover 8' with the 96" option) and see if you need 2 curtains or 3 to cover the surface width of the wall. You can install rods, or find an extra long tension rod that doesn't need tools or installation.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.....psc=1

watergirl

Sun, Jan 24 2021, 4:00 pm

I bought very pretty yet insulating blackout curtains from amazon. In the summer they cool the room by 10 degrees and in the winter, they keep the hot air in. Look for them in amazon!

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