Apartment always cold - help?

muinteoir09

Hello all,

This is my first post here (after visiting the forums many times for tips and advice on many issues) - I hope it's in the correct place...

Myself and my wife live in a rented apartment (c. 1930s I think) - two bedroom, top floor, one apartment below and one to the side. The place is really big with high ceilings and a nice layout. The problem is that it is always freezing. The walls are concrete (little to no insulation) and the heating is storage heating - not powerful enough to heat the rooms due to the rate heat escapes through the walls!! And it's expensive too.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what we should do? We weren't shown a BER Cert when we signed the lease in July (didn't know that we were supposed to have been at the time) - is that a grounds for canceling the lease? Or getting rent reduced?

We like the place but it's only just December and its freezing - we dread to think of what January and February will be like...

Many thanks in advance.

Trampas

Check for drafts in windows and doors.

muinteoir09

We've done that. It's not a draught problem - its a lack of insulation problem.

ParkRunner

Without insulating the walls you would need extra sources of heat, even though this is just a waste e.g. portable electrical heaters. My parents house similarly has no insulation in the walls and is very difficult to heat. Double-glazing and insulation is the only way to go but as you are renting you are probably going to have to rely on portable heaters unless the landlord is willing to upgrade.

The BER cert usually comes with an advisory report as to how to imrpove the BER rating so if you can get a look at that it would hopefully help

Trampas

Don't want to hijack the thread.

I have a draft coming in through my fire (gas with entry going out front of house)

Anyway of stopping the wind coming in?

The_Conductor

Trampas wrote: »

Don't want to hijack the thread.

I have a draft coming in through my fire (gas with entry going out front of house)

Anyway of stopping the wind coming in?

If you're not using the fire- you can get a sort of a balloon that inflates in the chimney creating a barrier that the draft doesn't get through. You have to make sure that you deflate and remove the balloon prior to lighting the fire- or else you'll have problems. Also- I'd suggest making sure your CO detector is working before you do this.

Trampas

smccarrick wrote: »

If you're not using the fire- you can get a sort of a balloon that inflates in the chimney creating a barrier that the draft doesn't get through. You have to make sure that you deflate and remove the balloon prior to lighting the fire- or else you'll have problems. Also- I'd suggest making sure your CO detector is working before you do this.

Cheers for the reply.

Don't have a chimney. It runs along the wall and out the front of the house at ground level (2 feet of the ground)

Will be getting the boiler serviced soon. Will Bord Gais give me some advice?

Outkast_IRE

Trampas wrote: »

Cheers for the reply.

Don't have a chimney. It runs along the wall and out the front of the house at ground level (2 feet of the ground)

Will be getting the boiler serviced soon. Will Bord Gais give me some advice?

Ya defo mention it to them a draught of sufficent strength coming back in that way could be a serious problem Carbon Monoxide and all that be very careful when using appliance and make sure its mentioned to serviceman he can check the draught,