Keeping flat warm

fun loving criminal

I'm thinking ahead for winter and my apartment gets cold. As soon as I switch of the electric heating, the heat is lost. Is there any way to keep the heat in for longer? Seems like it will be a waste of electricity in heating up the place when it just gets cold again.

I don't know. I read something about getting thicker curtains. Would something like that help at all since I have a cheap light curtains from penney's?

Is there anything else I can do to help keep heat in?

Mrs OBumble

Line your windows with bubble-wrap.

Do you own or rent?

Citizen Six

Curtains would definitely help, but aren't always cheap.. Check draft excluders on your external door.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664752#Comment_119664752

I had to read this twice, still don’t believe someone typed it.

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664752#Comment_119664752

Rent

Padre_Pio

Draught excluders on windows and doors, heavy curtains.

You don't need to keep the apartment warm, you need to keep you warm. Consider electric blankets and electric throws, an extra jumper and wooly socks when you're at home.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664779#Comment_119664779

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664779#Comment_119664779

Somewhat in jest. But it still works, a little. Not so much if already double glazed.

OP as a tenant your options are limited to things you purchased. So if you supplied the curtains then definitely replace them. You may be able to fit draught strips, if you do it properly. Other than that you need to ask the landlord.

What kind of heating do you have?

Burti16

It's proven to be the cheapest heating. You may lit up after switching off main heater

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664789#Comment_119664789

And in a power cut? Good old-fashioned hot water bottles every time

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665201#Comment_119665201

90 percent of people won’t have means to boil the kettle in a power cut. And unlikely to have water hot enough in the tap.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665174#Comment_119665174

😉

Used this before. It gets surprisingly hot to touch

And yes, the bubblewrap does work https://www.ecoenergygeek.com/bubble-wrap-window-insulation/

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665252#Comment_119665252

Many do. And if not? Plan ahead and invest in a small camping stove/cartridges, After a long power cut in cold weather I reorganised. Gas cooker, and I already had a small camping stove,, candles.. solid fuel fire or a bottled gas heater. I once got caught out in a long power cut when I was all electric.. Never again

Flinty997

Heavy curtains makes a big difference. But not cheap.

Thick socks and slippers. Cold feet really makes you lose a lot of body heat. (Unless you've under floor heating) Then layers of clothing. Doesn't have to be thick.

tvjunki

Put up floor to ceiling curtains and you can get thermal lined or heavy lined ones from Guineys, Penny’s or Harry Corry.

Please note you may have to wash on very low settings and you may not be able to iron them. You may find a set in a charity shop.

Make sure you air your apartment at least once a day as cooking, drying clothes and showers and people may cause mould or dampness.

You can buy low energy heaters. Search for low energy oil heaters. If you have night storage or night rate please remember every electric heater you use you will be charged standard when ever you use it.

HeidiHeidi

Heavy curtains cost an absolute fortune, especially if they're floor to ceiling.

I have an open doorway to a converted attic, and got thermal lining from a fabric shop and have it hung as a curtain - it's not pretty, but it's very effective.

I also stuff foam into the all the joints of my warped patio doors once it gets cold, and have a pal who duct tapes his for the winter!

Basically, look for draughts and seal/block them.

(as above, if you do this, beware of drying clothes indoors or you'll destroy the place with mould).

Gatling

Being someone mentioned bubble wrap,you can get a clear covering that offers thermal insulation or reflection for windows,

Someone suggested tea lights , instead of tea lights buy large candles and 5/6 on something like a coffee table will give you some heat and light too ,

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665343#Comment_119665343

Blackout blinds can give you the same effect, and you can hang them behind your existing curtains, layer them up!

Ikea and Argos do them for cheap enough. You don't need floor to ceiling unless you have floor to ceiling windows, you can get shorter ones.

You just want to stop your lovely warm apartment air from getting near the cold window.

corks finest

I throw an sleeping bag over me watching tv

made draught excluders ( rolled up old t shirts / jeans in a pillow case)

am intending to put a curtain behind the front door ( Munster joinery crap)

and putting more rubber around the Munster joinery windows 🙄)

tvjunki

Do not know the wall size you need to cover but go well passed with window openings. I have two windows in one wall and I continued the curtains along the full wall. Holds the heat. I have one long pole along to wall.

Thermal 90x90 in Guineys are on sale €38.50 in duck egg or green on their website. You can always bring the curtains with you when you move. It may be a bit of an expense now but you will have them going forward and will save you long term. Just have a look around.

Flinty997

Make sure they are flush the wall also. No gaps.

Graces7

Please take great care not to .... enshrine ..yourself in a house or a room that has no air getting in. Some of these draft ideas ... Thebiggest killer is carbon monoxide poisoning.. The stats are shocking. They call it the silent killer as there are no symptoms or signs, Look it up? You just go to sleep.... forever.

Air in any room or house HAS to circulate and fresh air HAS to be let in. leave the ventilation grilles uncovered. The only one I covered here is directly above my bed faciing the ocean... My bedroom door is never closed and there are other grilles..

Flinty997

"The biggest killer is carbon monoxide poisoning"

What stats is this referring to? What's the context.

Madeoface

A bit tangental, but there was a single parent in the paper, indo, saying her electric bill for her and her son was 300 per bi monthly over the summer. A 2 bed apartment in Dublin.

My bill is approx 180 per bimonthly on average (including winter), for a 3 bed 60's house with attic converted, a poor enough BER, so a much bigger space to heat etc. With 4 people in it. And I was working from home til recently. Yet she's consuming almost double my household? How?

Are such people putting on electric heating and then opening the windows and doors cos it's too hot?

Caranica

My bill is around 120 bimonthly for a 3 bed duplex with two people. My big concern is last gas bill was 355 for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening and all radiators off. Talking to neighbours and they said the same thing

Madeoface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666187#Comment_119666187

Jesus. Kids are gonna have to wrap up in hazmat suits in my house so during the winter. I've had the gas off since March.

The person in the indo said she'd gas too, so wtf on the £300 per bi month esb during the summer in a 2 bed? Data mining...

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666187#Comment_119666187

What are you heating with the gas when the rads are turned off? Water?

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666474#Comment_119666474

Yes, I shower in the morning, my lodger showers at night

Flinty997

Get an electric shower.

Flinty997

I don't use the timer for heating only the hour boost setting. Stops a lot of unnecessary use. Also heating and water are zoned separately..

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666559#Comment_119666559

Looked into it, way too complex for the way my ensuite and bathroom are set up without ripping everything out - which is the long term plan

Navy blue

Consider getting a dehumidifier, it dries out the air and makes your house feel warmer. It’s good for getting clothes dry quicker if you’re having to dry them indoors. My old house was very damp and cold when I moved in last winter. I ran the dehumidifier almost constantly and it’s amazing how quickly it dried the place out and how much warmer it felt. Now I only pop it on for a couple of hours after morning showers, or if I have a load of clothes on the clothes horse.

corks finest

That’s what the carbon monoxide yokes on the ceiling are for

surely every property has them?atm

its law that they’re in all rentals

if not they’re cheap

johnnyskeleton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666934#Comment_119666934

Is your bi monthly gas bill €355 during the summer? As in it's around that all year long and you don't use it for central heating at all? Do you have a high tariff or was there an issue with previous readings etc?

I also don't understand what you mean by on for an hour in the morning and in the evening without any radiators. Or are they hour long showers (not being funny, just don't understand)? Do you use gas to fill an immersion tank of water twice a day just for two showers?

Maybe get a combi boiler? It produces hot water on demand and you can turn the central heating off until you need it back on.

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664779#Comment_119664779

Ahh … but it wasn’t just “someone”!! 😀

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667338#Comment_119667338

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665975#Comment_119665975

Sealing a place to keep warm has dangers; as long as folk are aware,, There were some avoidable tragedies last winter.

Two of my rentals did not have them and they were inspected and passed by the council.

Over and out ...

corks finest

Well it’s your responsibility to fit one so if the bloody landlord is a tight git

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667338#Comment_119667338

Only if there's actually a source of carbon monoxide in the place.

For all we know, the OP may only have electric heating.