I think I'm losing heat through the windows through my apartment - what can I do? (1 Viewer)

[McPaul]

Hey there, it's cold in here, the heat is cranked, the flu is closed, and so are the windows. I know the heat's working, but windows are very cold and I think I might be losing heat through my windows - a lot of heat. I have made sure they are tight. I'm on the first floor of a 3 story building and have a fireplace but the flu is closed. Heat is working, I know that for fact. I don't know what I can do under my lease as far as either getting someone out here to do something, or doing it myself. Are there any temporary solutions you guys might have? *crossing my fingers*

 

[Brad_W]

You can put plastic over your windows. I don't know the exact term, maybe it's just... plastic for all I know.

I lose heat also through the bottom of my door and just use a rolled up towel at the foot of the door.

 

[Sam C]

get under a blanket ...
Seriously ... You might try one of those 'heat shrink kits' for the windows if you're losing heat there ...
what type of heat do you have ... forced air, electric or water radiators, radiant-floor ???
when you say you know the heats on ... how do you know ... I know the question sounds stupid but really how do you know ...

 

[McPaul]

I have a doorsweep under my door that keeps the seal tight, so I know it's not that. plastic over the windows eh? how... over the whole opening? just over the edges? a single layer? are you thinking of that 'mylar' stuff (I think that's what it's called)... will look into it, thanks!

 

[PatrickM]

How old is your apartment building. If its within the last 10 years its at minimum double glazed glass and if more recent even triple glazed especially since your in Calgary.
Even so, the heat shrink plastic kits for the windows would work and I would also look at your fireplace as well. Even though the flu is closed its not airtight. You might want to block that off as well if you aren't using it.
Might want to move to Vancouver if you really want to warm up and stay in Canada.
Patrick

 

[McPaul]

Hmm.. I guess maybe I assumed it was. One day last week it was way too hot in here - I could feel lots of heat coming from the floor heating system, I turned the heat right down and opened my window. I guess I just assumed it was still working today. I'm here in sweat shirt, sweat pants and heavy socks and am very cold. Will watch scrubs in a few minutes when it's on, under a blanket. it's -24 celcius outside with the windchill and 8 inches of snow on the ground (last few days have been a bitch for winter weather!) I guess I've got radiant floor heating, the little baseboard length heater -things on some of the walls in the room. (sorry, heat's not my thing.

 

[McPaul]

Patrick - going to Victoria Thursday morning for a week for my Grandparents' 60th anniversary. Going to enjoy the relative warmth. Last week, we had temps in the teens. not anymore.... it started snowing on friday night I believe and hasn't let up. first snowfall of the year. I'll look into those kits and talk to my landlords in the morning. Time for scrubs. Thanks for the start on things, guys!

 

[Sam C]

That's a radiator type system ... Radiant floor heating you would not see ... It's put into the subfloor ... It could be electric or water(steam) ... Depending on how old the building is will probably dictate what type it is ...
Anyhow here's a good tip for you ... Turn your heat up ... high ... Like Upper 70's ... Basically somewhere to get your thermostat to report to it's boss to bring the heat ... Get on the floor and reach your finger underneath the outer portion of the baseboard and touch the fins of the radiator ... Be expected to pull your hand away fast since if your heat truly is working it'll be very hot ... It won't burn you (Unless you just grip it and don't let go)
Do you think it's really hot ... Then it works ... Is it cold to the touch ... Then soemthing is broke ...

 

[McPaul]

Good call Sam C!!! *high five*! (see tonight's Scrubs).

I stuck my fingers under each heater and touched thhe grill and freezing cold!! (You don't have to reach up inside the grills do you?) And I swear it was just working the other day. I had to turn the heat down. Don't know what happened to make it break. So what happens now? I take it I have to let my landlords inside the apartment and that they can't do it from the 'heating room'?? Would they have to replace the whole baseboard heaters? All 4 of them in my house were cold, and the one behind the tv wall (not under a window or glass door) had some clear liquid on my fingers - condensation? OR.... is there something I can do to 'tweak' it? Like Joey on "Friends" where 'he just turned it off from the bottom, since the knob was broken'

Thanks guys, the HTF is the greatest!!

 

[Sam C]

Ok ... Personally I would have touched the fins ... But even the outside of the cover shouldn't be cold to the touch ...

There's not much you can do here ... It's one of a few things ... It could be a bad thermostat ... Something in the heat generating device (boiler if you have steam) could be bad ...

Something you could check really fast ... Breakers ...

Also ... Your thermostat ...

Do you have access to the 'heat room' ??? You could turn the heat up again and go into the heat room ... You would hear something there click ... This is the sound of a relay and usually with a boiler you'd hear a fan come on ... The relay is activating the electric ignition of your gas boiler ...

If you hear that click and nothing happens ... The problem isn't the thermostat ... If you never hear the click it means your thermostat is no good ...

Now you could take this a step further ... Does your thermostat control your AC also ??? If so there's a little more to it ... If not ... Pull your thermostat off the wall and take the 2 wires on the back of it and touch them together briefly ... A thermostat is nothing more than a switch ... Do you hear the click now ? Your thermostat was bad ...

These are remedial things to try ... But it gives you some ideas of how the heat works ...

Now all that being said I do not work in the heating business ... But I currently an the owner of my 2nd older home and I replaced nearly all the mechanicals in both ...

 

[McPaul]

No, I meant the 'grills' on the bottom of the baseboard thing. I guess they could be called fins. That is what I touched. Underneath and up inside. Very cold. Felt around more in there, everything was cold. I don't have access to this heat room. The thermostat does control the AC. The breaker panel for the apartment is fine. nothing has been tripped. Very frustrating. And very cold. Lets just say that I'll be happy going to bed in a few minutes here and wrapping all those covers around me. I think I'll grab an extra blanket or 2 now that I know that it's my heat and not 'me' that's broken!! Thanks for your help.

 

[PatrickM]

Paul,

Have fun in Victoria. THat's probably the only place warmer than Vancouver at this time of year in Canada. The weather's been wet but it makes it a lot warmer when its raining. Touches of wet snow at higher elevations but overall not as cold as Cowtown.

Patrick

 

[McPaul]

Thanks Patrick, I leave in the morning tomorrow! Thank god for Westjet!!

 

[McPaul]

ok. apparently some new info. apparently it's hot water heating in the whole apartment. Sorry, again, maybe I should learn more about those things. Anyways, the grills that I reached up and had the liquid on my hands was from a leaky valve apparently. One pipe for both the living room and bedroom. Tomorrow when I'm gone he will replace the valve with a new one, and fix the thermostat. Tonight he is heating my place manually from that 'heating room' I assume. he said leave the thermostat down and the heat will blast all night. Turn the thermostat up, the valve will shut off, and no heat, so keep it down. I should also open the windows. When I come home from my weekend, all should be fixed. Why are all maintenance guys people who can't really speak english?!
Alright, thanks guys, you are the men!! WOO!! *high five* (ala last nights Scrubs)