Bedroom is like a freezer!

[MollyMagoo]

Hello
I do hope someone can advise me on my problem. We moved into our house about 3 yrs ago and our bedroom is very cold in the winter, even with the heating on. I could hear whistling coming from the window, so I sealed it up. The whistling stopped but it was still really cold. Then I noticed what I thought was damp, so I called out the council and the guy said it was just condensation and if I cleaned it and opened the window it would be ok. Now why would I open the window of a room that was freezing cold to start with? I cleaned the condensation, which had started turning black, off the wall and it came back. We bought an oil heater and had that on most of the time during the winter and it was still cold.
I have just cleaned my wall again and I noticed that when I knocked on the wall above the window, it sounded hollow. I got a candle and it was very breezy up there too.
The windows are double-glazed and were put in before we moved here. Could it be that when they put in the windows they damaged the wall somehow and didnt put it right? If so, what should I do? Do I inform the council and get them to sort it out as it was done when they put the new windows in or do I have to get it sorted myself?
Please help with any advice, I don't want to spend a fortune on heating a room that feels like the window is open 24hrs a day anymore.

 

[HERTS P&D]

How much loft insulation do you have above the bedroom? It should be at least 270mm (approx 11")

Andy

 

[MollyMagoo]

We don't actually have loft space above the bedrooms. These houses have the weirdest bedroom ceilings I have ever seen, they are very high above the door and slope downward toward the window wall, if that makes any sense at all lol.
The council recently had to change the boilers and had to cut a loft hatch into the toilet ceiling. Its no where near the bedroom.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Whats above the ceiling?

Andy

 

[MollyMagoo]

Oh sorry, the roof lol

 

[mointainwalker]

It seems difficult to believe but a paraffin stove produces 1 litre of water vapour per litre of fuel so it will be impossible to avoid condensation whilst using that. it is also risky to use one in a closed room because if it is not working efficiently, it can give off noxious fumes.

Your biggest problem sounds to be very poor-insulation generally.

 

[foxhole]

What size is the radiator?

 

[JohnD]

Now why would I open the window of a room that was freezing cold to start with?

to ventilate it and let the water vapour out.

 

[MollyMagoo]

Its not a paraffin heater, its an electric oil radiator. so there are no fumes and no vapour.

The central heating radiator is a double and about 3ft long, I have even moved the furniture around so there is nothing blocking the heat coming from it.

Insulation is non-existent as the ceiling is so high and is basically the roof.

I think I'll just get the council out to look at the wall above the window to see if they can tell if its been damaged. Thats whats causing the draught, I just wanted some advice on on the wall and how to go about getting it fixed.

Thanks for the replies

 

[mointainwalker]

If they suggest something, might not be a bad idea to check here. Councils works dept don't seem to be the brightest around.

 

[foxhole]

The central heating radiator is a double and about 3ft long, I have even moved the furniture around so there is nothing blocking the heat coming from it.

And the room dimension height x width x length?

 

[BigRobCanUFixIt]

also, do the upvc windows have vents in them? a lot of housing associations put windows in with these vents to reduce condensation issues. These my be open or broken in the open position. They are usually slots at the top of the frame which are the vents. thats if there is a draft by the window.