Hi Everybody, this is my first post, hope i've put it in the right forum.
I've just bought a large apartment in a new build development, I moved in in November 2008 and seem to be having heating problems.
The construction is concrete floors with breezeblock outer/adjoining walls. External walls a covered with a facade, internally dot and dab with plasterboard and skim and then painted that new-build magnolia colour. The size of the property is 1400sqft with 3 bedrooms. The living space is fully open plan rectangular living/dining/kitchen. My apartment is top floor, I have no directly adjoining neighbour, there is a hallway and stairwell inbetween which isn't heated. I am quite exposed on 3 sides as the apartment is the front-to-back of the top floor of the building.
Sadly, the whole block is electric only so wall-mounted convection heaters have been placed in the rooms to provide heat.
However, I seem to be having an almighty heat disipation problem.
I can feel the heat disipating out of the exterior walls almost immediately that the thermostat on the convection heat shuts down.
The builder says it isn't a build fault.
I haven't decorated the place as yet because I like the clean modern look.
I have been monitoring my electric usage with the heaters set to about setting 4 (which is the only level or above at which the temp doesn't feel icey) and have worked out that it'll cost me anything upto £400 per month in the winter to run the place in electric alone.
I have two questions:
1) Are there any decorating/insulating steps I can take to help reduce heat loss. I have hung old lined curtains on certain key walls (especially my office room as it gets very draughty around the legs) but would like a more permanent solution.
2) Do I just accept that the winter will be costly but the bill will drop like a stone during the rest of the year as the heaters won't be running for about 8 months out of 12.
I would naturally prefer some help with a solution that doesn't rely on option 2 as we all know what the energy companies are like (have you tried finding a unit cost - it's a more heavily guarded secret than area 51!)
Hope to hear from someone soon.
Thanks
James
PS. If anyone has any structured wiring, telecoms, internet deployment (wifi or wired) or home automation questions please keep me in mind as I deal a lot in these areas and will happily contribute to the forum.
I've just bought a large apartment in a new build development, I moved in in November 2008 and seem to be having heating problems.
The construction is concrete floors with breezeblock outer/adjoining walls. External walls a covered with a facade, internally dot and dab with plasterboard and skim and then painted that new-build magnolia colour. The size of the property is 1400sqft with 3 bedrooms. The living space is fully open plan rectangular living/dining/kitchen. My apartment is top floor, I have no directly adjoining neighbour, there is a hallway and stairwell inbetween which isn't heated. I am quite exposed on 3 sides as the apartment is the front-to-back of the top floor of the building.
Sadly, the whole block is electric only so wall-mounted convection heaters have been placed in the rooms to provide heat.
However, I seem to be having an almighty heat disipation problem.
I can feel the heat disipating out of the exterior walls almost immediately that the thermostat on the convection heat shuts down.
The builder says it isn't a build fault.
I haven't decorated the place as yet because I like the clean modern look.
I have been monitoring my electric usage with the heaters set to about setting 4 (which is the only level or above at which the temp doesn't feel icey) and have worked out that it'll cost me anything upto £400 per month in the winter to run the place in electric alone.
I have two questions:
1) Are there any decorating/insulating steps I can take to help reduce heat loss. I have hung old lined curtains on certain key walls (especially my office room as it gets very draughty around the legs) but would like a more permanent solution.
2) Do I just accept that the winter will be costly but the bill will drop like a stone during the rest of the year as the heaters won't be running for about 8 months out of 12.
I would naturally prefer some help with a solution that doesn't rely on option 2 as we all know what the energy companies are like (have you tried finding a unit cost - it's a more heavily guarded secret than area 51!)
Hope to hear from someone soon.
Thanks
James
PS. If anyone has any structured wiring, telecoms, internet deployment (wifi or wired) or home automation questions please keep me in mind as I deal a lot in these areas and will happily contribute to the forum.