Ditching storage heater for electric blanket?

lstar337

Thanks for the info chaps!

It has been good to hear from some people doing the same thing.

I have ordered the blanket so hopefully I should be able to put it to the test over the next few days. When I have it installed and ready, I will start lowering the level of the storage heater until I start to hear complaints again.

I need to do something until the building gets some insulation, last night we had a cold snap and the overnight usage jumped by at least another 10 units. The reading this morning was 58 units.

Fire_Fox

lstar337 wrote: »

I need to do something until the building gets some insulation, last night we had a cold snap and the overnight usage jumped by at least another 10 units. The reading this morning was 58 units.

Apartment building getting some insulation is a difficult one, that can be deemed an improvement which may not be permitted in the service charge/ major works unless you are owned and managed by the council. Best way to achieve that is to get together with other leaseholders (do you have a tenants and residents association?) and lobby the freeholder for repairs and maintenance.

Won't make a massive difference but blackout linings on curtains or blinds help hold more heat, also might get some benefit from an electric dehumidifier. Flats easily get damp due to poor air circulation, this can make the air feel colder even tho you are using plenty of heating. You can also use the dehumidifier in place of a tumble dryer, saving money there too.

rogerblack

ImDoingItForMe wrote: »

Ide definately go with the electric blanket, i have, ive not used my storage heater in my bedroom this year and its certainly lowered my electric bill. But i heat the bed before i get in it, i wouldnt leave the electric blanket on whilst your in bed.

Modern electric blankets are often designed to be used overnight, without issue.

On dissasembling my old one, which had failed due to old age, I found four separate safety features.

Also, if you set the alarm a bit early, you can click the blanket to max, and then go back to sleep, and you wake up a bit too warm, and getting out of bed into the chill is welcome, not a trial.

lstar337

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Apartment building getting some insulation is a difficult one

I know. We are currently part way through the green deal process. Cavity, Internal, and External wall insulation are all out. The flats in the building are all owned by indivdual landlords and there is no negotiating going on between them. They are mostly uninterested as they are getting their rent regardless. Trying to get tennants to negotiate with their landlords is pointless as they are mostly foreign and those that do have a good grasp of English do not care because they are happy to live in crummy conditions.

TBH, when I said about insulation, all we are really interested in is window upgrades and some draught proofing. We managed to persuade the landlord to replace two small single pane windows in the bathroom because it was so cold it was making our daughter cry with pain and the room only had a little blower heater that had to be on for an hour to make a difference. After putting in double glazing and a small oil heater set on low, it has completely changed to whole room! it is always warm and it no longer takes bribary and pleading to get our dughter into the shower!

I can't help but believe that replacing the huge leaky sash single pane windows with new double glazing will have the same effect across the rest of the building.

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Won't make a massive difference but blackout linings on curtains or blinds help hold more heat.

Already updated all of the curtains and added blinds to most of the windows. It made some difference, but it means we have to shut the curtains really early if we want to keep the heat in.

Fire_Fox

lstar337 wrote: »

I know. We are currently part way through the green deal process. Cavity, Internal, and External wall insulation are all out. The flats in the building are all owned by indivdual landlords and there is no negotiating going on between them. They are mostly uninterested as they are getting their rent regardless. Trying to get tennants to negotiate with their landlords is pointless as they are mostly foreign and those that do have a good grasp of English do not care because they are happy to live in crummy conditions.

TBH, when I said about insulation, all we are really interested in is window upgrades and some draught proofing. We managed to persuade the landlord to replace two small single pane windows in the bathroom because it was so cold it was making our daughter cry with pain and the room only had a little blower heater that had to be on for an hour to make a difference. After putting in double glazing and a small oil heater set on low, it has completely changed to whole room! it is always warm and it no longer takes bribary and pleading to get our dughter into the shower!

I can't help but believe that replacing the huge leaky sash single pane windows with new double glazing will have the same effect across the rest of the building.

Depending on the terms of the long lease the landlord may or may not be responsible for replacing the windows, may not even be permitted to without written consent of the freeholder. It may be the freeholder needs to make the decision, run the formal consultation process with the leaseholders, freeholder replaces all the windows as a block and make a levy on the leaseholders. Not that leaseholders can object at any stage, and likely will if predicted costs are high.
http://www.lease-advice.org/publications/documents/document.asp?item=19

It would also look absolutely awful to have some flats with box sash windows and some with modern double glazing especially if bog standard UPVC, and it could devalue the properties. The made to measure units that are indistinguishable from original box sashes are few and far between and prohibitively expensive - one to several thousand per window. Is the building listed or in a designated conservation area? Have you had Environmental Health from the local council in to report on the achievable ambient temperatures and efficacy of the heating system?
http://www.roseview.co.uk/

Short term measures for gappy box sash windows is with an overhaul/ adding draft proofing strips OR cling film type 'secondary glazing'. I have lived in homes where both have been done and each are highly effective and inexpensive. With the 'cling film' particularly you would then need to use an electric dehumidifier regularly since you would not be able to properly open all the windows. Older properties often don't cope well with severely restricted air flow, it is not how they were built.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO0ts0JIE_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVW3Vmp4-T0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IYuEI6mLRw

HTH.

lstar337

Fire_Fox wrote: »

It would also look absolutely awful to have some flats with box sash windows and some with modern double glazing especially if bog standard UPVC.

It is like that already anyway. All up and down the high street there are flats with UPVC, and flats with wooden frame sash windows. It may just be me, but even the cheap UPVC widows look better than most of the sash windows with rotting frames and condensation pooring down the inside. TO me, the sash windows are just an indication that the landlords don't give a crap as long as they get their rent.

Sash windows look beautiful in nicely maintained buildings and where they can be cared for, but this Britains dying high streets, and the widows and buildings look dreadfull throughout.

Fire_Fox wrote: »

The made to measure units that are indistinguishable from original box sashes are few and far between and prohibitively expensive - thousands per window.

For the windows that have been done, they have fit the UPVC units into the original wooden frame of the sash window and refirbed the frame to look new.

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Is the building listed or in a designated conservation area?

Landlord says no.

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Have you had Environmental Health from the local council in to report on the achievable ambient temperatures and efficacy of the heating system?

I know it sounds crazy, but we don't want to poke the bear. So no, but that may change if we don't get any movement on these windows.

Fire_Fox

lstar337 wrote: »

It is like that already anyway. All up and down the high street there are flats with UPVC, and flats with wooden frame sash windows. It may just be me, but even the cheap UPVC widows look better than most of the sash windows with rotting frames and condensation pooring down the inside. TO me, the sash windows are just an indication that the landlords don't give a crap as long as they get their rent.

Sash windows look beautiful in nicely maintained buildings and where they can be cared for, but this Britains dying high streets, and the widows and buildings look dreadfull throughout.

For the windows that have been done, they have fit the UPVC units into the original wooden frame of the sash window and refirbed the frame to look new.

Landlord says no.

I know it sounds crazy, but we don't want to poke the bear. So no, but that may change if we don't get any movement on these windows.

IMO draft proof the windows yourself as per the YouTube videos, ask permission of the landlord first. It's not expensive, had you done that before winter you'd likely have saved money as well as improved comfort. Otherwise move.

You will not necessarily have less condensation with overhauled windows, you may well have more because the water has no place to escape to. If you have drafty box sashes yet condensation pouring down the inside then you may be best looking at an electric dehumidifier. Don't underestimate how much water we produce each day, it's litres per person and damp air reduces the perceived ambient temperature. Also look at where the water you produce goes, can't stop breathing but can have the door shut and window open during and well after showers. In many flats just opening the window after is not enough, opening the door just lets the water into the rest of the property.

I understand the water pouring down: we have (double glazed) metal window frames which conduct heat, are icy cold in winter so all the water condenses. I use less heating that anyone else in the building (only when it snows, and not even always then) but I open the windows daily year round so have far less condensation and mould than the other flats. If I don't ventilate I really notice how much cooler the flat feels.

lstar337

For anyone who may have been interested in this, we have now had the blanket on for a week and it is very cosy and warm.

It has enabled me to turn the storage heater input control from 8, down to 5. This has resulted in a drop in ussage of ~10/kWh per night. The misses is happy as she says it is warmer with the blanket than with the heater turned up. I am going to experiment with dropping the input control even lower to see what more can be saved.

This has been a real win.

[Deleted User]

Thats good to hear. Ive done this since the day ive had to use the electric blanket (sometime last autumn) and its deflnately better than heating the whole room. I dont heat my bedroom at all now. I do have my window open slighty on the latch to let air in, otherwise with the coldness of the room and breathing/body heat, i was worried it would get damp, as i have a north facing wall. Its made me sleep better as i dont get so bunged up. Everyone thinks im a granny for doing it but its the best thing ive done. Im now using less to heat the bed as its getting slighter warmer at night (not a lot) and i ALWAYS turn the electric blanket off before i get into bed and now use a hot water bottle if i get cold during the night. Granny ideas or not, its saved on my electric and i felt colder also with the bedroom warm and the bed cold. Now is cozy :-) Bet you wish you had done it ages ago.

rogerblack

ImDoingItForMe wrote: »

i ALWAYS turn the electric blanket off before i get into bed and now use a hot water bottle if i get cold during the night.

Modern electric blankets have several built in safety features that make them much safer than historically.
Many are intended to be run, and are quite safe, used all night.