[horselover]

Living in a basement isn't easy, it never has been, but this winter it's even harder.

Despite having a new furnace, it's still cold.

We have a gas dryer, so the option that was mentioned about a week ago wont work for us.

And it's gas heating too.

They have a digital thermostat upstairs, I saw it when they installed it, they wanted my help to program it.

It's not helping at all though.

We only get sunshine down here in the summer, from the east, and only for about half an hour. But that doesn't help in the winter.

We've been told not to use space heaters, they're complaining about electricity consumption.

So besides wearing warm clothes, isn't there anything we can do about this?

[stav]

does it seem damp? perhaps a dehumidifier might help... taking out the excess moisture might warm the room up more... put up heavy curtains with thermal linings in the windows rather than blinds as they don't return heat... thick rugs on the floor.. rewmembe to keep doors closed.. all things that will make the rooms cosier...

[HereToday]

A friend of our who lived in Eugene Oregon (where it can be damp) had a basement apartment and had a similar difficulty. In the end he determined that the damp was magnifying the cold and that a dehumidifier was a definite help.

[horselover]

We used a dehumidifier a while back, it was really damp after a long summer of rain, but it hasn't helped.

We can't take the blinds down otherwise we would.

[stav]

if you keep using it, there might be a benefit in the long term. In a damp basement you should keep using it anyway even if it's not cold, as excessive damp can effect your health..

Regarding the blinds, I assume the ladlord wont allow you to remove them? Well can't you put curtains up over them? Might even have a better effect because there will be a double layer keeping the cold out.

[horselover]

I'll try to put some curtains up, but the one window in our bedroom is blocked by my wardrobe, and the kitchen window has plants in it.

The other 2 windows are in non used bedrooms, and the bathroom window has a towel over it since I can't put up curtains. Despite that, it's the coldest room in the apartment.

I noticed the other day that the other apartment next door to us is even colder and it's smaller than ours.

[stav]

you keep those doors closed? At least heat doesnt escape fromthose windows..

How about draught excluders? Make sure that there are no gps under doors where warmth can escape..

Don't know what else to suggest... sounds awful

[tater03]

Try putting a rolled up blanket in front of the door to block and drafts. What about plastic up on the windows? I hope this might help.

[Greentechdog]

Horselover,
I'm not sure who told you that electric heaters were high in electricity consumpsion but they really aren't. I have my bedroom in the basement of my house and I can tell you that even with the programmable thermostat it makes sense to keep the down stairs warm. I use an electric heater during the winter and it helps keep the whole house warm by keeping the chill out of the basement that would normally seep upstairs and cool down the house and yes the thermostat so the heat would kick on more than nessecary. they are programable to turn themselves off when they reach a certain temp and are cost effective. the only drawback that I have come across is that the Cat doesn't like it and walks a wide path around it.

[horselover]

We have portable space heaters in our apartment.

At last check, the temperature in the apartment next door was under 15c, it's no wonder it's so cold here.

I keep trying to tell them that it's not our heaters that are causing the expensive bills, I told them that the guy next door was causing the trouble.

He had an old heater, tv and computer, nothing new at all, so they were sucking up the electricity, not to mention the older fridge, stove and chest freezer.

It's worse today, for some reason they're turning off the heat upstairs and it's getting worse down here. I really wish there was another way to deal with this.