Heat loss in winter

Posted 16th Dec 2022

Just wondering what people's heat loss is overnight in these conditions. I am in a new build apartment, ground floor. I have 2 bedrooms and 2 thermostats for some reason. 1 controls both bedrooms and bathroom and other hallway and living room.

Since the temps have dropped to -5 to -8 overnight I am wondering what others are like.

The back bedroom which is the coldest, if I have the heating on for an hour and half the thermostat says 18 in that bedroom that controls it and turn off around 9pm then by 6am it's like 14 degrees in these conditions... A 4 degrees drop seems a lot on a new build. I did a thermal imaging test from a company which had good reviews and they said nothing seemed to be of concern.

I've been here for 2 years almost.

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16th Dec
Is there a good room thermostat I could get to record this kind of thing with an app?
16th Dec
I have those cheapo xiaomi ones, a few quid each, and a gateway they all talk to. Got a thermometer in every room of the house I think, even one under the stairs to monitor the batteries.
16th Dec
Too many variables for people to make definitive comparisons. but these are extremely low temps we have in the this last week so lower temps at home are just a natural consequence.

people cant think the outside temp drops to -8 yet indoor temps stays the same without any heating on.
Author
16th Dec
Yeah of course I was just querying if 4° drop was a lot but I've just spoken to a friend who has a new build detached and he has 8° drop overnight so last night he ttink He's had it at 18° and it was 10° this morning and that was after about 8 hours or so I think he said. I told him he should get it checked out with it being a new build as that seems a bit too much
16th Dec
Exactly the same in our new build but ours is detached. 18 degrees at night and 14 in the morning. I think that is reasonable.
Author
16th Dec
Ye just making sure as I know the wind hits that bedroom wall but kitchen/living room seem to be warmer but it does have all kitchen units on the wall as bedroom just has wardrobe against it. Tbf it was -8 this morning with feel like -10. But wasn't sure if a 4 degree drop was something to be concerned by. Thanks. The hallway one is always 1 degree more but that's a bit more central.
16th Dec
New build detatched house and its similar, heating to 19.5 turns off at 10.30 and its down to 15 or so in the morning before it comes on, except in the master bedroom where we are as the body heat helps and we have better curtains in there.

Once it stops being below freezing it isn't so bad, manages to stay warmer fine. Most heat loss is through the windows so curtains will help a lot.
Author
16th Dec
Ye I tuck my curtains onto the sill as well but then obvs get a lot of condensation throughout my apartment. Other than the back room then it's warm throughout, obvs with weather lately it's a little chilly than usual.
16th Dec
1980 build 16 degrees at 10 pm last night when it goes off set to this as I'm a tight git, 10.5 degrees at 8am this morning. (edited)
16th Dec
20C when I went to bed, 15c at 8 this morning. 1930's house with poor insulation.
16th Dec
Whaooo you must spend a lot on gas. Sadly
16th Dec
Detached, tado shows it drops from 20.8 at 9pm down to 18 by 6am - then heating kicks back in
16th Dec
A 4 degree drop is fairly decent in terms of insulation. You also have to remember that new builds are meant to breathe as well, so a bit of draft from trickle vents is needed to keep air circulation - this will be one of your larger heat loss areas.
I'm in a new build flat, and I keep my vents open and I do not close curtains. I lost about 5C. My flat is in the middle of all the others, so I get a bit of their heat too
Author
16th Dec
Ye I don't open my trickle vents. Ye, you don't really lose much heat to others due to concrete flooring so it's not as bad as old ones with wooden flooring between the flats. 5C loss in middle is quite a lot for a middle apartment?
16th Dec
If doors are shut then the kitchen drops to 12c lately, thats a single story extension.
16th Dec
Hmm, perhaps I should turn my heating off overnight
16th Dec
The main part of my house was built in the late 1880s and has been hitting about 15 degrees when I check the lounge first thing in the morning. The 15 year old extension on the other hand, got below 10 degrees the other morning I've been going down so many avenues in an attempt to resolve it, but yet to find one.

As others have said, a 4 degree change is perfectly fine and nothing to worry about, even in a new build. I assume you have decent loft insulation as it's a new build? If not, that's one of the cheapest ways to help keep your house insulated, provided you are comfortable doing it yourself.

Another thing could be the windows - are they draughty at all at any point? If the rubber window seals around the rim are in good condition, then there is actually a setting on the window lock that allows you to tighten the seal with an allen key! Watched a Youtube video the other day and went around the whole house changing it!
Author
16th Dec
I'm in a 2 bedroom ground floor apartment which I own. Ye the windows don't feel like any draft is coming through. I was just curious as to how everyone else new build or not is this winter with heat loss and seeing if it was a normal drop.

Ah ok, about the YouTube video I'll have a look about tightening etc. Thanks.
16th Dec
I'm in a old 1930`s mid terrace house where downstairs is open plan. The temperature drops about 4 degrees over night. I put the heating on in the morning when I get up about 6am(ish) and set it at 17 degrees which seems to keep the house warm during the day until I switch it off about 9 at night.
23 h, 0 m ago
Would love a 4 degree drop. Mine is more like 8 on these cold nights. Granted I love in a very old house with no insulation, solid brick walls etc. Get to about 18 at night and close to 10 in some areas the next morning
22 h, 13 m ago
I've got a 70s built house and lounge drops from 19C to 10-11C overnight if a freezing night. Roof and walls insulated but all seals gone in windows (edited)
22 h, 1 m ago
My house has issues taking way to long to warm up and then loosing heat quite quickly!!😞

where can you get the thermal imaging test done from pls?

atleast know where heat loss is at?
18 h, 44 m ago
I’m currently triple duveting, and still freezing..

takes me back to one night in Wales, 20 years ago…
18 h, 35 m ago
Doesn’t matter how well your house in insulated the heat will evaporate through the walls’ ceilings and floors and pretty quick too in below freezing temperatures 🥶

Draught spots to look for are around windows and doors’ floor edging’ boxed-in pipes and even around electrical sockets may surprise you especially where sockets are just above skirting boards!
1 h, 16 m ago
So annoying in summer, the heat never drops
33 s ago
I live in a 32 year old 2 bedroom detached bungalow. It's pretty well insulated although the double glazing has seen better days.

In this very cold weather, I find overnight when the heating is off, the temperature drops by one degree every 2 hours on average.