this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2024
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Until my building replace the 25+ years old metal frame window, I can't do any energy saver challenge at all. (already did as much as I could like sealing the seams with foam tape, scheduled temp changes, even shutoff the baseboard heater in the kitchen(it's like 2 degree at coldest day last week) The window frame catches all the moisture and then all have thin ice/frost during the blast. Living room is set to 19 degree max and it barely keep at 12 degree on one day.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I never realized how truly inefficient baseboard heaters were until this year when I bought a forced air space heater and set its temperature slightly above all my baseboards.

20% YOY energy savings in November/December with the added benefit that the room sits at 20 instead of 18 like it did with the baseboards. I guess the baseboards were just pumping their heat straight out the windows, and little of it was being absorbed by other surfaces….

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

unfortunately, I kinda still have to keep baseboard heater on during winter days cause otherwise the condensation and the water drips would be even worse than I currently have to maintain. (like regularly have to remove water from window tray and silt). It is thermally inefficient as the heat do straight up to the cold windows compare to space heater which circulate in space that you are in. So when I have the plug to spare I usually use space heater together with baseboard like you did so the baseboard won't work so hard but still kinda working just to keep the condensation in control. The condensation is so bad I kinda want to do 3d print and make redirect water track that I can glue to the window frames. (currently we have some absorbing plate we can flip around every 2~3 days. I've also considered the IR window film but it's very expensive to hire professional to install and our building already have window replacement planned for 2025 or 26, so if I install window films they are all wasted money in 2 years. The cost for install/material is much higher(2~3k for the sqft of my windows) than the potential hydro cost. my top monthly hydro is around 200+ for Dec~Feb, where my other normal month say May-Oct is around 70. (that's with portable AC on for the hottest days.) So might as well save the film cost and put them toward paying the window replacement levy that's surely incoming.