Office / Desk - Heating - HELP ! Before I freeze to death.

[NJSS]

I live in an ancient house. The desk in my office has a window in front of it & another to one side. So 2 single glazed windows within a couple of feet of my right hand. I can't double glaze because of planning difficulties.

There is a radiator in the room, and in the last few weeks I have tweaked the thermostat higher & higher, up to 22 degrees now, but always feeling cold with white & numbed fingers.

A flash of brilliance last night

I put a thermometer on my desk & whilst the room temperature was 22 degrees the area around my desk was 13.8 degrees. I couldn't believe it & have sited another thermometer alongside the first. This confirmed that it really is 13.8 degrees!

My neighbour with whom I discussed the problem suggests a radiant under desk heater like this:-

https://www.etherma.com/en/infrared-warmth...ng/desk-20

I quite like the idea, I certainly don't want a convector heater & additional plumbing would be a nightmare.

Any suggestions please - quickly as I'm freezing to death !

NJSS

 

[neilrr]

Hot water bottle(s).

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Work harder.

 

[Darrell]

Thermals and ski socks.

 

[flying haggis]

move the desk away from the window??

 

[BlackC55]

Come and work in my workshop. Not been above 2deg all day.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Can you move your desk so you’re sitting closer to your radiator and further from your windows?

My study is also cold, though not as bad as your location. I originally contemplated ways to keep warmer in there but in the end used it to my advantage. It’s too cold at this time of the year to sit there any longer than an hour so I have to get up and move around or even out of the room. It’s never a good thing to stay sat in one spot for too long so I’m getting an enforced break. I’ve also moved my cross-trainer into my study so jumping on there for 20 or 30 minutes both gives me a necessary break and warms me up.

 

[GeeJayW]

Maybe able to add secondary glazing or maybe an insulating film?

 

[MrGreedy]

This is not a wind up. How about a thick woolly hat? I keep the house heating quite low in the day, so wear a thick ski hat, very thick walking socks and a very thick fleece jacket so I stay nice and toasty whilst working at home. Previously we didn't heat the house in the day as we were in the office, but coronavirus has pushed us indoors at home.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Where is the radiator in relation to the desk/windows/door ? depending on where it is the hotter it gets the more cold air it will drag in causing cold areas. general consensus is radiator underneath window heats cool air from the glass area which rises to warm the room. Not sure if this is valid in 2021 what with all the modern building techniques around these days .

The other option is heated clothing, search winter motorcycle stuff. Also the 'Big Slipper' can now be purchased with heating , Billy Connolly probably has one now 'Big 'Yins' slipper.

Just remember that you are wearing it when you get up to walk away .

 

[Dichtung]

Investigate Japanese made Inverter heaters. They need a 240v domestic socket and burn C1 kerosene. Not to be confused with paraffin heaters of yesteryear. Apart from a 30sec smell on ignition and shut down, they are odourless. They do not have wicks and are electronically controlled. Push button start, stop, temp adjust ,program etc. a 20degree room withih 5 mins.
We bought a 3kw model, and I loved it mainly because i`m bone idle. and now we have two of them.
Find them at theIronmongers .co.uk.

 

[wrdcc01]

Secondary glazing and a thick rug or full carpet and maybe a fan assister on the radiator.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

This confirmed that it really is 13.8 degrees!

We'd be slapping on suncream up here!

 

[AltonAnt]

My office is somewhat similar and I have fitted (loose term, it is on the floor) a smallish 4" mains case fan, blowing up under the radiator which has helped a lot.

 

[fabes]

Sorry to ask, but have you bled the rad and at what temp us the boiler set at?

My study is cold, though I do now have a slim 400w elec wall heater on a timer, but I still have a 2 KW fan heater in there for the odd blast, but layers (of clothing) really help. That said, if your hands are cold you can't type or write properly so warm drinks help there, but it's no fun being cold. It's one of Maslow's basics after all......

Ref cost, its around 6p an hour for 400w and 30p an hour for 2KW heater, and it's worth it

 

[Dickster]

I live in an ancient house. The desk in my office has a window in front of it & another to one side. So 2 single glazed windows within a couple of feet of my right hand. I can't double glaze because of planning difficulties.

There is a radiator in the room, and in the last few weeks I have tweaked the thermostat higher & higher, up to 22 degrees now, but always feeling cold with white & numbed fingers.

A flash of brilliance last night

I put a thermometer on my desk & whilst the room temperature was 22 degrees the area around my desk was 13.8 degrees. I couldn't believe it & have sited another thermometer alongside the first. This confirmed that it really is 13.8 degrees!

My neighbour with whom I discussed the problem suggests a radiant under desk heater like this:-

https://www.etherma.com/en/infrared-warmth...ng/desk-20

I quite like the idea, I certainly don't want a convector heater & additional plumbing would be a nightmare.

Any suggestions please - quickly as I'm freezing to death !

NJSS

Strange, I have the same issue. I had to stop working yesterday because of it. I have bare floorboards though and I think it’s the draft. I’m going to try a rug under the desk area today.

 

[Meldrew2]

My office is a converted garage (detached building) so it is hot in summer and cold in winter. A few years ago I invested in a Toshiba air conditioning system and as well as keeping it cool in summer, it keeps things warm in the winter, currently it's 22-23 degrees, even with snow on the ground.

 

[bob6600]

How about an oil filled radiator? They do heat up rooms well and don't cost a lot to run.

However, I don't think heating up the room is the issue - it's the heat loss that is causing you the problem. If you put your hand around the window edge, can you feel a draught or is it just the thin glass that is losing the heat?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

...... I certainly don't want a convector heater.......

May I ask why? They give out an instant, steady continuous heat and are cheap to buy and run.

Is it a listed building with sliding sash window?

 

[Vintage Racer]

Set fire to the desk!