No Heat!!!!

trillcat

trillcat

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My land loards decided to go to their house south, way south, Caribbean
No one cared to leave the heat on for the rest of us, it's 56 in here!!!
I called, and called again, got a message telling me they were not there. DUH
I dont want to call police, I dont want to spend the night in a shelter that may or may not take Ginger.
Think warm thoughts for me!!!
 
starryeyedtiger

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I wouldn't call the police as it is not an urgent emergency and that may tie up the 911 line for someone who needs urgent help. I would however report the landlord to the better business services in your area and keep documentation of your attempted phone calls to the landlords number via your upcomming phone bill to show you made attempts to call them. (definitely safe it if you need to seek legal action.)

Do you have any friends/family/etc you may be able to stay with for the evening? What about calling the utility company as an emergency? In my area, if the temperature is below a certain degree, they are not allowed to shut off the utilities....can you see if you can get an extension until the landlord returns possibly? Maybe you can call a few local churches in your area and see if they may be able to find you a temorary place to stay that will allow your kitty?

Are all of the utilities off or just the heat? If it's just the heat, I second the idea of a safe space heater. Stay warm sweetie
Sending lots of vibes that way you get heat on soon!
 
ruthyb

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Oh no, thats awful, can't you call someone out and charge it to your landlord? gosh hope you get it fixed soon hun. x
 
nekomania

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It's time to invest in a space heater.

I also think you should search around for some free legal advice lines that you can acquire from the local courthouse on what types of actions you can persue against your landlord.
 
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trillcat

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Heat is back, or will be soon, the owners son was called, they are working on it as I type, (8am) I can hear the noise.
Someone called the authorities last night though, I had 2 firemen show up at my door at 1am!
Now before you all think, ooo, cool. bow chikka whaa whaaa,
they were doing a wellness check on us, making sure we weren't using our stoves as heaters, and offering a ride to a shelter if we didn't want to stay.
Me and the kitty are staying sort of warm, I got it up to 65 in here by using my stove (sorry firemen, it's electric, no open flames) and boiling a huge pot of water.
I guess I can't be mad, stuff happens and they are fixing it.
 
libby74

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Thank the Maker you've gotten the heat back on!

That used to happen to us when we lived in a rental above a store-front. Every once in awhile, the last person to leave the building on Friday would turn the heat off until Monday morning. When we complained, we were told, "oh, the pilot n the furnace must have gone out." Strange how it only went out over the weekend.


Try to keep warm!
 
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trillcat

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Originally Posted by libby74

Thank the Maker you've gotten the heat back on!
Click to expand...
Indeed, it is -5 outside!!!
 
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Ive been out of heat since Friday. Each morning is colder than the night before.

Was 55 this a.m. The only plus? Smidge wants to snuggle much closer and more often


My landlord is on it, it just isn't improving. They know they have to pay for a hotel and/or buy space heaters. It has been extra cold here and I always trouble with the heat when that happens - not just for days on end.

I hopeyou recover soon! I'm quite miserable - but I am cooking/baking a whole lot to stay warm! That isn't such a bad thing
 
margecat

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Originally Posted by CDubbie

Ive been out of heat since Friday. Each morning is colder than the night before.

Was 55 this a.m. The only plus? Smidge wants to snuggle much closer and more often


My landlord is on it, it just isn't improving. They know they have to pay for a hotel and/or buy space heaters. It has been extra cold here and I always trouble with the heat when that happens - not just for days on end.

I hopeyou recover soon! I'm quite miserable - but I am cooking/baking a whole lot to stay warm! That isn't such a bad thing
Click to expand...
Are you allowed kerosene heaters in your area and/or apartment/rental house? It may be hard to get one now, but they have wonderful heat (but are tad dirty if used for weeks on end). I highly recommend them. Three years ago next month, our heat pump died. Through the mess-ups with the installation of the new one, etc., we were without real heat for exactly 1 month. It was 44F downstairs, and I could see my breath. The electric space heaters, though I was thankful for them, just couldn't do it for me. We couldn't buy a kerosene heater in a 100 mile radius--all sold out. MIL got one for us; we met her halfway to pick it up. It was literally a life-saver. If you live on the 2nd floor, you can't fill it up there. They should be filled either in a garage, or outside, then transported upstairs.

I also made heat up rice bags from a cotton sock (or sew a tube of cotton fabric). Fill it with un-cooked rice, and sew up the open end. Microwave 2-minutes (be very careful while touching it). You can make 4" square ones to carry in a pocket, or put under a blanket for your kitty to curl up with. Also, those handwarmers that hunters use are GREAT. You basically shake the little sack for a few seconds, which activates the heat. One in each pocket really helps! They last about 8-12 hours (not re-usable, though).

I also hung blankets, large pieces of fabric, etc. in doorways to keep down drafts. Use large cup hooks or nails to rest dowels or curtain rods on; drape the blanket over the rod, safety-pinning the draped edge down to form a casing over the dowel/rod. Also, if you can, try to live in one room as much as possible. Buy a few cheap sleeping bags at WalMart (some are less than $9, and work very nicely indoors--I use them a lot for lounging--the side un-zip, so you can make blankets from them). Wrap yourself in the sleeping bag while watching tv, etc.

Keep the curtains open to let the sun in; then close them at night to keep warmth in. I also draped blankets over the windows and plastic sheeting.


I know how wretched it is to be without heat! I hope you can get warm SOON!!!
 
pushylady

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Originally Posted by Trillcat

last night though, I had 2 firemen show up at my door at 1am!
Now before you all think, ooo, cool. bow chikka whaa whaaa,
they were doing a wellness check on us, making sure we weren't using our stoves as heaters, and offering a ride to a shelter if we didn't want to stay.
Click to expand...
oh, shame that story didn't have a more interesting ending.

Glad to hear they're fixing your heat. That is definitely no laughing matter. It happened here once and the landlord had to buy space heaters for everyone! He got the oil filled ones, which do work well to warm up the room. Don't think they're the same as kerosene ones though.
 
nekomania

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Are you allowed kerosene heaters in your area and/or apartment/rental house? It may be hard to get one now, but they have wonderful heat (but are tad dirty if used for weeks on end). I highly recommend them. Three years ago next month, our heat pump died. Through the mess-ups with the installation of the new one, etc., we were without real heat for exactly 1 month. It was 44F downstairs, and I could see my breath. The electric space heaters, though I was thankful for them, just couldn't do it for me. We couldn't buy a kerosene heater in a 100 mile radius--all sold out. MIL got one for us; we met her halfway to pick it up. It was literally a life-saver. If you live on the 2nd floor, you can't fill it up there. They should be filled either in a garage, or outside, then transported upstairs.

I also made heat up rice bags from a cotton sock (or sew a tube of cotton fabric). Fill it with un-cooked rice, and sew up the open end. Microwave 2-minutes (be very careful while touching it). You can make 4" square ones to carry in a pocket, or put under a blanket for your kitty to curl up with. Also, those handwarmers that hunters use are GREAT. You basically shake the little sack for a few seconds, which activates the heat. One in each pocket really helps! They last about 8-12 hours (not re-usable, though).

I also hung blankets, large pieces of fabric, etc. in doorways to keep down drafts. Use large cup hooks or nails to rest dowels or curtain rods on; drape the blanket over the rod, safety-pinning the draped edge down to form a casing over the dowel/rod. Also, if you can, try to live in one room as much as possible. Buy a few cheap sleeping bags at WalMart (some are less than $9, and work very nicely indoors--I use them a lot for lounging--the side un-zip, so you can make blankets from them). Wrap yourself in the sleeping bag while watching tv, etc.

Keep the curtains open to let the sun in; then close them at night to keep warmth in. I also draped blankets over the windows and plastic sheeting.


I know how wretched it is to be without heat! I hope you can get warm SOON!!!
Click to expand...
Gosh these are a lot of the things my mom taught me to do when we had no heat.


My mom is a really big penny pincher and often refuses to turn on the furnace in the wintertime (and also lives without air conditioning) so I was raised with blankets in the doorways, kerosene heaters, and hot packs.


It's sad because I actually grew up and took over her "traditions" and all last winter even though I HAD heat, I never turned it on because it was cheaper for me to run a space heater to heat up the main room we were in, and brave the cold when we needed to cook or pee.
 
margecat

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Those who recommend and use kerosene heaters, please be careful. They can give off carbon monoxide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene_heater

Here's some safety tips:

http://reviews.ebay.ca/Is-it-safe-to...00000004124725
Click to expand...
Yes, but modern, properly-operated ones should be fine. My parents heated our house back in the 1970's & 1980's with the new ones they had back then (which may not have been as safe as modern ones) for a few years, all winter, and we never had any problems. Also, those and the modern heaters shut off at the merest hint of a bump. As I said before, they do put out soot, but, if properly operated, most models are safe to use. Of course, use common sense, and keep your kids from touching the top, etc. You could also say that about electric space heaters (and cords can short out, etc.) I've known quite a few regular kerosene heater users, and they've never had any problems, as they used the heaters per the instructions, and used good, common sense. I'd still recommend them, especially for emergency heat. Just remember that, like candles, you have an appliance that uses flame, and you should be fine.
 
snake_lady

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Yes, but modern, properly-operated ones should be fine.
Click to expand...
Key word being "properly operated" and I do know quite a few people who don't know the risks involved.

Hence posting the safety links, which should be looked at..... also I find your local fire department to be very helpful in giving advice and tips.

Last thing a person wants is to burn down their home, or worse yet, die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
 
nekomania

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I actually did not know that kerosene heaters put off Carbon Monoxide... I feel really dumb now.

I use an electric space heater now though, but my mom still uses the one we had when I was a kid. I doubt after so long it poses any more of a danger than it did back then...the basement must be pretty well ventilated.


Thanks for the link, I'm scared to death of having carbon monoxide poisoning though it does seem a very painless way to die, I still wouldn't want it to happen. I'll probably never buy a kerosene heater for my own home now.
 
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