So, we have been living without a heater since Spring. And it has gotten really cold here in Germany. Currently outside, it is 4 degrees Celcius, which is 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Our house has been so cold, we all wear layers to bed. I was so cold last night, I honestly was awake shivering. (during the night it got down to -1 with the windchill to -5 which was 23 degrees Fahrenheit). Our bedroom is up on the 3rd floor. You know the saying....Heat rises? I know I have heard this my whole life. But I have to tell ya, in this case, It does not rise. For some reason, between the 2nd level and the 3rd level, the coldness practically doubles. So I will not be sleeping in my bed tonight.
Now, why don't we just turn on our heater? I know someone is thinking this. And here is the story on that. Our house is heated through the floors. And it has to be operated by a professional. It states in our contract that we are not allowed to touch the controls because "it is too complicated".
Well, the funny thing is, I was on the phone with the heating company yesterday. And the man told me he had to come out to do a yearly check on the floor heating system. I asked him if he would be turning on my heater at this time. He was amazed that we don't have it on already. He asked if we were not cold because it has been so cold outside. Of course we have. I failed to let him know we have had sick kids and the coldness is not helping at all. Ian, Emma and Hannah have all had Croup and some also Bronchitas. Spencer now has a cold as well. Anyway, he proceeded to tell me that I could turn it on. (he has done this in the past as well.) I informed him that I am not allowed to touch it as it was in my contract. Well, the earliest he can get here is Friday Morning.
So we are all continuing to freeze. I am so ready to put a fire in my fireplace. But, guess what....the wood is in my garage. And that would require me to walk to the end of the row of houses, move my van (which has an anti-freeze cover on the windshield) just to get the wood out. Oh, and I would have to move 8 bikes and a luggage carrier (that goes on top of your car), to get to the wood as well. That just is not happening tonight. It is just too cold out there for me to get this fire started.
6 years ago
4 comments:
You know, we have floor heating, too, and it's not really *that* complicated.
I'm not even sure such a clause (about you not being allowed to operate the heating) is legal; by law your landlord has to enable you to keep your living quarters at a minimum temperature (18° ?).
It's certainly standard to turn the heating on by October 1st, regardless of the weather situation. We turned ours on in September because it was so chilly.
You may want to clarify that with your landlord again; I'm sure it wasn't his/her intention to have a family with small children shivering in their beds at night!
Call your landlord and ask him to come turn it on if you can't do it. Waiting until Friday is unhuman! We've had our heater on since mid September.
In my opinion I think you should turn the heat on. The heating guy told you to do it. Plus if your landlord took you to court, what judge would rule against you when you have a household of sick children.
Or...Come on out to Phoenix. It's 78 degress right now at 2:30 am. We're still sleeping with the ceiling fans running at night.
We have had a cold front here in Texas but of course we are not that cold. I was sad when I woke up with the baby and his fingers were cold. I just had to wrap him up better.
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