Cold Airbnb

Ben294
Level 1
Winston-Salem, NC

Cold Airbnb

Hi all,

 

My Airbnb is in our basement and we have been having a problem with it always being a little cold in it.  Regardless of the weather outside, is is almost always 60 degrees down stairs and have had several guests comment about it being a little chilly.  We tried supplying them with space heaters, but they would trip a breaker on some outlets and guests were leaving them on when they left which is a fire hazard.  I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas that might help.

 

Thanks.

14 Replies 14

@Ben294 - 

  1. Provide comfort items to help the guests forget the chill:  like slippers, robes, flannel sheets and putting down a very heavy carpet with a thick pad.  Invest in a basket-full of expensive-feeling throws. 
  2. Insulate your dryer vent.  Trust me - this will really help
  3. Resolve any dampness issues. This will make the cold feel colder. 
  4. Check to make sure all the dampers are open correctly.  
  5. Invest in dual-zone heating and air conditioning.
  6. Put up radiant panels or install a heated floor.  

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-your-basement-warmer-1821078

https://www.familyhandyman.com/heating-cooling/ways-to-warm-up-a-cold-room/view-all/

http://www.ifinishedmybasement.com/hvac-2/heating-your-basement/

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

Underfloor heating works well where there is a constant demand.

David

@Ben294, that does sound like a challenging situation?


The space heaters are actually a good solution, if you can solve the circuit breaker problem.

Is there any opportunity to upgrade the electrical service in the space to handle the increased load?

 

Also, they do make very small, light load space heaters (the new ceramic ones are tiny). Having one like this working in the space would make quite a difference, and even the tiny ones are thermostatically controlled (so they will only stay on until the room is a certain temperature.)

 

(Like this one: http://a.co/gL5S6oz )

 

 

April3
Level 5
South Lake Tahoe, CA

@Alice-and-Jeff0 I have a cold room (my own) that houses the W/D. I never thought about insulating the dryer vent, thanks for the tip!

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

Sorry, I don't have a suggestion on how to fix this problem, but I hope you mention this in your listing until you come up with a solution. I can tell you that if I booked a room, I would not expect to have to wear heavy sweaters, thick socks, etc. indoors. 60 degrees is way too chilly for me to feel comfortable and relaxed.

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

I use a dehumidifier. It not only takes away the dampness, but provides more heat for less energy than a space heater.

All the other ideas are good too.

@Ben294

Maybe you can look into space heaters or an electric blanket that have auto shut off. I agree that a dehumidifier might help with the dampness which exacerbates the chill people feel and also check windows and doors because a draft with continous cold air seeping in from small cracks from doors and windows could also be affecting the insulation of the unit - a cheap option is window seal tapes and heavy curtains.

Susie5
Level 10
Boston, MA

@Ben294, if you can solve the breakers tripping problem, you can solve the leaving the heater on problem by investing in one of the timers which for example automatically turn off at 3 or 6 hours.  If you go to amazon and search for " Simple Touch C30004-Multi-2P Original Auto Shut-Off Safety Outlet, Multi Setting 2 count" you'll find an example of what I mean.

 

I think the best space heaters (and maybe the safest) are the oil-filled ones which look like little radiators on wheels.  They work pretty well too!  My house is old and drafty, and with the extreme cold we had last weeks we kept one of those going and were roasty toasty in the living room - we kept the door closed and more or less just heated this one room.  The rest of the house went to 53 even with the heater on full blast!  Also the one I have you can choose between 600, 900, or 1500 watts and usually 600 was enough for us. The one we have looks a lot like "DeLonghi TRH0715 Oil Filled Radiator" - they're out of stock right now (wonder why!!!) but expected in soon - about $60.

Grace196
Level 2
Chicago, IL

8 feet  baseboard electric heater  cost around $80  + thermostat.

 It is install on the wall.

Automatically turn on end off. 

We use for the last 10 years. 

 

The second problem you have with electric. To many things on the same fuse. You need electrician look at your electric panel box.

 

 

 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Great question, @Ben294. You have received some great suggestions here. 

 

To add as a small touch, I find having a carpet or a cosy rug can really help to make a room feel warmer. Similarly to if you have furniture like a leather sofa, when you first sit on it, it can be quite cool, but adding throws can quickly help to warm it up. 

 

Perhaps these could be a good first step. 🙂

 

 


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Rene-and-Zac0
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Ben294 @Susie5 Heres a neat idea, use smart plugs on your listing. No major upgrades, just plug it in and go.

It allows you to monitor an outlet and remotely turn devices on and off. You might be able to connect the stove to one if it’s the right grounding wire plug.

Works with Alexa and your smart phone. Next time, you just whip out your smart phone and see if the space heater is on and shut it off remotely from anywhere. 

You could have one on the tv too and use it like a confirmation 1C9A1CD7-6DA8-4117-84EB-9D4D761F1FD4.pngthe guest arrived because most times they flip the tv on right away. 

 

‘You. Know it’s hard out here for a Host’

On a similar post to @Rene-and-Zac0, there are some other potential automations that might help. 

@Ben294 - We just noted on our last trip to the HD that there are condensation monitors that we could install in the bath because when our guests take a really hot shower, suddenly the damp air makes them want the heat turned up or the a/c turned down.  The guests almost never turn on the fan manually - we think this will help us but maybe, if you have a similar situation, it might help you too.  https://www.amazon.com/DewStop-FS-100-Condensation-Control-Sentry/dp/B003Q6CGKW

@Alice-and-Jeff0 Here is the next level in climate specific area control.

These vents allow you to remotely shut down vents in unoccupied rooms directing the heat-cool to the rooms it’s needed. 

Ever heard of a house where the heat pumps into the first floor vents but not upstairs? 

Now you can remotely close the downstairs vents directing the heat upstairs. Making it much more balanced.

Say nobody is upstairs all day? Close those vents and send all the AC downstairs. Saves money. 

I want to see one upgrade to this item, motion activated sensors. Then once a person enters the room, the vent senses it and opens the vent automatically and the vent closes when the guest leaves the room. I’m not big on the price point now either.

Good Luck!

 

’You know it’s hard out here for a Host’8470AC36-D43E-4F97-B4B4-53ADB3B677AD.png

@Rene-and-Zac0, I'm so behind the times I had no idea such a thing was possible I'll definitely look into it... thanks for the heads up!