Help with weather proofing

lindzed · November 2011

We are renting a very old house and Adam's room is freezing. Last night I put the baby gate up and opened his door after he was asleep. Huge mistake!!! He was up from 1-4 awake (usually i don't open the door until its time to get up). He is terrible about climbing and pulling on things so I am scared to try an electric heater. He also loves to play with the blinds on the window so I am not sure plastic on the inside is a great idea. I was thinking of doing plastic on the outside ( his room is in the back so it wouldnt look too bad). Has anyone tried this? Any other ideas I am not thinking about? My son is autistic with severe language delay so just telling him to not touch something or to go back to bed is not really an option.

myrall · November 2011

I have seen people hang quilts/blankets over the windows to reduce drafts. Only drawbacks would be loss of whatever light comes through the window and the potential for DS to want to play with them.

susangilchrist · November 2011

Could you really bundle him up? I can't think of anything really safe to weather proof the room that he wouldn't get into. Maybe a really thick blanket sleeper, fleece sleepsack (they have ones with feet holes) and a thick blanket on top of him? He may enjoy a heavy blanket (weighted blanket even) for the sensory input. My daughter rarely keeps a blanket on, but we go check on her before we go to bed and recover her.

mingaling2 · November 2011

Mia's room is super cold, too, and we just throw her in a fleece sleeper and a fleece sleep sack on top of that.

lindzed · November 2011

Thanks! I have been doing fleece sleepers and I go in and put a heavy blanket on him. That may be the best I can do.

AugustaBride04 · November 2011

I know you have concerns over using an electric heater, but could you use the electric heater a few hours before bed with the door shut to keep the warm air inside his room (assuming you can keep him out of the room)? Then just remove the heater before he goes to bed. H's old room was like that and that's what we did to get it warm at bedtime. It certainly won't last all night, but may help for a couple of hours. Also, the fleece sleepsack with footholes is great too. We used them as well.

MLvK · November 2011

we have the same issue with our son's room, it's freezing. Meanwhile, my daughters room which is right next door is a furnace. I see your concern with your son not understanding to stay away from a heater. Since mine is still in his crib, we keep the heater unplugged when he is outside of the crib.

If you find a solution I'd love to hear it though, because I hate using a heater in his room!

remote_girl · November 2011

we had to pull down the plastic on the window (we have an old craftsman bungalow and his room is always cold), once he got more mobile. how has someone not invented a safe solution by now? i hear about so many people with this problem. it isn't a sure fire solution, but we had a few rooms that ran really hot. we shut the vents or almost closed them with the hope that it would force more air to the kiddo's room. it can put some stress on your system, and isn't super efficient, but our bedroom was sooo warm but i was scared to turn the heat down in case it made the boy's room worse. so far it has helped a bit...

lindzed · November 2011

Thanks for the suggestions! I hadn't thought of closing the vents some in the warmer rooms and had no idea that there was a toddler sleep sack. Hopefully that will help.

maykat · November 2011

Ace sells the saran wrap that goes over the windows. It really does keep the draft out. I would also suggest doing the really warm footy pjs and use layers.

we have a really old house and had to use the saran wrap until we replaced our windows.

smynings_bride · November 2011

A lot of great suggestions on here--they only ones I can add are--a down feather bed that goes under the sheet, also along the lines of a heater on before he goes to bed it a heating pad or electric blanket to heat the bed before he gets in. This may not be a viable option since he likes to pull on things but humidifier will actually make the room feel warmer.

GTJess · November 2011

Reese's room is really cold too and I just put her in socks and/or baby legs/leggins and a long sleeve onesie then put the footed pajamas on over those. i just don't feel comfortable putting a heater in her room.

Kerrin · November 2011

We have the same problem. I put Carter in fleece footy PJ's and he wears an undershirt with it.

I also got him a down duvet and that thing keeps him super toasty. If your son will stay under the covers, I highly recommend a down duvet. He also has a feather bed underneath (covered in a plastic sheet in case of any accidents), and I think that helps as well.

I don't know how crafty your hubby is, but the air register for Carter's room was inadequate and didn't pump out enough heat for the size of the room. It's also under-insulated. So last week, DH ran another line of heating duct to the room (straight from the main furnace line) and put in another air register. I can't tell you how much warmer his room is.

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Help with weather proofing

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