jaym
9/20/2016 23:47 EST
Hello, I have read all of the warnings about the cold damp winters and the use of space heaters and woodburning stoves, etc. This sounds like an awful lot of work and hassle just to stay warm. Are any of the newer apartment houses, say in Pocitos, better equipped and built to handle the winters? Do any provide central heat?
This forum is excellent because you get a mix of reality but not total negativity.
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Vortice
9/21/2016 10:51 EST
The high winter humidity, poor insulation in housing and poor waterproofing (that creates higher interior humidity) make the winters feel very cold. Insulation is becoming popular, but most places will be cold. Many apartment houses have central heat, but usually people heat a small area with electric(very expensive) heaters. I have noticed that it is common to use propane catalytic heaters like the patio heaters as well, though sleeping with this can cause one to wake up dead from CO poisoning. There are now CO detectors that read out in digital form, the amount of actual CO in the room. This and a second back-up CO alarm is what we use when we heat with a cat in our motor home.
Wood is very popular and runs wild; from bad to good, wet to seasoned etc. I have seen bundles of scrap, PAINTED(burning lead paint?) interior trim, for sale in Rodo area.
To some extent, heat is a luxury in Uy that can cost a pretty penny, especially if it is electric.
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Vortice
9/21/2016 11:03 EST
Also, not all electric heat is equal in cost of heat. Resistance heating, in floors ceilings and portable plug-in heaters, is very expensive to use. Heat pumps, air conditioners that can run backwards, are actually pretty efficient heaters in a climate such as Uruguay. They are becoming very popular.
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Whatsinaname
9/21/2016 11:08 EST
You can find apartment buildings with heat. The newest ones tend to have individualized electric heat -- this means you can set the temperatures as you like, and pay for the electricity which is VERY expensive in Uruguay. Many of the older (but still modern) apartment buildings have central heating (central losa) which is included in your common expenses (gastos communes) -- it generally keeps your apartment nice and warm and is a reasonable cost.
Take a look at this site, to get an idea of what is available:
http://www.gallito.com.uy/inmuebles/alquiler
You can search by apartment size, neighborhood, cost, etc. Look for "central losa" in the descriptions. If your Spanish is not good, you can use google translate to help with the descriptions.
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jaym
9/21/2016 12:15 EST
thank you, my Spanish is pretty good so this will be a good source. I don't mind inclement weather, but long months of shivering inside makes me question Uruguay as a possible destination.
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mjferriesmcgrew
9/21/2016 12:31 EST
the first year i was here i had only a studio apt. - so it was easy to heat with small electric space heater(s) BUT that did not solve the mold /mildew problems. That is a bigger issue for me since i have asthma. NOw that i , for the 3rd year, am in a house with fireplaces, that is less an issue. So, the wood heat kills off other bad aspects of the cold, damp air. ( For some reason, breathing the Eucalupytus firewood smoke does not set off my breathing problems, which i know CAN be a problem for others with challenged lungs.... )
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Vortice
9/21/2016 15:36 EST
I agree that mold is a huge concern. We rented a farmhouse north of colonia that had a leaky roof. We kept the woodstove going 24/7 so were warm, but the mold thrived in the warm, wet, sealed attic crawlspace. We had the "Flu" from our first night till 3 weeks later when we went to Rocha and felt better in 24 hours. Upon returning to the farm we were sick by midnight. Packed up in the AM, $2,500 rent or not. I had not believed people regarding mold issues until this. We are believers now. Beware the mold!
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focus
9/21/2016 18:19 EST
Hi Jaym. I've never seen central heating in an apartment building however the newer buildings are much better equipped for the winter. Most of the tales of poorly equipped dwellings refer primarily to houses.
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Expat91364
10/9/2016 10:34 EST
Some of the newest buildings offer radiant floors or are piped for future Airconditionioning. However, insulation, vapor barriers, and thermopane glass is not too common.
Inverter heat pumps are your best bet but we use a wood stove and fireplace as well and have a dehumidifier we move around. We also use the small cabinet dehumidiers that work passively but you plug in to dry out and reuse instead of the disposable kind.
A bleach solution in a spray bottle comes in handy to kill molds.
Winter here can be cold and damp but is easily manageable
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Expat91364
10/11/2016 11:05 EST
Found them on Amazon.com (where else). Look for Eva-Dry model 333 or 500.
I use the 500 and it has a little gauge to tell you when to plug it in to dry it out. It works on 220V or 110V but doesn't need power inside the cabinet or closet. Best of course is if you can plug it in outside or somewhere that the evaporating moisture is not just returned to your house.
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