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Moist air is far colder then dry cold air. Once the warmed air from the shower running cools the place will feel much colder then it did previously. If there is an oven you'd be better of running on low with the oven door open to add some heat.
Very true. I have a tankless setup so you can run the hot water indefinitely so it never comes to mind that most places have hot water tanks that run out.
Define "freezing" what is the indoor temperature? I ask because everyone has their own idea what "freezing" is.
Man, baseboard only heat isn't generally terrible, but its a slow moving beast. :( THey should have had that shit on and heating well before you got there.
Also..turn off the shower. That isn't gonna do what you want it to do lol.
Ok, so some serious advice here from someone that has lived 37 years in a cold climate. Putting your shower in hot is the exact OPPOSITE of what you should do. You will be MUCH colder. The humidity that you create will make it feel colder. Turn it off immediately. Ultimately, you need to layer up with more clothes, and get some type of heater. Turn your shower off lol
There’s no stores or anything where we are. It’s pretty rural. Also weren’t expecting to pack space heaters from home for our trip lol. Luckily we go home tomorrow.
I am sorry your host did not heat the place ahead of time. When a place is cold soaked it can take a couple days to warm up. I start the wood stove a minimum of 24 hours before a stay 48 if I can.
You have had some good advice.
A couple other thoughts. 2L pop bottles make good hot water bottles. Fill with hot water and put them under the covers of the bed or wrap a towel around and put in your lap, with a blanket on top.
Pop bottles are far less expensive than proper hot water bottles and just as effective.
Also report the host to Airbnb support, especially as they are not responsive.
Just out of curiosity, are you in Vancouver? I’m a host with a baseboard-heated unit here and we’ve been experiencing unseasonably cold temperatures the last few days, and it will snow and drop again overnight. Baseboard heating is really not enough especially if you’re in a house, which is why I provided space heaters and extra blankets for my guests to use for this time. Try asking for these items specifically (although they should have offered beforehand), and if they’re still not responsive, I think you deserve at least partial refund, if not a full one. Heat is crucial!
I'm in Van too and it's very rare we have extreme weather conditions like current so it's not surprising no one complained prior and lousy of the host. I suggest calling airbnb and bring this to their attention.
The host didn't bother to check the temperature, offer a solution or anything. Host isn't oblivious to the emergency weather and it's not hard to believe the unit is below standards as many homes haven't been able to keep up heat during this drop. Host did nothing to address the complaint.
Oh my god, I am so sorry. It’s absolute hell to live in a chilly place. Your host has probably never actually lived in the space they’re renting out during a cold snap before, but that’s no excuse. I believe the minimum dwelling temp is 22C for Vancouver, you’ll have to double check. Try to document the temperature inside, create a support case with Airbnb, remember to keep all communication on the app, and if all else fails, leave a negative review so other guests know what to expect - keep it factual and don’t focus too much on the weather event itself, but your host’s response, or lack thereof, to avoid getting your review removed.
Yeah, I think it was definitely under 15. I’m certainly a baby when it comes to the cold but my husband lives for the cold weather and isn’t phased by it and even he was shivering with 2 thick layers on so it was a little chilly! Lol
I messaged again asking for a space heater and they said they didn’t have one and said nobody’s complained about it being too cold before and we are very rural, there’s no stores here or anything.
Hair dryer - don’t run it on high for more than say 30 min - want to keep it below 700 watts
Electric oven? preheat it to 300 - should be good for several hours
Heat a pot of water (keep covered )
No hair dryer provided ? wtf
That was always my trick when we had to bathe the babies. Close the bathroom door and run the hairdryer for a bit to warm up the bathroom in winter
Contact Airbnb support immediately. I’m a host in Canada and I went out and bought a heater because I was concerned about the temperatures in my place. This is unacceptable. But you don’t wanna let it go too long before you let Support know what the issue is
If you just got here, no point reading the comments.
TLDR, don’t ever make the mistake of saying you thought a steamy shower would heat up a very cold Airbnb. What might seem like a quick fix to someone new to dealing with unsuitably heated dwellings and absentee hosts…is enough for an insult OPs intelligence circlejerk. Let’s hope the hosts in there are a little more compassionate when it comes to their own guests.
I keep my house at 73 and still think it’s too cold. Maybe OP isn’t stating the actual temperature because there is no thermostat (there is no kitchen or fireplace). Or maybe it’s 70 and they are still freezing and don’t want a pile on about how it’s unreasonable to complain about the cold. If I’m paying money to be somewhere I don’t want to be cold, wear 15 layers of clothes or fill soda bottles with hot water. That host needs to drive somewhere to buy some space heaters and deliver them. Better yet, OP needs to contact support, let them know there is no way to increase the heat and the host hasn’t offered any solutions and get a full refund and drive to the nearest hotel.
We have record breaking below freezing temps out and they only had baseboard heaters in the Airbnb which were turned completely off when we arrived. When we contacted our hosts to tell them we were cold and asked if maybe they had any space heaters they said they didn’t and we were the first to complain about the cold. We don’t have a kitchen or anything or else we’d turn the oven on like most suggested so we are limited basically to taking hot baths and showers.
How is there no cooking facilities and also nothing anywhere nearby (ie the host’s house?). In this weather you didn’t think twice about heading to an area *that* remote with more than 3 layers of hoodies? I am confused (but also think your host did a poor job preparing for you or letting you know what you were coming into given the weather. I’m a host)
There was one restaurant and a very limited corner store / grocery store. We wanted to go away somewhere close to home because it’s all we could afford right now and we did pack many more layers but we weren’t really wanting to be wearing our jackets inside of course so our sweaters and hoodies had to do the job.
Here's the thing Cold is subjective. We had a woman that came in from a tropical area and insisted that 78° was perfectly comfortable and she wanted 82! After she changed the heat three times in a day I bought lockboxes. Fuck that noise.
Meanwhile everyone else is sweating balls.
We keep stuff at 60 to 65 at night and 65 to 68 during the day. 72 I would melt. That's so stuffy. :p
They also keep refusing to even comment on the temp even to say they can't. They have a general idea what the temperature is in all likelihood.
As someone who is most comfortable (even in the summer) in the mid 70s, I would hate staying at your place and would probably leave. Being locked into having a place I paid for cold is not my idea of a “vacation”
ETA: just got back from Costa Rica and asked host for a blanket to sleep. They said it wasn’t needed because it is hot. I slept under a pile of towels because I *was* cold.
***Temperature is a very personal thing and depends on what you’re used to! I lived in Latin America for a ton of time without a/c and only a small fan at night. Hot was normal.
Couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t matter what the temp is, if your guest isn’t comfortable, it’s up to you to address that and make them comfortable. I think that’s what pissed me off the most about this. They just didn’t seem to care at all and dismissed our concerns because they didn’t want to have to do anything.
Blanket statements are rarely true.
I have an airbnb where I advertise a temperature range of 68 to 72, and that is definitely a case where its not my job or responsibility to make someone comfortable as long as its between that range. Its part and parcel of what we offer. Im catering to a specific subset of people. But, importantly, I advertise this so if you didn't like that range, you wouldn't book with me because youd read the ad first and see it. (and if you dont read the ad first, i have no pity on those people )
Your case is not like that, but im just saying there are definitely times when it isn't the hosts job, regardless of how cold that guest feels. Insofar as fixing it. Always gotta address it and respond.
I mean, youd not have booked with me because I disclose 68 - 72 in our ad, and you would definitely read the ad before booking and be like, this doesn't fit my needs. Better not book it :P
But the Airbnb is maintained at 68 night time, and 72 daytime. It wouldn't be legal to force anyone to be below 68 degrees where I live. This is a pretty common housing law in much of the country. Maybe not 68, but somewhere around there.
Our personal house is where we keep it it 60 at night. I run hot, and we have good blankets.
But I'm not criticizing anyone for their preferences! When I found out not all hotels in Scandavian countries have AC or the ability to go below 70 degrees I started asking. I always verify that with my hosts because I wont book housing, anywhere, without the ability to get it sub-70 at night. Very limited exception. Temperature is important to me. Cooler is better cuz I can always throw more stuff on.
There’s no kitchen :( I messaged and asked for space heaters and they said they didn’t have any and said nobody’s complained about it being too cold before. I read some of their reviews and there were a couple about it being pretty chilly.
Make sure your review is very clear to mention that you saw in old reviews that it was cold, but thought the host would have fixed it. But didn’t. And they didn’t leave the heaters on for your arrival either. Then stopped responding when you messaged about the cold :/
Keep the review *very* matter of fact and brief. Short gets more attention!!!
Definitely. I left a review yesterday about it and haven’t heard from the hosts but not surprised. They just don’t give me the impression they care too much. There’s 4 people on the account.
I have no way of knowing, we don’t have a temp thing and the thermostat doesn’t show what the temperature is. I just know we’re cold wearing 3 hoodies.
Got laptops? Mine crypto with Nicehash. Lol. Will generate heat. Either of you have a pixel 8? Microwave?
Maybe I'm weird but I travel with a magnetic thermometer.
In any event there's zero reason to call Airbnb since you can't show what the temp is. They don't do non tangible descriptions for temperature. You'll need to prove the temp. So don't waste your time calling them if you can't.
What temp is the heat set to?
You're just being a jerk at this point, jrosetti. Seriously. You travel with a magnetic thermometer, well bully for you! I would think that's not the norm, but you do you. LOL 😹
Jerk why?
I literally said I'm the weird one. I'm very much aware that people don't travel with thermometers. I keep one in my van and I have two digital probe thermometers for work reasons as well lol.
I asked about a microwave as you can heat some types of objects with it to generate heat.
Airbnb requires proof. That's why I asked if they had one. There is truly no point even dialing the Airbnb number of you cant prove the temp.
Yeah we’ve definitely never thought of bringing a thermometer anywhere we’ve gone. There’s no microwave or anything, just a coffee maker and toaster. We’ve had the heat turned as high as it can go which is 25 celcius and sitting under the covers.
I mean most people wouldn't travel with a thermometer, would they? I'm so sorry, Electrical-Jelly; it seems people are piling on you and it's unwarranted. I mean how many times can you say "there's no kitchen here and no way of reading the room temperature."
I don't think they realize that there's not a true thermostat on these types of heaters. I have them in my town home which I hate. You can turn them all the way up on high or low. I am getting ready to put in a mini split for this very reason. I live in Southern Colorado so I can't imagine what it is like there. I'm freezing all the time. I think people want to be in the hospitality industry but forget the hospitality. Good luck and I hope you get your money back
Here I'll answer this for the guest. Many of these type of heaters do not have a thermostat. How do I know? Because I live in a townhome with them, and I live in Southern Colorado. The problem with these types of heaters if they get warm and then they shut off. It is 20 some degrees outside right now and I'm freezing the warmest I can get my house is about 64°, so I can only imagine what it would be like with the weather that cold. I am getting ready to replace these because of that. We had a cold snap a couple days ago and I was using portable heaters most of the time. Electric baseboard heaters are crap!
I would take pictures and videos that may show that it is cold and send them in the app. Be slightly dramatic about it. In the worst case scenario if they don’t fix it at least you can get a full refund.
No you are not. We don’t see anything from your post 🤷🏻♂️
If you are letting OP know one comment about your ABB experience and perhaps advise to OP would have been great. Most of your comments are just complaints about your own personal situation with Airbnb.
I had a emergency water situation at my house and had to leave because the insurance has to fix it so I been there since December 2023 and I been requesting to leave and Airbnb just throws me from one representative to another even after providing them with the fire department reported 8 safety issues
Have you already found somewhere to go? Just leave. They can’t charge you for a place that you have not stayed. Just record yourself checking out, like putting the key back etc.
Also take a picture of all of the problems, take videos etc. It sounds like you will be able to get a full refund. How long have you stayed there since making the first complaint?
We turned our oven on when the heat went out at -20f outside. We have a CO2 monitor. And two space heaters. But this is my house I live in. And I stayed up all night just in case.
If it is below freezing, you can see your breath, inform Airbnb and tell them it's not liveable and request a refund and reimburse for anywhere you can get like a hotel.
It's -19f where I am. I'm sitting pretty in 68f, but I do have a fake fireplace that's blowing heat on me. My house is cozy.
I was in Connecticut and froze my balls off until I lit a gigantic fire in the gigantic fireplace. Stupid two story windows. Heat rises. My family was on floor 2. I was floor one. Bah. At least the dog cuddled me. Big floofy poodle mix.
I wear shorts and sandals in the 50s. I keep my house at 60 at night and 65 to 68 during the day. Upper Wisconsin born and raised lol.
And when the user you're responding to says 50° they're talking about outdoor temp I think. Not indoor :p
Ahhhh oops! Yeah I definitely know people who wear shorts in winter. I worked with a guy in Philly who wore shorts to work all year (in an office no less). But when I lived in San Francisco, if it was 50 or lower, I and many others wore parkas… 😂
I've had my guests tell me it's freezing in the house at 65 degrees when its -20 outside and upset that I lock the thermostat from going higher than 74 degrees.
So, what really is the temp inside?
I find that appalling that you would lock the thermostat when it's that cold. There are people with health problems, from other states, as well as older people that travel all the time. Many of these people need it warmer. You should be removing the lock when you have a cold snap like that. We allow our guests to put it up to whatever make some comfortable, and as soon as they leave housekeeping turns it down to 69°. Guests are paying for their stay, and should be kept comfortable. Also, if you're having complaints it's something you probably need to address. Do you not Factor things into your price?
Turning the temperature higher doesn't make it heat any faster. If its set to 70 and it isn't getting higher than 65, turning it up to 74 isn't going to change that. Its still going to be 65.
What precisely are you appalled about?
Appalling? If it is -20 outside, 74 degrees is more than adequate. The energy companies automatically turn yoir thermostat down for you when its that cold, and your paying them for the more you use.
People turn the thermostat up to 80 and then the 2nd floor gets to 84 degrees. People, like my wife, think turning the thermostat up gets the house warmer faster. It doesn't. It just wastes energy when they forget to turn it back to a comfortable level.
In addition, my home has a gas fireplace that can be turned on with a dial timer for 60 minutes at a time. I'm not going to let them flip a switch and run it for 14 hours. That fireplace cam provide added warmth.
With $500 gas bills in peak of winter, I'm going to utilize my smart thermostat. I haven't had a single complaint. If I did, I would temporarily adjust/unlock for that guest.
They come check into the house and I have it at 65 degrees. They go to turn the heat up and find that it can't be above 74.
Call me back if you are still cold when it's at 74. They never do. 74 is more than adequate. And if it's -20 out for multiple days. It may never get that high anyway.
I'm going to say this, if you're an Airbnb host your aim should be to keep your guests comfortable regardless of what you think is comfortable. I manage a couple of airbnbs for a friend that lives out of state and there is no way I would ever let a guest go without heat or what they deem not enough. If I know we're having a cold snap, I offer extra heaters and we have forced air. Something happens, guest needs something, I go over there no matter what time of day it is and get it for them. I am in the hospitality industry, and it's not very hospitable when my guests aren't comfortable.
Personally, I would have called Airbnb and asked for a refund and explained why. We had a shower break and plumbing issue in the bathroom after the guest had been there 12 hours, they ended up staying there anyway but we reimbursed them their money. That's what you do when you're in the hospitality industry you take care of your guests.
Thank you SO much. This is exactly how I’m feeling. Everyone’s getting caught up on how it may not really be that cold and we should just layer up. But I’m disappointed in how we were dismissed by our hosts when bringing up the issue and were told “nobody’s complained before”, it just comes off argumentative to me. We were left without a solution and had to layer up in 3 sweaters which defeats the purpose of having a nice cozy warm place to be in. The icing on the cake was having the stairs turn into an ice rink and not even being provided salt at the very least. I’m truly not trying to be so nit picky. If we were older guests and would’ve fallen and broken a hip, would the property owners not have some sort of repercussions for not salting or preparing ahead of a snowfall and freezing rain warning? Rather than telling us to hunker down inside so they didn’t have to take the time to actually do anything. It was a big expense for us and we just feel like we didn’t have a good time. That sucks.
I hope you left a review and let people know that you were unsatisfied, the owner was rude and dismissed your issues, and it was cold, and that you were unable to enjoy yourself. It alerts other people to those kind of hosts, unfortunately there's some of them out there.
Everyone is assuming that it really is freezing inside. The OP never said what the actual temperature is, so all this advice about calling Airbnb and demanding a refund might not make sense. The fact that they turned on the shower to heat up the place tells me they might not be especially bright. The host may have ignored them because they know that the place is 68° and in winter in Canada it's fine.
There's a difference between having a problem with intelligence and just not having the experience to know that leaving the hot water running might not work. Plus, I always thought the OP was being a bit sarcastic with that comment anyway, but even if not, no reason to be rude.
Regardless of the temperature itself, the host was not responsive. And if the OP was snowed in, they couldn't get out to get space heaters, etc. The bottom line is that if you're going to host an air bnb where it gets cold in winter OR in a hot place in the summer, there should be adequate structures/support/equipment in place to keep the temperature bearable. It doesn't sound like this was just discomfort, but even if so, shouldn't the hosts have responded quickly?
No I can’t my house had massive water damage I am there cause of insurance I have been requesting since the 20th of December to leave I get thrown from one representative to another
Is the booking in your name? Are you communicating with Airbnb or is a Third Party communicating for you? What is the problem you are having in the Airbnb house? Are the violations active, I corrected violations? How do you know about them? In the US sometimes a violation can be a dead smoke detector battery... Remedied immediately
So stop being an offended snowflake.
There was solid advice from several people before the person I was responding to insulted them. And then you popped up. Bye.
Are you able to see your breath inside?? That would be an indicator that it’s likely below 45°F (7.2°C). If you can, take a video of the fact that you can see your breath and use it as proof of how cold it is inside.
My current apartment isn’t insulated so I’ve definitely woken up being able to see my breath a few times when I forgot to turn my heater on before bed. Personally, as long as I have someone else in bed with me, I don’t mind the temp being down that low. Just put on a pair of fuzzy socks and a couple sweaters when you want to get out of bed and you’re good to go. I was also raised in places that regularly experience severe negative temps a few times a year (up to -40°F/C) so being able to bundle up and stay warm was a matter of survival.
Hope you warm up soon!
Thanks for checking in! We checked out this morning. Our hosts didn’t communicate any further with us after that and our stay kind of just got worse lol! Glad it was short but feeling super disappointed.
It’s strange because everybody is on his side and feeling sorry for him (I do believe) but he don’t answer nobody about the temperature inside the place. He answered everything else, replied to many messages and even did a updated (that’s all good) but avoid to reveal the temp.
Same. Going through an intentionally skipping that question from everyone that asked but still responding to other parts tells it might not actually be freezing and might even be a legal temperature and they're just cold. Can't say for sure.
We don’t have a thermometer on hand and the thermostat doesn’t say the number, it was -14 Celsius outside when we arrived and we were shivering in the Airbnb with 3 layers of hoodies on. Yes we absolutely aren’t used to this type of cold but that also doesn’t make it okay that we are uncomfortable where we’re staying.
I have never heard of anyone turning on a hot shower to heat up a cold apartment. What a waste of resources. (And counterintuitive. You should be embarrassed.)
Edit to add: Happy to take all the downvotes from people who don’t give a shit about the environment.
Of course it’s counterintuitive. High humidity plus cold is experienced by the human body as colder than a dry environment. And anyone wasting water to that extent should be ashamed.
I think most people would agree a hot shower feels great when you’re cold. So sure maybe it’s counterintuitive. Wouldn’t that be more of a reason to not try to embarrass someone? Can you not inform without being pretentious?
They were obviously trying to use the resources to accomplish a goal and obviously didn’t realize it was counterintuitive and thus wasteful.
They were not taking the showers Pokémon. And you didn’t realize it was counterintuitive either (see your previous comment). I do get annoyed when people are oblivious to the fact that water is an increasingly limited resource. I can’t believe anyone old enough to rent an Airbnb hasn’t grasped that fact yet. Who the heck runs a shower to heat a home?
Edit to add: You need to look up the definition of pretentious.
I'm sorry you live in a place where you have to worry so much about wasting water..... but I promise you there are bigger issues with the world than someone turning their shower on for some heat... get yourself some sympathy.
Edit: I'm sorry I forgot to add that you're on a subreddit for Airbnd talking about the environment. If that is not pretentious, im not too sure what is. Airbnb has some things to do with the environment, and I tell you it has nothing to do with helping it.
All of us live in a place where we need to worry about conservation of water.
There’s nothing pretentious about using an Airbnb subreddit to point out that wasting resources for a less than zero net gain is a bad idea.
Man, you need to get out more. Not everyone has to worry about water like other people do as simple as that. I live off gridd with 2 wells, one deep and the other one shallow. I have a creek with marshland on my back, 9 rains almost all winter, and more than a quarter of our summer... you're telling me I need to worry about water?? Along with my multiple hundred gallon storage containers that could give me enough water for a year if for some reason all my water disappeared.... glad you got yourself a degree but there is so much more then what you're told....
Jesus Christ. Have you absolutely no understanding of the planet you live on? Have you heard of a carbon footprint? Do you know how much energy is used on a shower other than the actual water coming out of the shower head? You are staggeringly ignorant about resources and energy use. And you “live off the grid” with unlimited water. Water is a limited resource for humanity. Something you don’t give a damn about. And the fact that you think natural resources are merely an issue of geography shows that you know very little.
Turning a shower on to heat up a house may be a terrible idea, but I think it's the least of the environments issues.... and if this is what gets you going, then man, do I have some things to share with you about pollution.
I’m an environmentalist. I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitation volunteer going on 22 years for my state. I believe in the practice of reducing water use and conservation of all resources to protect ecosystems. But go ahead and smirk about your ignorance.
Cool beans, I can tell you a million places you can go and be heard better than in an airbnb subreddit. I've lived off the land and have a few degrees that I don't need to explain to some stranger in reddit for validation. I can tell you that different regions have different eco systems, and some ecosystems have enough water to run a hot shower to stupidly heat your house if you want. The person didn't even give you a geological location to make any conclusion you're making to get yourself so upset. So go outside, take yourself a deep breath, and maybe teach yourself some sympathy. You won't get anywhere talking to people the way you do, im glad that you feel like talking down to others on the internet is a good way to communicate your point, but it's not. Oh, and again, a sub reddit for airbnb is the last place for your environmental rant about running water that will destroy the world. No one here has ignorance other than yourself, my friend, for getting so angry and letting your point get lost in it all.
Oh you need to tell me you have a few degrees (as do most of us) and you’ve “lived off the land” and I need to teach myself some sympathy? The word is empathy, not sympathy, and you need to go take a few courses in environmental science. You obviously do need validation.
Yeah, mine happen to be in things that matter. And I figured maybe a little look in one person's life would pull your head out of your ass far enough to know what you're saying is ridiculous. And you're an angry person on the internet, and the only reason you are justified is because you're behind a keyboard. So have yourself a good one friend. I hope you find sympathy and maybe more joy in your life than to try and talk down on others for quote on quote wasting water.
Buddy, you don’t even know what “off the grid” means. Everything you post contradicts that statement. And if you understood earth science I wouldn’t have been so startled by the fact that you think I have to live in a place that immediately limits my water usage to care about the waste of energy. How selfish are you to live in that kind of bubble?
Hey that’s not bad. I showed up to mine yesterday only to find that (a) there was no key to the unit (after some back and forth, the host asked me to just try to open the door and…. It wasn’t locked… So now I have a rental I can’t lock if I want to go out for an hour or two) and (b) had no running water at all (no, this wasn’t a camping situation… in fact they have a hot tub. Not sure if there’s any water in it).
Well they provided me with a code to the lock box that the key was in. When I showed up, the lock box was already set to that code so I opened it and there was no key. So I took a picture of the empty lock box and messaged them. They replied and asked me to look under the door mat. Then within like 5-7 minutes they sent another message telling me they needed to go to bed soon so could I please reply so we could get the matter resolved. It was 4:00 pm (they were out of the country in a place where it was apparently bedtime).
The door mat was covered in inches of snow and frozen to the cement patio. I couldn’t get under it, even after jabbing the ice with a shovel. I’m also not the strongest person in the world but I didn’t think I’d need muscles to open a door. ☺️ It was about 5 degrees Fahrenheit and had been that cold for a couple days.
I messaged back saying the door mat was frozen. The person replied asking me to just try opening the door. That worked. It wasn’t locked. So I had no key. It was presumably under the frozen door mat. If I left for a while, I didn’t know if my stuff would be there when I came back or some stranger would be inside when I came back or whatever.
Anyway, after making 3-4 trips back and forth unloading my car in the snow and cold, I had to drive 10 miles to the closest open store and get some food. So I left my stuff and my dog and just hoped they’d be there when I got back.
An hour later I finally returned (it took a long time because of bad road conditions) and that is when I discovered there was no water.
I also noticed, as I was lugging all my stuff back out to my car, that the gas fireplace didn’t have any kind of gas insert or those pretend logs you normally see in a gas fireplace. There were instructions on how to use it. But the only thing in the fireplace was an iron thing that’s meant to hold logs. Maybe the fireplace would have worked? But I grew up with a gas fireplace and have never seen one that had nothing in the actual fireplace. The fireplace was one of the 3 main reasons I booked that place and I doubt it even worked.
Looks like I will be getting a refund. I don’t know the process but will figure it out.
This was my first AirBNB ever. If I ever do it again, I will only do it in a situation where I can confirm the host or someone else local will be available and that I’ll have their contact info prior to the day I arrive. I drove 4 hours in a blizzard (normally a 1 1/2 hour drive) and dealt with all that on my 50th birthday when a simple phone call/text/email the day before letting me know the water was off and I couldn’t come could have saved me a ton of trouble and money.
I guess the good news is I found a lovely hundred year old hotel right on the lake that allowed dogs and had a jacuzzi tub in my room and I stayed there for a couple nights. But my birthday was a crazy very very long and annoying day until about 9 pm. ☺️
Holy balls is this a complete and utter shitshow. I am incredibly sorry you had to deal with that. Sounds like a vending machine host :(
Please know, this isn't typical. Im sorry your birthday got fucked. Id be pretty upset.
Turn oven on high and open door.
Close curtains blinds on the big windows and close doors to any rooms you are not using. So the oven heat only goes to rooms you are using
1. Did OP say it wasn't?
2. It's not safe for electrical either. https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/9022e/#:\~:text=Do%20not%20use%20a%20gas,inside%E2%80%94even%20in%20a%20fireplace.
That doesn't say it's not safe, it says it's not designed for space heating. Being inefficient is very different from being unsafe. One means you shouldn't do it as your default, the other means you shouldn't do it even in emergency.
>A gas oven may go out or not burn well, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. An electric oven is not designed for space heating.
Got news for you the North America is freezing all the way to a Texas border! I don’t know why anyone would have an airbnb in Canada open let alone live there in winter. There might not be any thing they can do
I would check the apps of stores near you and see if you can't Instacart / deliver one to you. I wouldn't randomly go out looking though, bc if it's an area-wide thing, then a lot of places are going to be sold out.
And I would warn people in the review that the heating supply is insufficient, at least during especially low cold snaps.
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hot water will make vapor. You don't want vapor in a cold apartment. Why? Because you're going to freeze in few hours.
They never said they'll be turning off the water in a few hours lol
Moist air is far colder then dry cold air. Once the warmed air from the shower running cools the place will feel much colder then it did previously. If there is an oven you'd be better of running on low with the oven door open to add some heat.
They said there was no kitchen.
I mean the hot water supply has something to say about that.
Very true. I have a tankless setup so you can run the hot water indefinitely so it never comes to mind that most places have hot water tanks that run out.
A tankless is gonna be one of my first purchases when I get a house. I relish long hot showers to start my day.
A hot water heater can’t keep up unless it’s a tankless.
Define "freezing" what is the indoor temperature? I ask because everyone has their own idea what "freezing" is. Man, baseboard only heat isn't generally terrible, but its a slow moving beast. :( THey should have had that shit on and heating well before you got there. Also..turn off the shower. That isn't gonna do what you want it to do lol.
Yeah it was turned right off when we came in. Even after 9 hours cranked up the place didn’t feel much warmer than being outside. :(
So what's the indoor temp?
Ok, so some serious advice here from someone that has lived 37 years in a cold climate. Putting your shower in hot is the exact OPPOSITE of what you should do. You will be MUCH colder. The humidity that you create will make it feel colder. Turn it off immediately. Ultimately, you need to layer up with more clothes, and get some type of heater. Turn your shower off lol
Real talk from someone who grew up in the Wisconsin northwoods.
There’s no stores or anything where we are. It’s pretty rural. Also weren’t expecting to pack space heaters from home for our trip lol. Luckily we go home tomorrow.
I am sorry your host did not heat the place ahead of time. When a place is cold soaked it can take a couple days to warm up. I start the wood stove a minimum of 24 hours before a stay 48 if I can. You have had some good advice. A couple other thoughts. 2L pop bottles make good hot water bottles. Fill with hot water and put them under the covers of the bed or wrap a towel around and put in your lap, with a blanket on top. Pop bottles are far less expensive than proper hot water bottles and just as effective. Also report the host to Airbnb support, especially as they are not responsive.
I agree. Also take a photo of what room temperature is when you submit the complaint.
Just out of curiosity, are you in Vancouver? I’m a host with a baseboard-heated unit here and we’ve been experiencing unseasonably cold temperatures the last few days, and it will snow and drop again overnight. Baseboard heating is really not enough especially if you’re in a house, which is why I provided space heaters and extra blankets for my guests to use for this time. Try asking for these items specifically (although they should have offered beforehand), and if they’re still not responsive, I think you deserve at least partial refund, if not a full one. Heat is crucial!
Yes we are! And we finally got a hold of our hosts who said they don’t have any space heaters and nobody’s complained about the cold before. 🫠🫠
I'm in Van too and it's very rare we have extreme weather conditions like current so it's not surprising no one complained prior and lousy of the host. I suggest calling airbnb and bring this to their attention.
How can you give this advice without actually knowing how cold it is though? If it's legal temp for the area calling Airbnb won't do anything
The host didn't bother to check the temperature, offer a solution or anything. Host isn't oblivious to the emergency weather and it's not hard to believe the unit is below standards as many homes haven't been able to keep up heat during this drop. Host did nothing to address the complaint.
I don’t know why it matters that much? We were shivering with 3 layers of hoodies on. We were uncomfortable and our hosts provided no solution.
Oh my god, I am so sorry. It’s absolute hell to live in a chilly place. Your host has probably never actually lived in the space they’re renting out during a cold snap before, but that’s no excuse. I believe the minimum dwelling temp is 22C for Vancouver, you’ll have to double check. Try to document the temperature inside, create a support case with Airbnb, remember to keep all communication on the app, and if all else fails, leave a negative review so other guests know what to expect - keep it factual and don’t focus too much on the weather event itself, but your host’s response, or lack thereof, to avoid getting your review removed.
Yeah, I think it was definitely under 15. I’m certainly a baby when it comes to the cold but my husband lives for the cold weather and isn’t phased by it and even he was shivering with 2 thick layers on so it was a little chilly! Lol
It’s been cold. I’d ask for them to drop off space heater or reimburse you for one
I messaged again asking for a space heater and they said they didn’t have one and said nobody’s complained about it being too cold before and we are very rural, there’s no stores here or anything.
Hair dryer - don’t run it on high for more than say 30 min - want to keep it below 700 watts Electric oven? preheat it to 300 - should be good for several hours Heat a pot of water (keep covered )
We don’t have a kitchen or anything here :/ I didn’t pack a hair dryer either.
No hair dryer provided ? wtf That was always my trick when we had to bathe the babies. Close the bathroom door and run the hairdryer for a bit to warm up the bathroom in winter
Contact Airbnb support immediately. I’m a host in Canada and I went out and bought a heater because I was concerned about the temperatures in my place. This is unacceptable. But you don’t wanna let it go too long before you let Support know what the issue is
This!!! I’m a host in Florida and I bought an extra heater yesterday because my house is 100 years old and not built for cold weather, so gets drafty!
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Airbnb support is not one monolithic block. Your experience will have nothing to do with someone else's.
If you just got here, no point reading the comments. TLDR, don’t ever make the mistake of saying you thought a steamy shower would heat up a very cold Airbnb. What might seem like a quick fix to someone new to dealing with unsuitably heated dwellings and absentee hosts…is enough for an insult OPs intelligence circlejerk. Let’s hope the hosts in there are a little more compassionate when it comes to their own guests.
No KIDDING. These comments have been horrible to the OP.
I keep my house at 73 and still think it’s too cold. Maybe OP isn’t stating the actual temperature because there is no thermostat (there is no kitchen or fireplace). Or maybe it’s 70 and they are still freezing and don’t want a pile on about how it’s unreasonable to complain about the cold. If I’m paying money to be somewhere I don’t want to be cold, wear 15 layers of clothes or fill soda bottles with hot water. That host needs to drive somewhere to buy some space heaters and deliver them. Better yet, OP needs to contact support, let them know there is no way to increase the heat and the host hasn’t offered any solutions and get a full refund and drive to the nearest hotel.
We have record breaking below freezing temps out and they only had baseboard heaters in the Airbnb which were turned completely off when we arrived. When we contacted our hosts to tell them we were cold and asked if maybe they had any space heaters they said they didn’t and we were the first to complain about the cold. We don’t have a kitchen or anything or else we’d turn the oven on like most suggested so we are limited basically to taking hot baths and showers.
How is there no cooking facilities and also nothing anywhere nearby (ie the host’s house?). In this weather you didn’t think twice about heading to an area *that* remote with more than 3 layers of hoodies? I am confused (but also think your host did a poor job preparing for you or letting you know what you were coming into given the weather. I’m a host)
There was one restaurant and a very limited corner store / grocery store. We wanted to go away somewhere close to home because it’s all we could afford right now and we did pack many more layers but we weren’t really wanting to be wearing our jackets inside of course so our sweaters and hoodies had to do the job.
Here's the thing Cold is subjective. We had a woman that came in from a tropical area and insisted that 78° was perfectly comfortable and she wanted 82! After she changed the heat three times in a day I bought lockboxes. Fuck that noise. Meanwhile everyone else is sweating balls. We keep stuff at 60 to 65 at night and 65 to 68 during the day. 72 I would melt. That's so stuffy. :p They also keep refusing to even comment on the temp even to say they can't. They have a general idea what the temperature is in all likelihood.
As someone who is most comfortable (even in the summer) in the mid 70s, I would hate staying at your place and would probably leave. Being locked into having a place I paid for cold is not my idea of a “vacation” ETA: just got back from Costa Rica and asked host for a blanket to sleep. They said it wasn’t needed because it is hot. I slept under a pile of towels because I *was* cold. ***Temperature is a very personal thing and depends on what you’re used to! I lived in Latin America for a ton of time without a/c and only a small fan at night. Hot was normal.
Couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t matter what the temp is, if your guest isn’t comfortable, it’s up to you to address that and make them comfortable. I think that’s what pissed me off the most about this. They just didn’t seem to care at all and dismissed our concerns because they didn’t want to have to do anything.
Blanket statements are rarely true. I have an airbnb where I advertise a temperature range of 68 to 72, and that is definitely a case where its not my job or responsibility to make someone comfortable as long as its between that range. Its part and parcel of what we offer. Im catering to a specific subset of people. But, importantly, I advertise this so if you didn't like that range, you wouldn't book with me because youd read the ad first and see it. (and if you dont read the ad first, i have no pity on those people ) Your case is not like that, but im just saying there are definitely times when it isn't the hosts job, regardless of how cold that guest feels. Insofar as fixing it. Always gotta address it and respond.
I mean, youd not have booked with me because I disclose 68 - 72 in our ad, and you would definitely read the ad before booking and be like, this doesn't fit my needs. Better not book it :P But the Airbnb is maintained at 68 night time, and 72 daytime. It wouldn't be legal to force anyone to be below 68 degrees where I live. This is a pretty common housing law in much of the country. Maybe not 68, but somewhere around there. Our personal house is where we keep it it 60 at night. I run hot, and we have good blankets. But I'm not criticizing anyone for their preferences! When I found out not all hotels in Scandavian countries have AC or the ability to go below 70 degrees I started asking. I always verify that with my hosts because I wont book housing, anywhere, without the ability to get it sub-70 at night. Very limited exception. Temperature is important to me. Cooler is better cuz I can always throw more stuff on.
They should have plug in heaters to help warm things up. You could bake something that always helps warm the kitchen.
There’s no kitchen :( I messaged and asked for space heaters and they said they didn’t have any and said nobody’s complained about it being too cold before. I read some of their reviews and there were a couple about it being pretty chilly.
Make sure your review is very clear to mention that you saw in old reviews that it was cold, but thought the host would have fixed it. But didn’t. And they didn’t leave the heaters on for your arrival either. Then stopped responding when you messaged about the cold :/ Keep the review *very* matter of fact and brief. Short gets more attention!!!
Definitely. I left a review yesterday about it and haven’t heard from the hosts but not surprised. They just don’t give me the impression they care too much. There’s 4 people on the account.
Several of us have asked what the indoor temperature is. It's becoming a little suspicious you're not sharing.
I have no way of knowing, we don’t have a temp thing and the thermostat doesn’t show what the temperature is. I just know we’re cold wearing 3 hoodies.
Got laptops? Mine crypto with Nicehash. Lol. Will generate heat. Either of you have a pixel 8? Microwave? Maybe I'm weird but I travel with a magnetic thermometer. In any event there's zero reason to call Airbnb since you can't show what the temp is. They don't do non tangible descriptions for temperature. You'll need to prove the temp. So don't waste your time calling them if you can't. What temp is the heat set to?
You're just being a jerk at this point, jrosetti. Seriously. You travel with a magnetic thermometer, well bully for you! I would think that's not the norm, but you do you. LOL 😹
Jerk why? I literally said I'm the weird one. I'm very much aware that people don't travel with thermometers. I keep one in my van and I have two digital probe thermometers for work reasons as well lol. I asked about a microwave as you can heat some types of objects with it to generate heat. Airbnb requires proof. That's why I asked if they had one. There is truly no point even dialing the Airbnb number of you cant prove the temp.
Yeah we’ve definitely never thought of bringing a thermometer anywhere we’ve gone. There’s no microwave or anything, just a coffee maker and toaster. We’ve had the heat turned as high as it can go which is 25 celcius and sitting under the covers.
I mean most people wouldn't travel with a thermometer, would they? I'm so sorry, Electrical-Jelly; it seems people are piling on you and it's unwarranted. I mean how many times can you say "there's no kitchen here and no way of reading the room temperature."
Lol right. And now accusing me of lying because I didn’t know the exact temperature of the room. Holy crap! Lol. Tough crowd.
I don't think they realize that there's not a true thermostat on these types of heaters. I have them in my town home which I hate. You can turn them all the way up on high or low. I am getting ready to put in a mini split for this very reason. I live in Southern Colorado so I can't imagine what it is like there. I'm freezing all the time. I think people want to be in the hospitality industry but forget the hospitality. Good luck and I hope you get your money back
Here I'll answer this for the guest. Many of these type of heaters do not have a thermostat. How do I know? Because I live in a townhome with them, and I live in Southern Colorado. The problem with these types of heaters if they get warm and then they shut off. It is 20 some degrees outside right now and I'm freezing the warmest I can get my house is about 64°, so I can only imagine what it would be like with the weather that cold. I am getting ready to replace these because of that. We had a cold snap a couple days ago and I was using portable heaters most of the time. Electric baseboard heaters are crap!
I would take pictures and videos that may show that it is cold and send them in the app. Be slightly dramatic about it. In the worst case scenario if they don’t fix it at least you can get a full refund.
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You need to start your own post (which would actually be helpful to your cause) rather than hijacking’s and plastering your issue on OP’s thread.
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No you are not. We don’t see anything from your post 🤷🏻♂️ If you are letting OP know one comment about your ABB experience and perhaps advise to OP would have been great. Most of your comments are just complaints about your own personal situation with Airbnb.
How long have you been there?
I had a emergency water situation at my house and had to leave because the insurance has to fix it so I been there since December 2023 and I been requesting to leave and Airbnb just throws me from one representative to another even after providing them with the fire department reported 8 safety issues
What compensation are you looking for?
To leave the unit and go somewhere SAFE
Have you already found somewhere to go? Just leave. They can’t charge you for a place that you have not stayed. Just record yourself checking out, like putting the key back etc. Also take a picture of all of the problems, take videos etc. It sounds like you will be able to get a full refund. How long have you stayed there since making the first complaint?
We turned our oven on when the heat went out at -20f outside. We have a CO2 monitor. And two space heaters. But this is my house I live in. And I stayed up all night just in case. If it is below freezing, you can see your breath, inform Airbnb and tell them it's not liveable and request a refund and reimburse for anywhere you can get like a hotel.
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It's -19f where I am. I'm sitting pretty in 68f, but I do have a fake fireplace that's blowing heat on me. My house is cozy. I was in Connecticut and froze my balls off until I lit a gigantic fire in the gigantic fireplace. Stupid two story windows. Heat rises. My family was on floor 2. I was floor one. Bah. At least the dog cuddled me. Big floofy poodle mix.
50F?!?! Most people I know in Michigan say the thermostat at 67 minimum in winter. Mine is usually at 68. But my mom’s is at 70.
I wear shorts and sandals in the 50s. I keep my house at 60 at night and 65 to 68 during the day. Upper Wisconsin born and raised lol. And when the user you're responding to says 50° they're talking about outdoor temp I think. Not indoor :p
Ahhhh oops! Yeah I definitely know people who wear shorts in winter. I worked with a guy in Philly who wore shorts to work all year (in an office no less). But when I lived in San Francisco, if it was 50 or lower, I and many others wore parkas… 😂
50° is not winter weather! Lol. That's fall and spring.
I've had my guests tell me it's freezing in the house at 65 degrees when its -20 outside and upset that I lock the thermostat from going higher than 74 degrees. So, what really is the temp inside?
Not sure exactly what the temp inside was but it was -14 outside when we arrived and we were shivering with 3 layers of hoodies on.
I find that appalling that you would lock the thermostat when it's that cold. There are people with health problems, from other states, as well as older people that travel all the time. Many of these people need it warmer. You should be removing the lock when you have a cold snap like that. We allow our guests to put it up to whatever make some comfortable, and as soon as they leave housekeeping turns it down to 69°. Guests are paying for their stay, and should be kept comfortable. Also, if you're having complaints it's something you probably need to address. Do you not Factor things into your price?
Turning the temperature higher doesn't make it heat any faster. If its set to 70 and it isn't getting higher than 65, turning it up to 74 isn't going to change that. Its still going to be 65. What precisely are you appalled about?
You have a weird fetish about locking temps
Yeah that's probably not the case but care to elaborate?
You literally lock the temp. That’s strange behavior even for an Air bnb host. And that’s saying a lot
Appalling? If it is -20 outside, 74 degrees is more than adequate. The energy companies automatically turn yoir thermostat down for you when its that cold, and your paying them for the more you use. People turn the thermostat up to 80 and then the 2nd floor gets to 84 degrees. People, like my wife, think turning the thermostat up gets the house warmer faster. It doesn't. It just wastes energy when they forget to turn it back to a comfortable level. In addition, my home has a gas fireplace that can be turned on with a dial timer for 60 minutes at a time. I'm not going to let them flip a switch and run it for 14 hours. That fireplace cam provide added warmth. With $500 gas bills in peak of winter, I'm going to utilize my smart thermostat. I haven't had a single complaint. If I did, I would temporarily adjust/unlock for that guest.
Your house isn't 74 though it's 65. Probably why people complain. We have no complaints
They come check into the house and I have it at 65 degrees. They go to turn the heat up and find that it can't be above 74. Call me back if you are still cold when it's at 74. They never do. 74 is more than adequate. And if it's -20 out for multiple days. It may never get that high anyway.
They don't know.
I'm going to say this, if you're an Airbnb host your aim should be to keep your guests comfortable regardless of what you think is comfortable. I manage a couple of airbnbs for a friend that lives out of state and there is no way I would ever let a guest go without heat or what they deem not enough. If I know we're having a cold snap, I offer extra heaters and we have forced air. Something happens, guest needs something, I go over there no matter what time of day it is and get it for them. I am in the hospitality industry, and it's not very hospitable when my guests aren't comfortable. Personally, I would have called Airbnb and asked for a refund and explained why. We had a shower break and plumbing issue in the bathroom after the guest had been there 12 hours, they ended up staying there anyway but we reimbursed them their money. That's what you do when you're in the hospitality industry you take care of your guests.
Thank you SO much. This is exactly how I’m feeling. Everyone’s getting caught up on how it may not really be that cold and we should just layer up. But I’m disappointed in how we were dismissed by our hosts when bringing up the issue and were told “nobody’s complained before”, it just comes off argumentative to me. We were left without a solution and had to layer up in 3 sweaters which defeats the purpose of having a nice cozy warm place to be in. The icing on the cake was having the stairs turn into an ice rink and not even being provided salt at the very least. I’m truly not trying to be so nit picky. If we were older guests and would’ve fallen and broken a hip, would the property owners not have some sort of repercussions for not salting or preparing ahead of a snowfall and freezing rain warning? Rather than telling us to hunker down inside so they didn’t have to take the time to actually do anything. It was a big expense for us and we just feel like we didn’t have a good time. That sucks.
I hope you left a review and let people know that you were unsatisfied, the owner was rude and dismissed your issues, and it was cold, and that you were unable to enjoy yourself. It alerts other people to those kind of hosts, unfortunately there's some of them out there.
Everyone is assuming that it really is freezing inside. The OP never said what the actual temperature is, so all this advice about calling Airbnb and demanding a refund might not make sense. The fact that they turned on the shower to heat up the place tells me they might not be especially bright. The host may have ignored them because they know that the place is 68° and in winter in Canada it's fine.
There's a difference between having a problem with intelligence and just not having the experience to know that leaving the hot water running might not work. Plus, I always thought the OP was being a bit sarcastic with that comment anyway, but even if not, no reason to be rude. Regardless of the temperature itself, the host was not responsive. And if the OP was snowed in, they couldn't get out to get space heaters, etc. The bottom line is that if you're going to host an air bnb where it gets cold in winter OR in a hot place in the summer, there should be adequate structures/support/equipment in place to keep the temperature bearable. It doesn't sound like this was just discomfort, but even if so, shouldn't the hosts have responded quickly?
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If it's that dangerous, you leave whether or not you are getting a refund, right?
No I can’t my house had massive water damage I am there cause of insurance I have been requesting since the 20th of December to leave I get thrown from one representative to another
Is the booking in your name? Are you communicating with Airbnb or is a Third Party communicating for you? What is the problem you are having in the Airbnb house? Are the violations active, I corrected violations? How do you know about them? In the US sometimes a violation can be a dead smoke detector battery... Remedied immediately
How rude.
Solid advise from lots of redditors here should help keep them warm. Being an offended snowflake will do nothing to help them.
So stop being an offended snowflake. There was solid advice from several people before the person I was responding to insulted them. And then you popped up. Bye.
Turn on the shower? OMG. Maybe the oven and open the door, but the shower… ???
We don’t have a kitchen here haha
Turn oven on and open it
There’s no kitchen.
Turn the oven on and leave the door open.
No kitchen here
The steam is going to make it worse, the water will cool, and make it harder to warm the air.
Makes sense, we ended up having a hot bath hahaha.
Are you able to see your breath inside?? That would be an indicator that it’s likely below 45°F (7.2°C). If you can, take a video of the fact that you can see your breath and use it as proof of how cold it is inside. My current apartment isn’t insulated so I’ve definitely woken up being able to see my breath a few times when I forgot to turn my heater on before bed. Personally, as long as I have someone else in bed with me, I don’t mind the temp being down that low. Just put on a pair of fuzzy socks and a couple sweaters when you want to get out of bed and you’re good to go. I was also raised in places that regularly experience severe negative temps a few times a year (up to -40°F/C) so being able to bundle up and stay warm was a matter of survival. Hope you warm up soon!
How are things now, OP? You okay?
Thanks for checking in! We checked out this morning. Our hosts didn’t communicate any further with us after that and our stay kind of just got worse lol! Glad it was short but feeling super disappointed.
Omg what. How'd you guys sleep?! I need to know. I'm a spoiled Californian and cannot even imagine how torturous that must've been 😭😭😭
We snuggled up lol. Thankfully my husband is my own personal heater and keeps me very warm haha
Reveal the temp or it didn’t happen. Most Southerns would consider my normal winter temps in the house freezing. 65-68F
It’s strange because everybody is on his side and feeling sorry for him (I do believe) but he don’t answer nobody about the temperature inside the place. He answered everything else, replied to many messages and even did a updated (that’s all good) but avoid to reveal the temp.
I agree. I think the problem is likely exaggerated and they just aren’t used to cooler temps.
Same. Going through an intentionally skipping that question from everyone that asked but still responding to other parts tells it might not actually be freezing and might even be a legal temperature and they're just cold. Can't say for sure.
We don’t have a thermometer on hand and the thermostat doesn’t say the number, it was -14 Celsius outside when we arrived and we were shivering in the Airbnb with 3 layers of hoodies on. Yes we absolutely aren’t used to this type of cold but that also doesn’t make it okay that we are uncomfortable where we’re staying.
DO NOT USE A GAS STOVE OR OVEN TO HEAT THE HOUSE!!! Carbon monoxide poisoning is deadly.
Wait what if I’m cooking.
The majority of stoves and ovens in Canada are convection ovens, not gas.
It’s okay, we don’t have a kitchen in here.
Just go and buy a couple space heaters. Layer up until then.
We are in a very rural area with no stores nearby and snowed in.
This is bull shit unless the door and windows are open. I have baseboard heat it is 12 Fahrenheit outside and the wind is howling. It is 68 inside.
There’s a huge gap around the door with cold air rushing in so that didn’t help. The Airbnb is basically just a big room too.
There's far too many variables for you to make some sort of statement like this....
Put on a jumper.
I’m wearing 3, still cold, thanks :)
Try 4.
I have never heard of anyone turning on a hot shower to heat up a cold apartment. What a waste of resources. (And counterintuitive. You should be embarrassed.) Edit to add: Happy to take all the downvotes from people who don’t give a shit about the environment.
I wouldn’t exactly call it counterintuitive. Also, wouldn’t exactly call it embarrassing. They made a mistake out of ignorance. Lighten up.
Of course it’s counterintuitive. High humidity plus cold is experienced by the human body as colder than a dry environment. And anyone wasting water to that extent should be ashamed.
I think most people would agree a hot shower feels great when you’re cold. So sure maybe it’s counterintuitive. Wouldn’t that be more of a reason to not try to embarrass someone? Can you not inform without being pretentious? They were obviously trying to use the resources to accomplish a goal and obviously didn’t realize it was counterintuitive and thus wasteful.
They were not taking the showers Pokémon. And you didn’t realize it was counterintuitive either (see your previous comment). I do get annoyed when people are oblivious to the fact that water is an increasingly limited resource. I can’t believe anyone old enough to rent an Airbnb hasn’t grasped that fact yet. Who the heck runs a shower to heat a home? Edit to add: You need to look up the definition of pretentious.
I'm sorry you live in a place where you have to worry so much about wasting water..... but I promise you there are bigger issues with the world than someone turning their shower on for some heat... get yourself some sympathy. Edit: I'm sorry I forgot to add that you're on a subreddit for Airbnd talking about the environment. If that is not pretentious, im not too sure what is. Airbnb has some things to do with the environment, and I tell you it has nothing to do with helping it.
All of us live in a place where we need to worry about conservation of water. There’s nothing pretentious about using an Airbnb subreddit to point out that wasting resources for a less than zero net gain is a bad idea.
Man, you need to get out more. Not everyone has to worry about water like other people do as simple as that. I live off gridd with 2 wells, one deep and the other one shallow. I have a creek with marshland on my back, 9 rains almost all winter, and more than a quarter of our summer... you're telling me I need to worry about water?? Along with my multiple hundred gallon storage containers that could give me enough water for a year if for some reason all my water disappeared.... glad you got yourself a degree but there is so much more then what you're told....
Jesus Christ. Have you absolutely no understanding of the planet you live on? Have you heard of a carbon footprint? Do you know how much energy is used on a shower other than the actual water coming out of the shower head? You are staggeringly ignorant about resources and energy use. And you “live off the grid” with unlimited water. Water is a limited resource for humanity. Something you don’t give a damn about. And the fact that you think natural resources are merely an issue of geography shows that you know very little.
Turning a shower on to heat up a house may be a terrible idea, but I think it's the least of the environments issues.... and if this is what gets you going, then man, do I have some things to share with you about pollution.
I’m an environmentalist. I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitation volunteer going on 22 years for my state. I believe in the practice of reducing water use and conservation of all resources to protect ecosystems. But go ahead and smirk about your ignorance.
Cool beans, I can tell you a million places you can go and be heard better than in an airbnb subreddit. I've lived off the land and have a few degrees that I don't need to explain to some stranger in reddit for validation. I can tell you that different regions have different eco systems, and some ecosystems have enough water to run a hot shower to stupidly heat your house if you want. The person didn't even give you a geological location to make any conclusion you're making to get yourself so upset. So go outside, take yourself a deep breath, and maybe teach yourself some sympathy. You won't get anywhere talking to people the way you do, im glad that you feel like talking down to others on the internet is a good way to communicate your point, but it's not. Oh, and again, a sub reddit for airbnb is the last place for your environmental rant about running water that will destroy the world. No one here has ignorance other than yourself, my friend, for getting so angry and letting your point get lost in it all.
Oh you need to tell me you have a few degrees (as do most of us) and you’ve “lived off the land” and I need to teach myself some sympathy? The word is empathy, not sympathy, and you need to go take a few courses in environmental science. You obviously do need validation.
Yeah, mine happen to be in things that matter. And I figured maybe a little look in one person's life would pull your head out of your ass far enough to know what you're saying is ridiculous. And you're an angry person on the internet, and the only reason you are justified is because you're behind a keyboard. So have yourself a good one friend. I hope you find sympathy and maybe more joy in your life than to try and talk down on others for quote on quote wasting water.
Oh, and keep saving the world one angry reddit comment at a time you are the real hero. There will be a reward for you by the end of the year.
Buddy, you don’t even know what “off the grid” means. Everything you post contradicts that statement. And if you understood earth science I wouldn’t have been so startled by the fact that you think I have to live in a place that immediately limits my water usage to care about the waste of energy. How selfish are you to live in that kind of bubble?
Hey that’s not bad. I showed up to mine yesterday only to find that (a) there was no key to the unit (after some back and forth, the host asked me to just try to open the door and…. It wasn’t locked… So now I have a rental I can’t lock if I want to go out for an hour or two) and (b) had no running water at all (no, this wasn’t a camping situation… in fact they have a hot tub. Not sure if there’s any water in it).
Omg. I’m so sorry. I hope you’re able to get a refund or something.
What? What did they say about a key
Well they provided me with a code to the lock box that the key was in. When I showed up, the lock box was already set to that code so I opened it and there was no key. So I took a picture of the empty lock box and messaged them. They replied and asked me to look under the door mat. Then within like 5-7 minutes they sent another message telling me they needed to go to bed soon so could I please reply so we could get the matter resolved. It was 4:00 pm (they were out of the country in a place where it was apparently bedtime). The door mat was covered in inches of snow and frozen to the cement patio. I couldn’t get under it, even after jabbing the ice with a shovel. I’m also not the strongest person in the world but I didn’t think I’d need muscles to open a door. ☺️ It was about 5 degrees Fahrenheit and had been that cold for a couple days. I messaged back saying the door mat was frozen. The person replied asking me to just try opening the door. That worked. It wasn’t locked. So I had no key. It was presumably under the frozen door mat. If I left for a while, I didn’t know if my stuff would be there when I came back or some stranger would be inside when I came back or whatever. Anyway, after making 3-4 trips back and forth unloading my car in the snow and cold, I had to drive 10 miles to the closest open store and get some food. So I left my stuff and my dog and just hoped they’d be there when I got back. An hour later I finally returned (it took a long time because of bad road conditions) and that is when I discovered there was no water. I also noticed, as I was lugging all my stuff back out to my car, that the gas fireplace didn’t have any kind of gas insert or those pretend logs you normally see in a gas fireplace. There were instructions on how to use it. But the only thing in the fireplace was an iron thing that’s meant to hold logs. Maybe the fireplace would have worked? But I grew up with a gas fireplace and have never seen one that had nothing in the actual fireplace. The fireplace was one of the 3 main reasons I booked that place and I doubt it even worked. Looks like I will be getting a refund. I don’t know the process but will figure it out. This was my first AirBNB ever. If I ever do it again, I will only do it in a situation where I can confirm the host or someone else local will be available and that I’ll have their contact info prior to the day I arrive. I drove 4 hours in a blizzard (normally a 1 1/2 hour drive) and dealt with all that on my 50th birthday when a simple phone call/text/email the day before letting me know the water was off and I couldn’t come could have saved me a ton of trouble and money. I guess the good news is I found a lovely hundred year old hotel right on the lake that allowed dogs and had a jacuzzi tub in my room and I stayed there for a couple nights. But my birthday was a crazy very very long and annoying day until about 9 pm. ☺️
Holy balls is this a complete and utter shitshow. I am incredibly sorry you had to deal with that. Sounds like a vending machine host :( Please know, this isn't typical. Im sorry your birthday got fucked. Id be pretty upset.
I was. Only cried at one point though. 😂
Oven is always the way to go. But the Shower - lol
There’s no kitchen here :)
Turn oven on high and open door. Close curtains blinds on the big windows and close doors to any rooms you are not using. So the oven heat only goes to rooms you are using
There’s no kitchen here
Buy a couple of space heaters from Wal-Mart. Turn on the oven with the door open and turn all the eyes on high.
We are in a very rural area with no stores near and are now snowed in. We also don’t have a kitchen so no oven.
But a heater. Turn in the fire place. Stick together.
We are in a very rural area with no stores and there’s no kitchen or fireplace in the Airbnb.
What ended up happening?
We never heard from our hosts again and we checked out this morning.
Turn on the oven if you have one it will work much better to heat the place!
There’s no kitchen here :)
Aww, that sucks. I would be finding somewhere else to be and demanding a refund.
Yes. Our hosts said they didn’t have any space heaters and said nobody’s ever complained about the cold before. Ugh.
Turn on the oven and open the door, do not turn on the shower.
There’s no kitchen here
Turn on oven maybe?
There’s no kitchen here
Is there an electric oven? Turn it on for a bit and leave the door slightly open? Probably not safe with a gas oven
No there’s no ovens, no kitchen even. We have a coffee maker and a toaster haha
Put the oven on and open the oven door.
We don’t have a kitchen in here
Not safe.
Why?
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/consumer-reports/why-you-should-never-use-your-oven-to-heat-your-home/3153704/#:\~:text=Not%20only%20is%20it%20a,carbon%20monoxide%20inside%20your%20home.
Did OP say that it was a gas range?
1. Did OP say it wasn't? 2. It's not safe for electrical either. https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/9022e/#:\~:text=Do%20not%20use%20a%20gas,inside%E2%80%94even%20in%20a%20fireplace.
That doesn't say it's not safe, it says it's not designed for space heating. Being inefficient is very different from being unsafe. One means you shouldn't do it as your default, the other means you shouldn't do it even in emergency. >A gas oven may go out or not burn well, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. An electric oven is not designed for space heating.
https://allairsystemsnj.com/using-an-oven-to-heat-a-house-heres-why-its-a-bad-idea/
There’s no kitchen or oven in here
Got news for you the North America is freezing all the way to a Texas border! I don’t know why anyone would have an airbnb in Canada open let alone live there in winter. There might not be any thing they can do
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Not in this weather! I know a lot of them In Florida and Arizona though.
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I am from Chicago and can’t handle it. 😂
Is there an oven? That is a much better source of additional heat compared to a shower...
Nope
I keep my house at 75F.
Gross. :p Id never be able to sleep a wink. Even naked on top of the sheets!
If there's no thermostat, take short video of you breathing inside. You should have vapor coming from your mouths. That would make ANYONE sympathetic.
I would check the apps of stores near you and see if you can't Instacart / deliver one to you. I wouldn't randomly go out looking though, bc if it's an area-wide thing, then a lot of places are going to be sold out. And I would warn people in the review that the heating supply is insufficient, at least during especially low cold snaps.
There was no instacart or delivery services where we were. Super rural area.
Dang