Try using a fan to circulate the air. I had an apartment with baseboard heating right below the windows. A couple of oscillating fans set on low kept the warm air directed towards the inside of the apartment instead of out the windows.

drapes can help with heat loss; that awful plastic you can blow-dry onto the windows works, and you can get an electric plug-in space heater. And wear sweaters. And socks. and a nightcap!

pam h
howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com

Besides getting a portable convection heater, I would layer the apartment for warmth - cozy rugs, heavy drapes at the windows. Also, put sealers around the windows and at the door threshold - heat is probably escaping from these areas.

I've heard of putting bubble wrap over your windows during the colder months....it would impede the view, but not the light coming in since it's clear. My place is cold too and I hope some others have tips!

Kate (www.southernbellesimple.com)

Heavy, lined draperies. (Floor to ceiling Velvet draperies from Pottery Barn are perfect for this)
Baking and cooking things at home such as Pot Roasts, Mashed Potatoes & Pasta.
Wearing slippers, sweaters and pajamas.
An extra blanket on the bed and woolen throws on the sofa.
A hot shower before bed.

I have the same situation in my house, and all of the above suggestions work. Also, if there are radiator covers over the radiators, remove them so that they let the heat move more freely. My radiators have either an aluminum foil covered cardboard piece taped to the wall behind the radiators or another reflective piece of material to help push the heat away from the wall/window. That works great.

Here's an example of what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS5Bb9ZQ5u0

Weather stripping along the windows and the plastic seal that goes over the windows will help. I've never used the window seals before but they look simple enough!

If you're strapped for cash, I've used packing tape along the windows and it worked ok-ish.

If you have a balcony, an old towel in front of the threshold will serve as a good 'draft dodger'.

With the heaters right below the window, keep a close eye on things as it turns colder! Depending on the type of heater, you could end up with frozen pipes! (not fun...)

Do you have storm windows? If not invest in some.

My suggests seem obvious but, start with winterizing the windows with kits from your local hardware store or Home Depot, also, you may want to invest in a portable space heater which you can also find at the places mentioned above.

Replace the seals in your windows and since you are now an owner, perhaps talk to other owners in a similar situation.

Its not an immediate solution - but going forward, if everyone on the top floor experiences this problem, perhaps there is enough money in the board to have windows replaced - ultimately it will affect the cost to heat the building during the winter months, and everyone in the building will benefit.

A crock pot.
Seems ridiculous, but those things sure do throw heat. Start it up in the morning, let it run during the day, and by dinner, you have a toasty apartment and food.

I had a similar problem in an old apartment - no control of the heat, and it was super drafty. My bedroom once got down to 42 degrees F. I kept a heated blanket on my bed, and a space heater at the foot for night time, and then spun the space heater out in the hallway during the day.

Cooking food, baking, and all in all making hot things always helped me. Even if it was just hot chocolate.

Energy efficient drapes from Walmart. $11.

http://www.walmart.com/browse/_/N-8tz4?ic=48_0&path=0%3A4044&ref=+412096&refineresult=true&catNavId=539105

Cliokitty is spot on with layering.

I live in a loft with 20 foot ceilings and two walls of solid windows. I love my parabolic heater.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11333681&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC%7C103%7C54246&N=4018427&Mo=5&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=30996&Ns=P_Price%7C1%7C%7CP_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C

Thermal lined drapes from Target or online.

Any hardware store should carry a plastic covering for windows that stick to the edges of the window and then you reinforce the bond by heating up the edges with a hair dryer. If you do it right and the plastic is taught they are hardly noticeable. And it REALLY works.

And thick curtains as mentioned before help a lot too.

In order of upfront cost: First weatherstrip your windows, then put up the cheap plastic wrap you can get from the hardware store for windows, add a reflector behind the radiators, and then put up curtains. For the ceiling, I don't think there is much you can do except keep the air circulating with ceiling fans to bring the hot are down to the floor level. Since you own you might ask to be let into the attic area to see if there is any insulation you can add. Also check your outlets on exterior walls for any drafts and insulate them as well.

You should get a plastic window insulation kit like this one. http://www.amazon.com/FILMKIT-SHRINK-4-WINDOW-Misc/dp/B000PCZ5RG

It's very easy to put up. Basically it's a sheet of plastic that goes up over your window and then you use a hairdryer to shrink it and make it fit. You'll sacrifice use of your window for the winter but it's a cheap solution.

Radiators are (almost?) always underneath or near windows. I don't understand the thermodynamics of this but it's true. You'd think they'd put them on INTERIOR walls so the heat could travel all the way to the edges before seeping out the windows, but that seems so obvious that I'm positive there are good reasons not to.

Put bubble wrap and plastic over all of your windows. No, it's not pretty but it's the best thing I've found (aside from getting new windows) to control heat loss via your windows. Dampen your windows with water from a spray bottle, and then cover the glass with cut to size pieces of bubble wrap. Then, cover the entire window (frame and all) with some clear plastic and seal it with removable weather stripping. (Like this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_144490-81-04184_0__?productId=1017495&Ntt=clear+plastic+film+window+weather+strip+&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dclear%2Bplastic%2Bfilm%2Bwindow%2Bweather%2Bstrip%2B ) We do this every year for several windows in our house and it's great at keeping the heat in. Hope this helps!

space heater and lined thermal curtains.

One thing we do for our radiators that are right under windows is put aluminum foil shiny side toward the radiator, on the wall behind the radiator and under the window. This has allowed the heat to bounce back into the room instead of escaping out. We do other things that others have mentioned as well, but this was a simple thing that has saved money and seems to work as well.

Try bleeding your radiators to make sure they are working at their best.

Radiators are traditionally placed below windows. Explanations for why builders do this vary but usually centers on draughts and convection currents. You can put a reflective surface behind it as has been pointed out. It might also help to install a shelf (maybe a board across the top for the DIY challenged ;) to help break up the convection currents and direct the heat into the room. Definitely weatherize those windows unless or until you can update them with modern efficient windows. Google caulking and weatherizing windows...they are great simple projects for dabbling in DIYness. The kits of plastic film to install over windows work well, but I didn't have any luck with the rope-like putty to temporarily "caulk" around windows with.

winterizing your windows will make a HUGE difference.

Do you happen to have south-facing windows in your living room? If so, you're in luck, passive solar is free heat. We have big picture windows facing the South, we open the curtains and by 11 am the room is 70 plus degrees without the heat even turned on during the winter.

Make sure there's no clutter or furniture anywhere near your heating grates or radiators. If you have grates, vacuum them out to make sure there's no crud blocking the air flow. Seconding the suggestion of plastic film over the windows; put weather stripping around doors as well, especially the bottom. In one particularly drafty apartment I actually tacked a thick blanket over the entire doorframe for a rarely-used, leaky back door (The tacks were lightweight enough that the blanket could be easily ripped down in an emergency.) Don't use exhaust fans in the kitchen or bathroom any more than absolutely necessary, as this just sucks all your heat outside.

Melissamcb's right -when I lived in Japan, it's *extremely* cold in the winters. Almost every home has at least two or three parabolic heaters, and they're like magic. There's no risk of fire hazard, they come in all sorts of sizes and heights, and with different programming options, and, best of all: they WORK.

An electric blanket (heated blanket) is a wonderful item! I'm not miserable at night anymore.

We also have a parabolic heater and really like it; note, though, that it's meant to warm *you* up, not the room.

We're lucky in that we have lots of south-facing windows and get free heat in the winter. If you have windows on the south make sure you get those blinds/curtains open and let the sun pour in.

One thing you might try is painting your rooms a bright, warm color. I'll never forget on Changing Rooms (loved that show) when Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen painted the inside of a couple's freezing caravan various shades of orange and it immediately felt warmer to everyone.

All of the suggestions I had in mind are named here, but keep in mind: if it's something you plug into the wall for heat, your electric bills WILL GO UP. I don't know much about parabolic heaters, but I know I was in a 3 bedroom apartment that was surrounded by an unheated, uninsulated basement and two empty apartments with the heat turned off. One month it cost us $700 to keep the apartment heated using space heaters. Try for some longer term or insulation solutions first.

I just put bubble wrap on my windows and it worked a little bit. I'm planning to put thermal curtains and hopefully it will make my bedroom way warmer. Heaters placed near windows is the only way to keep that area warm. If you don't have a heater there, it will be colder than it already is.

The reason radiators are under the windows is to keep heat in! As heat rises up from the radioator it meets colder air from the window. The colder air pushes the heat INTO the apartment. Heat does not evaporate out the window if there is a radiator underneath. I think it's the ceiling and walls that need some treatment.

I would reccommed nice wallhung tapestries (they were used to insulate in the old days), beautiful rugs or cool designer blankets. You can find really nice wall tapestries or create your own wall feature from thick warm, cosy materials and hang them on your walls :).
Some people have had to lower their ceilings and istall insulation there to keep heat in.

Heated mattress pad = best winter purchase EVER.

http://www.comforthouse.com/el3.html

You can set it up to pre-heat your bed and then turn it off once you get in, if you're concerned about EMF exposure.

I love mine!

i got a space heater from walmart that is attractive (for a space heater) and i just turn it on, low, when i get home and it keeps my entire upstairs warm.. which is two rooms, a hall, and a bathroom. that and covering the windows works well.

I agree with the electric blanket idea. I'm currently remodeling and therefore sleeping in an old airstream trailer in the back yard (Vancouver) and my electric blanket is my new best friend. It turns off after 3 hours so I sometimes have to turn it back on. Oh - and hand-knitted wool socks. I love the dog picture btw. Good luck!

To warm up part of my insulation free apartment, I've put on a big pot of water to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or so then turn it off. It warms up the air nicely. BUT, make sure you hang around the house and keep an eye on the water level. Also, warm socks/slippers to keep your feet off the cold ground and blankets and hot tea. Good luck!

Have you checked whether your radiator shut-off valves are completely open? If your valves are closed or partly closed, the radiators will not have normal heat output. The valve for a steam or hot water radiator will be located near the bottom of the unit, near where the steam or hot water inlet pipe connects. You can test a valve by twisting its control knob closed, then opening it as far as it will turn. You may need to repeat this process a few times especially if there is crud in the line.

The other possible problem may be air in the radiator. In a steam radiator, a small, bell shaped bleeder valve at or near the top of the unit along one of its sides allows air to escape as the unit fills up with air or steam. If the bleeder valve becomes clogged, the radiator will not function at maximum efficiency, meaning all or part of the unit will remain cool or cold to the touch. If your bleeder valve is clogged, replacements can be bought at a local hardware store, or big box hardware retailer.

To replace a steam bleeder valve, while the radiator is cool, simply unscrew the valve from the unit and replace. If you have hot water heat, carefully unscrew, but do not remove the valve, and when water leaks from the threads, retighten the valve. If the radiator still fails to heat, shut the unit's control valve to stop the hot water flow, and then replace the bleeder valve with a new one. Reopen the control valve after the bleeder valve replacement.

Good Luck!

I have one of these. We used to live in a house with oil heat and used this a lot to save money or when we ran out of oil. It produces a crazy amount of heat. But it is kind of ugly and attracts any cats in the apartment like magnets. :)

A reflector behind the radiators, even a big piece of cardboard covered with foil, helps more than you might think. Several have mentioned it.

Before you put the reflector in place, get out the vacuum and a thin brush andd get all of the dust and dirt out of the radiator. It insulates, too! You may notice more heat coming from them.

If you have ceiling fans, be sure to set them to circulate the hot ceiling air downward and leave them on low.

If you have double hung windows, head to the hardwre store and find some FELT weatherstripping. Put a strip of it where the window meets the sill and where it laps with the window above. Then do the plastic thing. An amazing difference.

If the apartment is dry, add some humidity with a humidifier or even a teakettle. Leave the bathroom door open after a shower.

For my money, Vornado makes the best humidifier. It is easy to fill and to clean. The also make a very good recirculating heater that is efficient. Both items are quiet to run.

A medium-weight bathrobe is easy to wear, even over street clothes, and makes life a lot warmer. Good slippers are worth their cost.

While weather-proofing your windows will help, most of your heat is probably lost out of the ceiling/roof. Properly insulating that will make the biggest difference, and should lower the heating costs as well as keeping your apartment warmer.

Here's a useful info-graphic showing percentages of where heat is lost:
http://www.beaconpathway.co.nz/files/images/Heat_loss_uninsulated_house_Small.jpg

Make sure everything is as sealed as possible - windows, doors, etc. If there is room behind your radiators, there is this stuff that looks like metallic bubblewrap that is designed to insulate behind and around (if they're inset into the wall) radiators. Carpets with padding and insulated curtains or blinds will help too. And nothing is warmer than a down comforter on the bed.

As for heating yourself up - I used to have a cold artist studio and came up with a couple tricks: I'd put a small, ceramic space heater underneath the table I was working at and the heat got trapped underneath and wafted up the sides, so it heated me while not tackling the whole room. The other tactic was I would make an entire pot of herbal tea and keep it in a vacuum carafe and drink it all day. Plus, of course, wearing layers - including fingerless gloves and a hat.

I also once, while vacationing in an unheated cabin, used an electric blanket as a throw over a sofa - so that you actually sat on top of the heat rather than bundling underneath it.

If you can afford it, a ductless mini-split system may be a good idea if you're planning to stick around your apartment for a while. (And if the co-op board allows it) We just got one for the coldest room in our house (so cold it felt like you were outside) and it makes the room nice and warm in minutes.

I second Kathryn's recommendation of a heated mattress pad. After living for 15 (!) years in a second-floor rental with minimal heat, I can tell you that you will never be happier than when you crawl into your warm, toasty bed. Getting up in the morning is a different story altogether!

Short term: One vote for the plastic film stuck on by a hair dryer - it seemed silly at first but my heating bill went from $245 in november to $80 in december (which was much colder here in the northwest). And the heated blanket under the fitted sheet makes a HUGE difference. I totally agree saving up for replacement of windows/updating them. But these are great in the mean time.

There are lots of great suggestions here that would help a little, but adding space heaters and stopping drafts from the windows won't solve the problem of your poorly insulated walls and ceiling. Since you own, I would look at finding a long-term solution.

A quick web search turned up the Community Environmental Center's Weatherization Assistance Program in NYC. I'm sure they could help you get started:

http://www.cecenter.org/weatherization/

You may even be able to get a tax credit: http://www.hud.gov/local/ny/homeownership/energy.cfm

My bedroom is usually very cold in the winter since it is in the back of the house and I have two windows..this winter I decided to get proactive and bought thermal windows to keep the heat in, and also went to Target and bought a $20 space heater which I actually keep on low and I actually have woken up sweating. My room is about 9'X9' so it isn't very spacious but I'm sure these tips can work for your condo. Good luck!

co-op**

Another vote for an electric blanket. I bought one last year -- think it was from Macy's. It has a 10 hour timer, and it uses minimal energy. When you sleep warm, it's much easier to deal with the cold.

Listen to Angorian! Pay attention to your ceiling first!!!

I work at a nonprofit thrift store for building materials (Community Forklift, in the DC area). Because part of our mission is educating folks about going green at home, I often give talks in conjunction with energy auditors.

Auditors are the folks who go into your building and perform tests to figure out how the energy efficiency of that particular structure can be improved. Then, they present you with a report of what you can do, along with the costs and benefits of each change.

OVERWHELMINGLY, I have heard them say that for most buildings, roofs are the place to start. Many people assume that windows are the first thing you should change - but in a majority of buildings, adding insulation to the roof gives you far more bang for the buck. I think the Energy department currently recommends that your attic insulation should be something like twelve inches thick. Yes, a foot thick!

I think most people just think first of windows, because they can see window gaps or hear wind whistling, but they don't spend much time in their attic.

Also, of course, the window replacement industry is huge and does a lot of advertising. It's very effective, as evidenced by these comments and by the customers I talk to in our store. It's true that high-end modern energy star windows can be very effective...but the cheaper vinyl versions can be a real ripoff. I have heard many energy auditors say that in old homes, it is actually more cost effective to clean, repair, and add storm windows & screens to existing old wood windows.

If you can't do anything about the attic insulation since it's an apartment building...think about this: In my last rental, a top-floor apartment, my landlord was a treehugger who cared about giving his tenants a comfortable and energy-efficient home. But he couldn't add more insulation to the attic because it didn't exist - there was only 3 inches between between the ceiling and the flat roof. Luckily, the apartment ceilings were 10' high, so he just installed a drop ceiling, and put insulation between that and the old ceiling. Luckily, he picked ceiling tiles that weren't too hideous, and it made a huge difference for us.

My house is very drafty in the Fall and Winter months and it cost way too much to use the heater so I don't.

Having thermal lined drapes in my bedroom makes a huge difference. I have two sets of drapes for my room- linen and thermal velvet. I just took down the linen set off the the dry cleaners and will store them in a moth free box and put up the velvet ones already feel the difference. Flannel sheets go on the bed and I use a space heater in my living room for a portion of the day when I am in there. I also wear layers this time a year. My electric and gas bill only go up slightly because of the space heater.

You can start small and see if some of these easy things can help.

UGG boots, hat, electric blankets. I used to put one on the floor as a rug in my living area when I lived in a very drafty, uninsulated house on a ridge line above the Pacific Ocean. I could literally feel the wind blowing through the walls and see my breath at night.

DeLonghi makes great/safe oil filled radiators.

I live in the same house now. I replaced doors, windows, my furnace, extended my central heat and put in a freestanding cast iron gas stove.

I also put up new siding on my house which helped with the wind coming through the walls.

A heavy winter down comforter helps too.

-space heater as long as you are careful with it

-put plastic over the windows and possibly even consider heavy drapes

-flannel sheets for the bed

My only thought is why buy a home that you have no control over the heat...?

There are many suggestions for electric blankets- but don't forget about hot water bottles! They stay warm the entire night- plus you can make a cozy cup of tea before bed while boiling the water for the bottle. Two birds, one stone!

electric fireplace?

High efficiency double paned windows with no leaks. Make sure every wall and door is weather tight. Rugs and drapes. Insulate. And use space heaters in the room you are occupying. Warm socks/footwear. Hat if necessary. Get up and move around often so you don't let the blood stagnate, breathe from the belly like the Tibetans, or do Yoga Kapalbhati Bellows breathing, and keep a warm mug of tea nearby. Spring and summer will return!

heavy drapes, area rugs, tea, heating pads under your desk/under blankets while on the couch.

also - if you radiators aren't working very well and they are the old steam type.. make sure they are bled properly (and also ask the super if others in the building have bled them too). they usually should be at the beginning of the winter season for optimum heat.

A warm air humidifier, near where you spend most of your time. It creates a warm zone. I have a bionaire. Two speed low & high. The low is a steady stream of air. The high can warm an area quicky. And the humidifier keeps the air moist from dryness in the aparmtent with all the closed windows.

Another vote for wall and ceiling insulation, since those take up so much more surface area than do windows. I've had cellulose insulation blown in to walls and ceilings of exposed rooms and the temperature difference was amazing - like covering your apartment in a toasty blanket. Good news is that there are tax credits available for the work and that it's very green (cellulose is just shredded newspaper + minimal fireproofing). Bad news is that the work entails the contractor punching holes in the walls/ceiling in between beams, so effectively requires a spackle and paint job.

Thermal paint. It's an insulating paint. Dunno how good it is but I've been noticing adverts for it on the telly. Other posters mentioned insulating the ceiling and this might be an affordable way of doing a bit.

http://igoe.ie/vmchk/Thermilate-Insulating-Paint-Additive

MarianneT & others re parabolic heater - how does it affect your energy bill?

Ditto what pamh wrote: plastic film for windows and a space heater. DeLonghi makes good ones that are really safe. My landlord even provided me with one for free, when I was in your situation last year. Good luck!

Dog picture=freakin' hilarious!!!

Don't go replacing old windows willynilly. Builders back in the day weren't stupid, they built windows that would keep the cold out. We've just forgotten how to maintain them. Fix any damaged frame, putty or glass. Get proper sprung metal weatherstripping for them, and either interior or exterior storms, all of which will be several digits cheaper than replacement windows. Energy auditing demonstrates that properly maintained old windows with storms are as energy efficient as modern replacements and rehabbing old windows is both environmentally friendlier than new vinyl and preserves the character of old buildings.

I built cheap interior storms this year for my windows -- it came out to about $6 per window using the "blow dry to the window" plastic kit and 1x2 lumber. I didn't have to buy paint so if you did the cost might be about a dollar higher per window. They took a weekend to make and install, and instantly made the living room cozier (they also lowered the noise from outside to a surprising degree). You have to look for them to see them, very unobtrusive.

Here's another vote for either an electric blanket or a heated mattress pad.

I'd go medieval and hang floor-to-ceiling drapes along the outside walls. It's a quick way to add color without painting and you can pick them up pretty cheaply at thrift stores. It's amazing what a difference that makes.

A feathered duvet works wonders as well. I turn my heat down to 50 at night and stay toasty warm. Trips to the bathroom aren't very pleasant, but when you crawl back into bed the duvet is still warm.

Weather stripping, which is a foam that can expand to fill cracks in a doorway, is good. For windows though, you need temporary caulking. This stuff is like silly putty and can be pushed into cracks. It is easily removed. It is sometimes called "caulking cord" and Mortite makes some. Find it at any hardware store. You should be able to seal up any window cracks.

That window plastic stuff, it will billow out like a sail on a ship if the cracks are bad. Also it will block some sunlight and therefore block some natural heating. I'd try the caulk cord first, it's cheap.

Finally, if your windows slide open, make sure that both sides are fully closed. I was surprised to find that at my new place, the outer pane would also slide and it made for a big drafting crack. Once I pushed it shut and clamped it with the lever that are on the window, I found myself quite toasty.

"That window plastic stuff, it will billow out like a sail on a ship if the cracks are bad. Also it will block some sunlight and therefore block some natural heating."

If the plastic is applied correctly and shrunk tight with a hair dryer it will not billow. I have some seriously bad gaps in the window next to me (I rent, so I can't do major window repair) and the plastic occasionally makes tiny sounds, but that's it. No billowing.

And it blocks no, zero, zilch, light at all. It is completely clear.

I recommend a towel warmer for the bathroom. Not the most energy efficient things in the world; however, they're cheap and make a huge impact. They can completely warm the bathroom (and tile floors) plus you can lay clothes over them to warm before wearing. Also, helps your towels dry faster which is an added bonus. I had one for the last few years and plan to get another this year.