Winter is coming, and depending on what
kind of apartment you have, it can be relatively easy or tough withstanding the
lousy weather and the low temperatures.
If you’re not going to move to a warmer place, the best
thing that you can do right now is to winter-proof your apartment. Thankfully,
apartments are not as hard to winter-proof as houses, but there are still
several things that you need to do.
1.
Insulate the Windows
The worst part about the winter is the
cold. Depending on where in Canada you live, the temperatures are very low or
extremely cold in the winter. All in all, there’s no escaping the elements,
wherever you live.
The best thing that you can do, besides the
heating, is to insulate your windows properly. If you haven’t already, air will
quickly enter your apartment, and the heat won’t be able to mitigate the
constant shivers you’ll be getting from the barely noticeable draft. Plus, the
warm air will have an easier time escaping.
It will take a little bit of work by the
way, as you’ll have to buy some rubber weatherstrips and stick them to the
frames of each window. You can even use some transparent cellular shades that
will block the air but not the sunshine.
2.
Close the Doors and Use Draft
Guards
The heat leaving the apartment can be a
problem if the windows are not insulated properly, but also because of the many
doors and rooms in the condo. To keep the heat in the area, you are in; it’s
best to keep the doors closed. You can even do this for the other rooms to keep
the heat where you want to keep it.
Furthermore, you can use draft guards under
the doors as well. The effect is the same as with insulated windows.
3.
Uncover the Vents
A lot of renters, especially the ones who
move during the summer, cover their heat registers in one way or another. When
winter comes, they don’t remember placing items such as furniture over them,
which is why they are not adequately using their heat source.
If you have vents, make sure they are not
blocked. If you have radiators, remove any clothes left on them or move any
large pieces of furniture that are blocking them.
In general, if your heating sources are
covered in any way, the heat won’t be able to spread across the room properly,
and you won't be able to get warm. Surviving the winter can get at
least a little bit easier if you unblock all of your heating sources.
4.
Cover the Floor
Did you know that more than 10% of the heat
leaves the apartment through the floors? If you’re renting an older building,
it’s more than likely the floor is hardwood, and they usually lack insulation.
You can’t change the floors as that would
be expensive, and you might move in the meantime, but you certainly can buy
some thick and spacious rugs to mitigate the problem and keep your feet warm.
All in all, you can’t
stop the winter, but you can certainly keep yourself warm in your apartment
with these few easy steps.
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