When the temperature drops, many apartments are resistant to trapping heat and instead let air flow freely from the outside in. This results in a drafty and cold apartment.
But there are plenty of steps you can take. If you’re wondering how to keep a drafty apartment warm, you’ve landed in the right place.
1. Start with the problem – the drafts
There are plenty of remedies for a chilly apartment and we’ll get to those later on. But first, the most effective step you can take to keeping a drafty apartment warm is to eliminate the problem at the source. Locating and fixing the drafts will ensure you don’t need to take any over-the-top steps to keep your apartment warm.
First, find the drafts. One trick to help identify where they are is to use an incense stick or some other source of smoke. Hold the smoke near a window or door. If it’s visibly blown by a draft, you’ve found a problem spot. Use weather stripping or caulk to make your home air-tight.
2. Make temporary window coverings
Another easy solution for keeping a drafty apartment warm is to utilize temporary window coverings. This option is less time-consuming than caulking or weather stripping but also will be less permanent. Window coverings are useful for solving the problem of a leaky single-pane glass door or window. If the air leak is part of a door or window frame, this solution won’t help.
You can use insulating drapes, fabric or plastic window film to insulate windows in your apartment. Some homeowners have reported using trash bags and bubble wrap as budget-friendly window coverings but you should do your research independently before buying a bulk amount of either of these.
3. Use space heaters
Space heaters are a quick fix for a drafty apartment. If you need quick relief from the winter weather, position a couple of space heaters strategically to solve the problem.
Some good rules of thumb for using space heaters is to keep them at least a foot away from any walls, at least three feet away from anything in the front of the heater and away from any moisture or dampness. If there are additional safety recommendations provided by the manufacturer of your specific space heater, you should be sure to follow those, also.
4. Check your fireplace flue
One common problem area for drafts is the fireplace – if you have one. To keep the home from filling with smoke, fireplaces have an exhaust opening to the outside. But when not in use, this opening can let tons of cold air into the home. Make sure your fireplace flue is closed tightly to make a huge improvement to the draftiness of your home or apartment.
5. Close off unneeded rooms
Chances are, not every single room of your home is used daily. If there are extra bedrooms, closets or other spaces that can be closed off when not in use, you can eliminate window and door drafts in chunks. You may even be able to solve your draft problem entirely just be closing up unused compartments of the home.
Knowing exactly how to keep a drafty apartment warm is a learned skill. Try out different solutions to help you figure out the best way keep the space warm.
