One of the best parts about living in an apartment during the winter is not having to worry about shoveling your driveway or yard. However, things aren’t always peaches and cream when it comes to living in an apartment during the winter. One of the most common concerns is high heating costs during the cold winter months.
While this will, of course, vary from unit to unit, heating costs are generally a lot higher in the winter. While some people get heating included in their rent, others must spend a pretty penny to keep their apartments warm.
If you are sick of high heating costs in your apartment, you have come to the right place. This blog post is going to look at a few tips to help you keep your apartment heating costs down this winter, without freezing to death.
1. Keep the thermostat under control
When someone is cold in their apartment, the first thing they will often do is reach for the thermostat and turn it up. While that will make your apartment warmer, it can also be quite expensive. The costs will differ, but if you keep the thermostat cranked, you could be looking at an expensive bill at the end of the month. As a result, keep your thermostat at a fairly stagnant temperature, normally anywhere from 60-70 degrees.
Another way to save money when it comes to the thermostat is to keep it a bit lower than usual at night. Your blankets should keep you warmer at night. This same thing could be applied to during the daytime if you are gone. So if you work from 8-4, keep it a bit cooler during those hours since no one is home.
2. Invest in warm blankets and clothing
If you are one of those people who love to turn up the heat when you get a little chilly, it might make sense to put on some extra clothes or grab a blanket instead. Most people already have warm clothes and blankets lying around, so they won’t even have to go buy any.
Not only do they keep you warm, but most warm clothing and blankets can also even make you more comfortable. If you find yourself being too lazy to go grab a sweater or a blanket from your room or closet, you should keep some nearby in your living room or office in case you need to use them.
3. Keep doors and windows closed
While getting fresh air in your apartment unit is a great feeling, opening windows or doors is a good way to let the hot air out and the cold air in. As a result, keeping your doors and windows closed will keep your unit warmer and stop you from having to turn up the heat all day.
In addition to keeping them closed, you need to ensure there are no drafts, leaks or gaps. If there is, the window or door will likely let cold air in, even when it is completely closed and locked. A large percentage of heat loss comes from these gaps in doors and windows, so get them repaired or closed if you have them.
If you need some fresh air, it is best to crack a window a little bit while you are at work or while you sleep, so you won’t be around to deal with the cold that comes from it.
4. Avoid blocking furnaces and keep them clean
In order to heat your unit, your furnace needs to push out hot air to fill the unit. However, if something is blocking the furnace, it won’t be able to heat your home as effectively as it should. You should make sure that no furniture is blocking your heat source directly.
If it is, there is a chance your furnace isn’t heating as much of your unit as it should. This could lead you to turn it up and waste more money on heating when simply rearranging furniture could do the trick. In addition to blockage of the furnace, you should make sure it stays clean as well as dirt and dust could hurt how much hot air it pushes out.
5. Use free solar heating
While most of us expect the heat to come into our units through the furnace, it can also come through the windows. That’s right, the rays of the sun can actually warm up your home if you keep blinds open during the day when the sun is low.
Of course, this will depend on how much sun your city or unit gets. But if the sun comes into your apartment during the day, keeping blinds or shades open can be a good way to warm it up a little bit. Of course, keeping them closed at night is a good way to insulate as well.
We hope that this article has been able to show you some creative and helpful ways to ensure heating your apartment can be done affordably.
