With Halloween just around the corner and the temperature starting to drop (on some days anyway) many people will start to pay close attention to the drafts and cold spots in their home. As a renter, especially if you rent in an older building or one with less then stellar maintenance, you may be thinking ahead to colder rooms and higher utility bills. But have no fear, even if you aren’t a “handy Andy,” you can still take simple and inexpensive steps to weather proof your apartment.
Doors: The gap under your doorway can be one of the largest sources of cold air, wasting both heat and your money. If you are on a low floor, where the hall temperature is greatly influenced by the outside cold air rushing in every time the entryway door is opened or on a floor that has drafty windows in the hall, the cold temperature of the hallway can really influence the temperature of your apartment. Many people don’t even notice the large gap under their door, but by attaching a “draft dodger” can save you a small fortune and keep your apartment toasty warm.
Draft dodgers typically are felted wool, rubber, or Styrofoam strips or tubes that attach to the base of the door, effectively sealing the cold air out and your warm air in. These inexpensive weather strips are easily attached with screws or an industrial tape and can be purchased at hardware and home stores.
Windows: Double pained windows that don’t close properly due to warping can allow cold air into rooms. Apply weather strip tape to the joints where the frame meets the window and the cold air is kept out. Most hardware stores have weather stripping tape, which is essentially a thin strip of foam that adheres to the joint with strong tape.
Single pained windows, often found in older buildings, can lower room temperature simply because there is no air buffer between the inside and the outside. The only really effective way to block the cold with single pane windows is to cover them with an insulating sheet. Most hardware stores will have window insulation kits which include a special shrink wrap type of plastic film and rolls of double sided insulating tape. Run the tape completely around the window frame, apply the plastic film and then use a hairdryer to warm the plastic. This creates a tight seal and a warm air insulating pocket between the film and the glass. While it does make it difficult to see, (like looking through plastic wrap) it is one of the cheapest and best insulating products on the market.
Air Conditioners: Those with window box air conditioners will be faced with two issues, insulting the box itself so that the winter elements don’t damage the unit and keeping the cold air from coming in through the window opening. Window boxes should be covered with a special insulting cover. This keeps the pipes from freezing, the rubber tubes from cracking and breaking, and the coolant coagulating. The opening around the box itself and any vents should also be winter proofed. Generally, the same insulating tape used to weather proof double paned windows can be used to seal the joints and a piece of plastic or felted wool can be used to seal any vents.
Stay warm!
Doors: The gap under your doorway can be one of the largest sources of cold air, wasting both heat and your money. If you are on a low floor, where the hall temperature is greatly influenced by the outside cold air rushing in every time the entryway door is opened or on a floor that has drafty windows in the hall, the cold temperature of the hallway can really influence the temperature of your apartment. Many people don’t even notice the large gap under their door, but by attaching a “draft dodger” can save you a small fortune and keep your apartment toasty warm.
Draft dodgers typically are felted wool, rubber, or Styrofoam strips or tubes that attach to the base of the door, effectively sealing the cold air out and your warm air in. These inexpensive weather strips are easily attached with screws or an industrial tape and can be purchased at hardware and home stores.
Windows: Double pained windows that don’t close properly due to warping can allow cold air into rooms. Apply weather strip tape to the joints where the frame meets the window and the cold air is kept out. Most hardware stores have weather stripping tape, which is essentially a thin strip of foam that adheres to the joint with strong tape.
Single pained windows, often found in older buildings, can lower room temperature simply because there is no air buffer between the inside and the outside. The only really effective way to block the cold with single pane windows is to cover them with an insulating sheet. Most hardware stores will have window insulation kits which include a special shrink wrap type of plastic film and rolls of double sided insulating tape. Run the tape completely around the window frame, apply the plastic film and then use a hairdryer to warm the plastic. This creates a tight seal and a warm air insulating pocket between the film and the glass. While it does make it difficult to see, (like looking through plastic wrap) it is one of the cheapest and best insulating products on the market.
Air Conditioners: Those with window box air conditioners will be faced with two issues, insulting the box itself so that the winter elements don’t damage the unit and keeping the cold air from coming in through the window opening. Window boxes should be covered with a special insulting cover. This keeps the pipes from freezing, the rubber tubes from cracking and breaking, and the coolant coagulating. The opening around the box itself and any vents should also be winter proofed. Generally, the same insulating tape used to weather proof double paned windows can be used to seal the joints and a piece of plastic or felted wool can be used to seal any vents.
Stay warm!
originally posted October 13, 2007
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