We know that the winter season can get cold and heating bills can get costly.  Sometimes it feels like it’s impossible to keep the heat inside, so here are some tips and tricks for getting your apartment ready for winter and reducing the time your heaters are running.

Doors

Warm air escaping underneath your doors is one of the many ways that your home will lose heat this winter.  There are a couple of things that you can do to help prevent this.
1. Draft Guards
This is essentially a piece of plastic that can be permanently or temporarily attached to your door and fills the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor.  Installing a draft guard will prevent the rush of air between your home and the hallway or outdoors ensuring that you are only heating your rooms and not the rest of the world.  Don’t forget you can do this not only to your front door but also to a balcony door or a door to a cold storage room, etc.
2. Caulking
This mainly comes in handy to prevent air escaping between the doorframe and wall.  Caulk is a silicone paste that creates an insulation barrier, filling a gap that might have allowed water or air to pass through.  You can visit your local hardware store to purchase the necessary quantity and get a recommendation on the type of caulk you need depending on the surface on which you will be applying the insulation.
Windows
The first thing you need to remember about windows in the winter is to keep them closed and locked.  Sometimes the process of closing the lock on your windows further tightens the seal between window and window frame, allowing less air to escape.  If you or your landlord are planning on replacing windows in your home in the near future, it is recommended to have windows that are double-paned, which helps retain heat in cold weather.  Here are some other things that you can do to help prevent heat from escaping through your windows.

1. Plastic Film
To help keep warm air inside your apartment you can put plastic film on your windows.  It is quite simple: use double-sided tape to stick the clear plastic film on the windows that will be easy to peel off when the weather warms up in the spring.
2. Caulking
Caulk can also be used around your windows to fill cracks and keep warm air inside.  If windows have a leak around the window frame area, this is also where caulking can come in handy, though if the situation is severe you should contact your landlord.
Heaters
The most important thing to remember about heaters is that they should always be clean and a reasonable distance from furniture.  Dust, curtains or furniture that is too close to heaters can absorb some of the heat being produced and prevent healthy circulation of air throughout the room.
Where to go
Almost anything that you need to help winter proof your home can be found at a local hardware store, where you can also get recommendations which may be specific to your home.  Don’t forget that you should notify your landlord on any permanent renovations or changes that you are making to your apartment.  You may even find that your landlord will cover some expenses for winter proofing, especially if they are responsible for central heating in your building or the building is a bit older and less insulated.
Dress warmly
We are not recommending you spend your winter month freezing but lowering the thermostat a degree or two and putting on a sweater instead of just a t-shirt can go a long way to saving energy and dollars on your heating bill.