Larry_2_small
Reputation: 295

Any suggestions for weatherizing a drafty apartment?

Most of the heat loss is through the single pane windows. Thought of hanging heavy drapes in front of them, but I'd prefer to avoid drilling holes in the wall if possible.

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  • Min-wage_small
    Reputation: 1421

    You'd probably have more luck with the plastic window covering kits or getting some heavy-duty clear plastic sheeting and sealing all the windows. I know it's made a measurable difference in places I've lived in the past. It works a lot better if you get some temporary (removable) caulk and seal cracks in the windows first; you want to the space between the windows and plastic to be as air-tight as possible for better insulation. Here's a how-to about weatherproofing windows.

    Heavy drapes would also help, although not as much as the plastic sheeting. If you get enough of those 3m command hooks you can avoid drilling holes in your walls. Also check for drafts around your door - even if your door is into an apartment hallway you can lose heat that way. You can weatherstrip the door if it's drafty.

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  • Photo_on_2012-01-03_at_17
    Reputation: 628

    Just as a side note, your apartment manager/owner should, if asked, fix the major air leaks with caulking or something, but if you don't want them sealed forever, make sure they don't seal them shut.

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  • Qlandav2ex_small
    Reputation: 4209

    Sealing the obvious leaks and applying the different types of weatherproofing so that the window seals off drafts when closed is the first line of defense.

    Next, as has already been mentioned here is using the plastic sheeting over the whole window face. Some kits come with a type of plastic that you use a hair dryer on so that you shrink it down to a taut optically clear sheet so you can see through it perfectly. This however locks off the window from being opened at all. Be sure to keep some strategically located windows free enough to be opened for periodically airing your place out. To be warm and live in a poor quality air environment is not a great trade off. Have some way to get cross ventilation or at least one window at opposite ends of your place so you can exchange the air regularly.

    Lastly window dressing applications can help insulate your place especially when you are not there or at night (when interfering with incoming light does not matter that much - except for plants and pets). Look at the Warm Window technology that uses nice fabric layers that can be specialized for decor and in the fabric sandwich is an insulating layer that includes a space blanket kind of mylar barrier.

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  • Subcultureoftwo_small
    Reputation: 1892

    After you've followed everyones' window advice, make sure your window frames and doors are weatherstripped. Get down on the floor to see if you're getting drafts from your outside door, and resolve that if you can (a long snakelike pillow filled with dried beans is useful). And keep doors closed in your apartment so you're not paying to heat space you're not regularly using.

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