DENVER (KDVR) — With a hard freeze in the forecast for much of the nation, you may be wondering how you will be able to stay warm without piling on the jackets and cozying up under a dozen blankets.
Many heat-saving tips are geared toward homeowners, who can make repairs and changes to their homes without worrying about losing out on a security deposit.
However, that doesn’t mean renters have to suffer in silence. There are some renter-friendly ways to keep the heat in when the weather outside is particularly frightful.
Blinds and curtains
One of the biggest ways heat escapes a house or apartment is through the windows.
Xcel Energy recommends that you open their blinds and curtains during the daytime — at least if there is direct sunlight coming in.
Then, when the sun goes down, you should close both to keep the heat in.
Ceiling fans
Running your ceiling fan to preserve heat may seem counterintuitive, but there is a reason for doing this.
The direction in which a ceiling fan’s blades run — clockwise or counterclockwise — drastically changes the way it works. When the fan’s blades run clockwise, it pushes warm air down and into the room. When the blades run counterclockwise, it does the opposite.
Depending on the type of fan you have, you may need to break out a ladder. Some ceiling fans have a switch on the base that controls which way the blades run.
Keep (interior) doors open
If your unit enjoys central air and heating, Xcel said one thing you can do is keep the doors to all heated rooms open to keep warm air circulating evenly throughout the house.
However, if your unit does not have central heating, the opposite is true. In that case, keep doors closed to prevent heat from escaping to unused and unheated parts of the house.
Things you can buy
If you don’t think those things are enough to keep you warm in your apartment during a freeze, there are some things you can buy and, in some cases, install to keep the heat in.
Some of these things could have the potential to leave marks, so use or install them at your own risk:
- Window film to add insulation, especially to older windows
- Door sweeps or draft stoppers to block cold air from under external doors
- Weather strips for drafty doors or window sills
- Thermal curtains to trap heat in
Other ways to keep your home warm
If there is a prolonged freeze in the forecast, there are a few things that Denver Water recommends you do:
- Open the cabinet doors under any sinks so the air can warm them.
- Turn on faucets to a slow drip to keep water moving. You can also place a bucket under the faucet so the water is not wasted.
Doing these things can avoid frozen pipes, which could avoid pipes from bursting.
