Winter in Michigan is no joke. For instance, it’s not a bad idea to keep your snow boots at the ready starting early November and keep them that way until April. Winter in Michigan is cold, wet, icy, gray, and, if you’re willing, a lot of fun! The latter is more attainable if you prepare. For that reason, we’ve put together ten easy ways to winterize your apartment.
Okay, back to setting the scene. Winter in Michigan. What should you expect if you’re new to the Great Lakes State? Since most of our McKinley apartment residents dealing with winter weather live in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, we’ll focus on that area.
Ann Arbor’s average low in January is 18 ºF and a high of 31 ºF. You can expect that range through late March. Spoiler alert, the weather can get much colder than average. The lowest temperature recorded in Ann Arbor’s history is a frigid -23 ºF.
As for our Florida residents, before you laugh yourself to the beach at the mention of -23 ºF, you’ll be remised not to winterize your apartments as well.
These ten tips apply to any apartment that needs heat at least a handful of nights each year. Why? Because you’ll save money and make your apartment a snug place to live.
Uh oh, was that a cold breeze? We better get to our list.
Winterize Your Apartment With These Ten Tips
1. Draft Guards
You finally make it back to your comfortable McKinley apartment after a long winter day. Face frozen; boots wet from snow. You sit on your couch to thaw. Suddenly, you feel a slight icy draft. It doesn’t take long to discover the breeze is coming from under your apartment door.
If this situation sounds familiar to you, we have two words: draft guards. Even a tiny space between your door and floor can let heat out and cold in, AKA a higher heating bill.
Seal off any drafts with a store-bought or DIY draft guard. You can even roll up a towel and place it at the bottom of your door. For another DIY hack, use pipe insulation as draft guards.
2. Decorate Your Apartment for Warmth
How you decorate and arrange the furniture in your apartment matters. For instance, place sofas in the middle of the room instead of up against the wall. Set other furniture such as bookcases, TV stands, etc. along walls to create a bit more insulation. Ta-da! You now have a cozy and warm place to nap.
As for the floor, rugs are your friend. Even if you have carpet, covering floor space with comfy rugs will further insulate your living areas and keep those toes toasty.
3. We are Fans of Counterclockwise
If you have a ceiling fan, winterizing your apartment is as simple as flipping a switch. You can set fans to spin clockwise or counterclockwise. In the winter, you’ll want that cold air pulled up, so make sure you select your fan to rotate counterclockwise. Doing so can save you up to 15% on your heating bill!
Just make sure the fan is on a low setting.
Hillcrest Apartments, Ann Arbor
4. Strategic Venting
You are now Master of the Vents. This illustrious title we’ve deemed you for the winter can help you save even more money on your heating bill.
Conserve heat by closing vents in rooms you don’t need as warm as others. I.e., maybe the kitchen doesn’t need to be as toasty as the bedroom. For the places you do want warmer, make sure the vents aren’t blocked. For example, don’t toss your backpack in front of one after a long day.
Now you can stop venting to your roommate about how cold you are.
5. Quilt a Curtain
All of those quilts your Grandma has gifted you over the years are about to come in handy.
First off, you’ll want to make sure your windows are tightly shut and locked— contact your apartment’s maintenance team if your windows won’t close properly. Next, hang quilts over your apartment’s curtains for an extra layer of insulation. Doing so is a great way to keep heating bills down during winter storms.
We won’t consider you a “quiltter” if you take the quilts down during the day. It’s a good idea to keep the blinds open on a sunny afternoon in the winter. Doing so will let in light and naturally warm your apartment.
6. Bake Some Warmth
After baking, turn the oven off and leave the door open as it cools. Simple enough, right?
After baking a yummy batch of holiday cookies or cinnamon buns, turn off the oven and leave the door open as it cools. Not only will it warm your kitchen, but leave it smelling delicious.
Please, please, please be safe with this tip. If you have kids, pets, etc. skip this hack.
7. Another “Leave Until Cooled” Apartment Winterizing Hack
If you fancy a nice hot bath in the winter, keep the water in the tub until it has cooled down. Keeping the tub full will add some moisture to your apartment as well as heat. As soon as it’s room temperature, let it drain.
Did the mention of moisture pique your interest? Here’s another hack to fight the winter dryness. After washing, hang dry your clothes in the closet, on doors, shower pole, or even invest in a foldable drying rack.
8. Layer Up
Pile on the warm clothes and nestle up with your favorite blanket to save money on your heating bill. You can save nearly 3% on your energy bill for each degree you lower the heat. So, grab your warmest scarf and start saving money.
Don’t make yourself suffer; rely on your clothes and blankets as well as your heating system. Oh, and keep the heat running. You’ll end up paying more if you perpetually turn it on and off. We suggest maintaining heat at around 68 degrees.
9. Shut the Door on the Cold
If you want your bedroom nice and toasty, keep doors closed while the heat is on. It’s easier for the heating system to warm a room than a whole apartment at once. Imagine how great it will feel to enter your bedroom, and it’s considerably warmer than the hallway. Sleep tight!
10. Body Heat is Neat
Do you need motivation for that winter exercise routine? See your next cardio routine as an additional heating system for your apartment. Set up a yoga mat in the middle of your living room and work up a sweat.
Remember to be respectful of your neighbors and keep the noise down as you exercise.
Stay warm!
Wow, we made it through ten ways to winterize your apartment without making even one “winter is coming” reference. You’re welcome.
By following our ten tips, you’ll save money and stay cozy all season long.
Read more of our McKinley Life apartment living tips here!
