From some basic quality of life for city winters as well as how to save money on utilities during cold spells, these are some essential apartment renter tips on how to thrive in your Chicago Winters rental.
We always recommended checking with your landlord or property manager to ensure any sort of "improvements" or "alterations" you do are performed properly. There may be a professional vendor that your property owner may prefer to any DIY repairs.
Re-caulk or Wrap Windows
One way cold seeps into your apartment during Chicago winters (especially in older buildings) is cracks & gaps in your windows forming over time. An easy fix is to purchase from caulk to re-seal any cold breezes coming through window gaps. Another method that is quite effective, but less visually pleasing/functional is to use a Shrink Film Insulator Kit. This can be particularly useful in some older homes that do not have modern energy-efficient windows. Making sure your landlord is okay with you sealing the windows is always a good idea, as they may have a professional(s) to perform the task.
Door Draft Stopper
Threading the same needle as window leaks, gaps in your doors can cause your heating bill to be larger by allowing heat to escape. This is much easier to determine compared to window leaks but has extremely similar solutions - to seal the gap. Draft stoppers are popular fixes and come in many styles whether they be plastic strips that stick to your door or weighted cloth insulators. It will take you longer to order than it will to install - a no-brainer energy-saving method.
Use Carpet or Rugs for Insulation
Many older apartments (especially two and four flats) in the city will primarily have wood flooring, which tends to retain the cold temperatures. Buying runner and area rugs go a long way in providing simple insulation for your apartment's overall temperature. You will find the heater running less and less when you have things like rugs that can retain a bit of 'heat'. This is will also insulate any noise you make (to a degree) so this is a great cheap, simple, no-brainer quality of life improvement for any apartment renter.
Check out the full list of apartment renter tips for Chicago winters HERE!
