Winter Causing a Spike in Your Energy Bills? Check These Spotty Areas for Air Leaks

The weather outside is frightful; dropping into the 30s and 20s this week in Seattle and surrounding areas! Now that winter is settling in nicely, you may have noticed a spike in your energy bills… and now you’re wallet is scarier than the snow flurries out your window! before you crank the thermostat, check out these nooks and crannies in your apartment, and see if there is any air leaking in, causing your home to lose heat. Your door is a great place to start. You use it to get in and out, so it’s going to cause some heat to escape throughout the day, but heat should not be escaping when the door is shut.
Door seals and weather strips can be damaged or outdated, so check with your landlord to see if this is something they will fix, or if you can solve to issue yourself. Your windows is another notorious place to cause issues, with heat escaping through the glass (especially in single pane windows) and through the casing around the glass. Window insulator kits are a great way to keep the heat in and cold air out, and can be found at most home improvement stores. If your rental has a fireplace that cannot be used, check to be sure it’s plugged and the flues are sealed, and if its a wood burning fireplace more heat will escape through the chimney than enters your house; so be sure the doors are closed if it’s not in use if possible. If you’re home still doesn’t seem to be keeping the heat in, you can check with your property manager to see if they have any further tips for keeping your particular unit nice and warm, and those bills down.