An old apartment with large windows may offer plenty of natural light, but one renter is discovering the downside as they struggle to keep their home warm without driving up heating bills.
Fellow Redditors suggested a potentially affordable solution in plastic window film that the tenant estimated could cover the entire apartment for around €30 (~$33.50 USD).
Here's what to know
In a post on Reddit's r/Frugal community, the renter described a poorly insulated apartment in a northern country, with a large combined kitchen and living room, a small bedroom, and numerous large, old windows.
Even with the heaters running at full power, the larger room warms by just a degree or two, according to the renter. Outdoor temperature alone did not explain how comfortable the apartment felt. Sunshine brought relief, while rainy weather left it cold even at comparable temperatures outside.
One commenter recommended a window insulation kit.
"That plastic window film kit works shockingly well," they divulged. "It's basically shrink wrap you tape over the whole frame and hit with a hair dryer, makes a dead air space that stops the draft cold. The big old windows are absolutely the culprit, it'll feel like a different apartment once you seal those up."
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More background
The post did not include utility bills or measured estimates of potential savings. But rising heating costs worried the renter, who found it hard to follow their usual rule against turning on the heat before November.
Installing curtains throughout a home they were renting was unappealing, and the upfront expense presented another obstacle. The renter estimated that a single pair would cost around $60 per window, with five windows in the main room and two in the bedroom.
The renter already had tights, wool socks, slippers, heavy pants, shirts, and either a robe or sweater to stay warm. Those layers still weren't enough.
Without a heating pad, warming their feet could take hours. Neither running the heat nor sleeping under a winter down blanket eliminated that problem.
What can be done?
The renter would need to find a seller that ships window film to their location. Their cost estimate reflects the expected purchase price, not demonstrated savings on heating bills.
"I thought it would be wicked expensive but it seems that I could potentially cover the entire place with around 30 euros so I might give it a try if I find it shipped here," they wrote.
One suggestion for blocking drafts was a rolled-up towel or draft stopper beneath an exterior door. Another commenter recommended filling gaps around the window sills with foam strips or rope-style putty. That commenter also described hanging thermal curtains between rooms and covering windows with them at night.
For bedtime, commenters proposed putting a hot water bottle near the renter's feet. Electric blankets also came up among suggestions focused on warming the renter rather than the entire room.
The windows had originally drawn the renter to the apartment, but now they had gone the other way.
"Picked the place for the natural light and now it's become the bane of me," the original poster lamented.
Where can I learn more?
The renter isn't alone in trying to keep a chilly home warm without running up the bills.
• A renter faced $500 winter electric bills for an apartment measuring just 325 square feet.
• Commenters urged a homeowner seeking lower oil costs to heat the bed instead of the air.
• In Canada, a homeowner tackling a stubborn pantry draft received DIYers' recommendations for expanding foam.
• Homeowners said initially expensive home insulation upgrades eventually paid for themselves many times over.
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