How to insulate an apartment with your own hands for the winter: simple rules for keeping warmth

We are going to have a tough winter - no one is under any illusions about this. Heating in Ukrainian homes will be less intense, so you will have to prepare carefully to keep your home as warm as possible.

There are many ways to prepare for the cold weather, heat and insulate your apartment without spending too much money, such as insulating windows. OBOZREVATEL has studied and collected the best and most effective ones.

Method one - don't let the heat escape

Intensive central heating without the ability to regulate the temperature has taught us not to be very attentive to heat loss. Meanwhile, frugal Europeans have long realized that in order to save money on heat, you need to prevent it from escaping from your home. Then, even with a small investment of money and resources, you can heat your home well.

Pay attention to the windows. Heat loss through them is the highest. If you haven't installed modern double-glazed windows yet, try to do so before the cold weather sets in. Their dense design will keep the heat inside the house.

Find and fix any gaps in and around the windows. Special services are available to adjust window frames, which can start to let heat in over time. If your frame is leaking, contact a specialist to check the seals and mechanisms and fix the problem. Cracks around the window can be repaired on your own with silicone sealant or polyurethane foam.

It's also worth checking your front door for drafts and fixing any gaps. If you have a cold entrance, it's a good idea to cover it with insulation material, either inside or out.

Window panes can be additionally covered with heat-saving film - it is sold in construction supermarkets and is inexpensive. It can be replaced with a regular bubble wrap. However, in this case, the window will lose its transparency, but the apartment will become 1-3 degrees warmer.

At night, when it is coldest outside, windows give off the most heat. In this case, they should be additionally covered with thick curtains. Or even with blankets and rugs.

Method two - multiply the heat

Proper home maintenance can make the interior both cozier and warmer.

Clean your batteries properly before the heating season starts. Dust that settles on them not only looks unaesthetically pleasing, but also absorbs some heat.

If possible, repaint the radiators in a dark color. This way, they will give off up to 10% more heat. But you need to clean them from layers of old paint - they have heat-absorbing properties.

It is also important to free up as much space as possible in front of the heater. The freer the air exchange around it, the warmer the room will be.

It will be advisable to install a heat-reflective screen between the wall and the battery. You can buy a ready-made one - it's a fairly inexpensive purchase - or make one yourself from ordinary foil.

Insulate cold walls and floors with carpets. Especially since this technique is now coming back into fashion. A high-quality thick rug will not let the cold into the room. This way, you can close the walls around the places where you sit or lie - behind a chair, near a sofa or bed.

Method three - effective and cheap ways to stay warm

We often rely on additional heat sources to keep us warm on the coldest days. But this year, there is little hope for traditional electric heaters - the capabilities of the power grid will be just as limited as the heating grid.

Give preference to infrared heaters - they consume less energy and have quite decent heat output.

Before going to bed, put a hot water bottle in your bed, so you'll get into a warm bed. An additional down comforter or woolen blanket will help keep you warm. The rule here is the same as with clothes - the more layers, the warmer.

Speaking of clothes. Thermal underwear will allow you to stay warm and look stylish when you go out on business, and fleece pajamas will keep you warm at home.

The Japanese kotatsu is an interesting example of how to deal with the cold. This is a low table with a blanket under the tabletop and a heating device below. The whole family can gather for dinner at such a table, and you can also work, have fun, and even sleep at it. You can easily make something like this yourself.

If you have always dreamed of having a cat, now is the time. Not only it will love you just for being there for it, but it will also make you warm (or keep you warm) on cold nights. The main thing to understand is that this is a friend not for one winter, but for the rest of its life. A dog will also work, if you don't mind walking with it twice a day and letting it go to bed. Many furry animals rescued from war zones are now waiting for adoption in shelters.

Hugging is the easiest, most pleasant and cheapest way to get a little warmth.