Both renters and homeowners know that sometimes even the newest home can have a cold space that needs warming up. 

With apartment living, some unlucky renters have found themselves occupying a poorly insulated apartment which makes it difficult for them to warm up at night. Even if you have the right source to heat the entire space, you don't want your energy bill to rise. Check out these tricks to help lower your energy consumption and make your apartment warmer without affecting your bill.

You need to check your entire home for drafts, specifically windows that might have gaps or leaks. These gaps will allow the warm air from inside the house to leak away to the outside, leaving your house chilly and allowing your energy bill to rise. Additionally, the same way, cold air can seep in.

Each season, it's important to check all windows and doors that open to the outside. You can often feel the draft on your skin, detect it by using a draft detector or simply try burning a stick of incense to check for unwanted air movement. If you are able to fix those gaps, your room will become warmer.

When the room is colder due to the winter weather, it's time to make some changes and use warmer bedding. Layers of bedding will keep you warmer, so it's time to change those sateen sheets for flannel and then top them with a warm blanket and a comforter or duvet. You can make it even warmer with the use of an electric blanket. Keep your plugged-in bedding on top and avoid layering it underneath a comforter or duvet. It is important to also remember that electric blankets are only for use in the master bedroom, not for use in the rooms of your children.

If the cold gets very intense, consider using an electric mattress pad to warm up your whole space even more. 

Ceiling fans are a great way to reduce energy consumption at any time of the year. If you let the ceiling fan run counterclockwise during the summer season, it will create a cooling breeze that treats a muggy, hot night. Then when the winter months set in, it's time to reverse your fan's rotation to rotate in a clockwise direction. There is a switch on the side of the fan box that sets it to another rotational direction. When the fan runs clockwise, its blades will pull warmer air from the ceiling and push it lower into the room where you need it.

Take a few minutes every few months to do a seasonal cleaning of the fan, wiping down blades, as they are a prime spot for dust buildup. Here’s a tip to easily clean the blades: just slip a pillowcase over each blade, and then slide the fabric to the end of the blade. The specks of dust collected remain inside the pillowcase instead of drifting down over your bedroom.

Many sleep experts agree that 65 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature to make anyone sleep soundly. If the temperature in your bedroom dips much below that, you can warm things up a bit by turning on the space heater. When you use a portable heater, look for the suitable one for your room, and place it far enough from your bed so that there is no chance of bedding to get near the device.

Since it is a portable heater, play it safe with the cord, avoid stretching it across the pathway in case of an emergency or bathroom visit. Make sure the heater has a safety feature that turns off automatically if it tips over or overheats. Portable heaters are okay to use in the master bedroom with an electric blanket, but it should not be used in a child's room.

If your partner likes the cold, while you're shivering, warm yourself up by wearing thick socks before climbing between the sheets (you'll sleep better when you wear socks) and add a knit cap to keep your head cozy. By doing this, you'll feel warmer and sleep better.

Another tip on how to make your apartment warmer without affecting your bill is to move your bed away from the window might not be the right solution for every bedroom, but if your mattress is usually positioned right under the window, you need to move your bed to the other side to make you a little warmer while you sleep. Unless your windows are multi-paned, the glass will cool down even more during the night, thus cooling the inside air near the window.

Since the window glass tends to absorb the outside temperatures, it's a good idea to insulate your bedroom a bit by switching to insulated or heavier window coverings during the cold season. Look for heavy, lined drapes that are labeled thermal to cover your blinds or to switch out with those lightweight fabrics.

Whatever type of property you are renting in Branson, using a few of these tips on how to make your apartment warmer without affecting your bill will help you get through the cold winter months a little more comfortably.

If you are looking for a new Branson apartment or Branson home to rent, call Thousand Hills Realty today and let us help you find your new home. (417) 337-8081