Blog

Your first winter in an apartment: heat, drafts, and lower utility bills

October 29, 2026 · First Apartment Kit

Your first winter in your own place comes with a new bill and a new set of questions. How warm should you keep it? What do you do about the cold air sneaking in around the window? Is that space heater safe? This guide covers staying comfortable, staying safe, and keeping your heating bill in check, using only fixes that are friendly to renters and your security deposit.

Know how your apartment is heated

Before the first cold snap, find out three things, ideally in writing from your lease or the property office:

• What kind of heat you have. A furnace, a heat pump, electric baseboards, radiators, or a central building boiler all behave a little differently.
• Who pays for it. If heat is included in your rent, your job is mostly comfort and safety. If it runs on your electric or gas account, your habits show up directly on your bill.
• Who maintains it. In most rentals, the landlord handles the heating system and its filters or service. Ask if you are expected to change a filter, and where to find the right size.

Also find your thermostat, your electrical panel, and your main water shut-off valve now, while nothing is wrong.

Use the thermostat to save money

The U.S. Department of Energy says you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day from its normal setting, such as while you sleep or are at work (Energy.gov: Six Simple Steps To Save Energy and Money This Winter).

• Set a schedule. If your thermostat is programmable, set it lower for sleep and work hours and warmer for when you are home. If it is a basic dial, make turning it down part of your bedtime and leaving routine.
• Do not crank it up. Setting the thermostat higher than you want does not heat the room faster with most systems. It just overshoots.
• Heat pumps are different. Big setbacks can trigger backup electric heat, which costs more. If you have a heat pump, ask your landlord what settings they recommend.
• Do not go too low. If you are leaving for a few days, keep the heat on at a moderate setting so pipes do not freeze. Check your lease, since some require a minimum temperature.

Find and fix drafts without damaging the unit

The Department of Energy's Energy Saver guide says sealing air leaks can save 10% to 20% on heating and cooling bills (Energy Saver guide, PDF). As a renter, stick to fixes that come off cleanly:

• Find the leaks. On a windy day, hold your hand near window edges, the front door, outlets on outside walls, and around any window air conditioner. A cold breeze tells you where to look.
• Door draft stoppers. A fabric or foam draft stopper at the bottom of the door is cheap and needs no installation.
• Removable window film kits. Shrink-film insulation kits attach with double-sided tape and come off in the spring. Test the tape in a hidden spot first, and remove it slowly so it does not pull paint.
• Removable weatherstripping and rope caulk. Rope caulk presses into window gaps by hand and peels off later. Ask your landlord before using adhesive weatherstripping or permanent caulk.
• Take out the window AC. If you have a window unit, ask about removing or covering it for winter, since the gaps around it let in a lot of cold air.
• Report the big problems. A window that will not latch, a cracked pane, or a door with daylight showing around it is a repair request, not a project for you. Send it in writing with the date and a photo.

Use your windows and curtains

On sunny days, open the curtains on windows that get direct sun to let free warmth in, then close them after dark so the cold glass chills the room less. Thicker curtains on a tension rod or an existing curtain rod are an easy, no-holes upgrade. Keep curtains, furniture, and boxes off heating vents, radiators, and baseboard heaters so the warm air can move.

Space heater safety

A small space heater can make one cold room comfortable, but heaters cause home fires every winter. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends these basics (CPSC: Keep Warm and Safe This Winter):

• Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from drapes, furniture, bedding, and anything else that can burn.
• Plug it straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip.
• Turn it off when you go to sleep.

It also makes sense to turn it off when you leave the room, and to look for a model that shuts itself off if it tips over. Check your lease too, since some buildings limit space heaters. And never use an oven or gas stove to heat your apartment.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Winter is when heating equipment runs the most, so test your alarms now. The CPSC recommends carbon monoxide alarms on every level of a home and outside sleeping areas (CPSC: Carbon Monoxide Information Center). If you have gas heat, a gas stove, or an attached garage and do not see a CO alarm, ask your landlord about one. Press the test button on every alarm. If one does not sound, report it in writing right away. If a CO alarm goes off, get outside to fresh air and call 911.

Prevent frozen pipes

A burst pipe can damage your things and your neighbors' units. On the coldest nights:

• Keep the heat on, even when you are away.
• Open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• If your landlord agrees, let a faucet drip slightly overnight.
• If a faucet only trickles when it is very cold, the pipe may be freezing. Tell your landlord right away, and never use an open flame to thaw it.

Know where your water shut-off valve is, so you can stop a leak fast while you wait for maintenance.

Lower the rest of your winter bill

• Dress the bed and the couch. Flannel sheets, a heavy blanket, and a throw on the couch let you keep the thermostat lower and still be comfortable.
• Use LED bulbs. Winter means more hours with the lights on. LED bulbs use much less electricity than old incandescent bulbs. Keep the old bulbs to put back at move-out if your lease requires it.
• Close off unused rooms carefully. Shutting the door to a spare room you rarely use can help, but do not block vents or let that room get cold enough to freeze pipes.
• Ask about budget billing. Many utilities offer a plan that spreads your yearly bill into even monthly payments, so winter does not hit all at once. Call your utility or check its website.
• Look for help if you need it. If heating bills are hard to pay, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible households. Find your local office at ACF: LIHEAP.

When the heat stops working

If your heat goes out or cannot keep the apartment warm, report it right away using the official method in your lease, like a portal, email, or form. Say what is happening and when it started, include the indoor temperature if you have a thermometer, and keep a copy with the date. Many states and cities set rules about heat in rentals, so check your state's renter rights guide or your local housing office if repairs do not happen.

Just moved in? The free First Week in Your Apartment checklist covers your first week, and our utilities guide explains which accounts to start before move-in.

General tips only. Follow your lease and building rules, and ask your property manager before changing anything in the unit. Not legal advice.