I lived in a lot of worn down apartments through our 20s.
- There were arenas that were falling apart where the property owners did little to no repair of any kind, regardless of several plumbing or electrical problems.
I got used to drafty buildings with leaky windows and sketchy wiring. Even if I had known our renter’s rights, I would have had no clue how to enforce them or who to turn to on our behalf. Therefore, when I finally purchased our own home, there was a lot for myself and others to learn. Caulking inside and outside your apartment is 1 of the most important and particularly missed pieces of apartment repair. One arena that constantly needs a slim seal of caulk is the washroom. The arena where your bedroom sink meets the surface of the counter needs to be sealed, and the cracks and base of your shower or bathtub. Making sure these areas are caulked will prevent water from seeping behind the cement and causing mold to grow out of view. Surprisingly, these are not the only areas in your apartment that need to be sealed. Window frames need to be caulked to prevent air leakage. Your home’s insulation capabilities, or its R value, is directly affected by the quality of the seals between your home’s frame and the outdoor air. When I went around our apartment applying silicone caulk in the areas listed above, I started to notice an increase in air conditioning performance the really next day. It felt appreciate the inside of our apartment was staying cooler longer, with shorter and less frequent cycles with the central air conditioning.