Yeah, sealing up every crack sounds good until you’re dealing with drippy ceilings and that musty smell that just won’t quit. I’ve always worried about folks blocking off bathroom fans—seems risky from a moisture and even a safety standpoint. Has anyone tried those trickle vents or adjustable window vents? I’m curious if they actually help balance airflow without losing too much heat. Heavy curtains and door snakes have worked for me, but I still get cold spots... especially in the bedroom.
I get where you’re coming from about sealing everything up, but honestly, I’ve seen more issues from folks going overboard with vents and window gadgets than just sticking to the basics. Trickle vents can help a bit, but if your insulation or airflow is off elsewhere, they’re kind of a band-aid. I’d double-check your attic insulation and make sure your bedroom door isn’t trapping cold air—sometimes just leaving it cracked at night makes a surprising difference. Blocking bathroom fans is a no-go in my book, though... that’s just asking for mold headaches down the line.
I hear you on the bathroom fan—blocking that is just asking for trouble. We tried to “fix” our cold bedroom by adding one of those door draft stoppers, but it actually made things worse. Turns out, the furnace return was in the hallway, so with the door sealed tight, barely any warm air got in. Once we ditched the draft stopper and left the door cracked, temps evened out a lot. Sometimes it’s the little airflow tweaks that help more than all the gadgets. Still, I do wish there was a cheap fix for that living room sauna effect...
Honestly, I totally get the temptation to block drafts wherever you can, but it’s wild how much airflow matters. We had a similar issue—tried weatherstripping every door and window, thinking it’d help with heating bills. Ended up making one room stuffy and another freezing. It’s such a balancing act. I know it feels counterintuitive, but sometimes cracking a door or vent just a bit does more than any fancy gadget. As for the living room sauna thing... yeah, still trying to figure that out myself. Maybe some strategic fan placement could help, but I’m always paranoid about messing with the system too much.
I know it feels counterintuitive, but sometimes cracking a door or vent just a bit does more than any fancy gadget.
Funny how that works, right? I tried sealing up every little gap in our old place thinking I’d save a ton on heating, but then the bedroom felt like an icebox and the hallway was boiling. Ended up just shuffling towels around and opening doors a crack. I get nervous about fans too—always worried about fire hazards or overloading outlets. Sometimes low-tech is just safer, even if it’s not perfect.
