I started feeling something Monday night. It didn’t take me long to figure out that a cold was coming on. I get about four major colds / flus every year. They usually last about a week. So, I’m resting at home today, like yesterday, surfing the Internet, eating, sleeping, and keeping warm.
Keeping warm is important. Fall has come full force in Beijing, with colder temperatures outside, and waiting for the heat to be turned on inside. I think the heat got turned on yesterday in my building. For now, it’s only on for a few hours in the morning (before work) and in the evening (after work). So my apartment has gone from 13°C to 15°C. And believe me, this is a very noticeable difference. It’s very welcome, too.
While I was feeling industrious today, I cleaned the filters from my air conditioner (which acts in reverse as a heat pump, to give my bedroom sufficient heat) so it will work better. Better means warmer. And better means more efficient. I also put plastic over my bedroom window to seal off the airflow from outside. I had to open the windows in the apartment for a while to get rid of the condensation on the window frame so the tape would stick. But this dehumidification stage didn’t last too long, plus the sun was shining on the window frame at that point. I reused the plastic from last winter, so it was already cut to fit. Last year, while hunting for a plastic solution, I came upon the idea of using a clear plastic shower curtain from IKEA. It cost me $3 CDN. Easy to cut and very durable. By sealing the window, I will gain a few more degrees in the apartment’s ambient temperature. When the heat comes on full-time (will it?) later on in the winter, I’ll be in good shape.