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Many renters don’t realize how much they can do to lower energy bills. Most landlords, quite understandably, are not going to give you permission to tear out and replace windows or make other major modifications. However, you’ll be surprised ad just how many things you can do to save energy and rein in wild utility bills. Lighting Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use 75 percent less electricity than old-style incandescent bulbs. Although they cost more, CFLs have come down in price in recent years and they last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. On average, you can trim about 7 percent from your electricity bill by switching to CFLs. You can cut lighting costs even more if you get in the habit of turning lights off when you aren’t using them. Temperature Keeping the temperature in an apartment comfortable is usually the biggest part of your utility bills. Try setting the thermostat to 20 degrees C (68 F) in winter and 25 C (78 F) in summer. This is comfortable for most people and can lower your heating bill 10 to 25 percent. In winter, take advantage of the sun by opening blinds or drapes on sunny days. In summer, keep them closed. You might also want to install insulated drapes. Another option is to install reflective curtains or drapes that keep heat in. Air Leaks Leaking air can increase heating and cooling costs by up to 25 percent. Check the weather stripping around windows and doors for wear, cracks and gaps. Your landlord may be willing to replace worn seals. If not, this is an inexpensive fix you can do yourself. Inspect electrical outlets and places where pipes enter walls for leaks. It’s fairly easy to plug these with inexpensive cover plates or with spackle. You can further reduce air leaks and provide extra insulation by installing plastic film on windows or covering them with plastic sheeting. You can find weather stripping, outlet cover plates and decorative window film and sheeting that are both attractive and removable at home supply stores. Water If you pay for water in an apartment, you don’t want to waste it. Check faucets for leaks. Don’t forget the commode – that’s where the most and biggest leaks are likely to occur. Ask your landlord to repair leaks and to install flow restrictors on all faucets. Flow restrictors are not expensive and can reduce water use significantly. Large Appliances Water heaters, clothes dryers and refrigerators are the three biggest energy-consuming appliances. You can cut the energy used by your water heater by setting the temperature to 49 C (120 F). Lowering the temperature can reduce the energy used to heat water by up to 25 percent. If you like especially hot baths, run the water slowly and the water heater will keep a steady flow of hot water coming. A good way to keep from wasting energy with clothes dryer is to only run full loads. To save money on refrigerating food, check to make sure the temperature is set to the level recommended by the manufacturer. Avoid opening the refrigerator door unnecessarily and don’t leave it standing open. Finally, inspect the rubber seal around the refrigerator door periodically to make sure it is free of cracks and holes. Tell your landlord when the seal needs replacing. Major Electronics Modern electrical devices such as televisions, sound systems and computers don’t entirely stop using electricity when you turn them off. Three are two things you can do to save this energy. First, you can unplug electronic devices when you aren’t using them. This can be rather inconvenient, so the second option may be more to your liking. Purchase a “smart” power strip for these electronic devices. Smart strips are available at electronics stores and can be set to completely shut off the flow of electricity when a device is turned off. When you examine your apartment for possible energy savings, you might find that appliances are old and inefficient models or that more insulation is needed. Suggesting these things to your landlord can’t hurt. Even if he refuses, taking positive steps to save on energy will mean sending less of your hard-earned money to the utility company. Sam Jones the author of this article is seriously thinking of buying an energy monitor in the hope that he can be aware of just what appliances are using alot of energy.
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energy saving light bulbs, energy efficiency, energy saving, utility bill savings,
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