Rising costs of energy don’t have to break your budget. As a tenant, you can do more than you think to reduce your bills. Small daily habits and a few changes can produce real savings without any major renovations.
This guide will provide you with simple ways to help you increase the efficiency of your home, keep a little more money in your pocket, and be more comfortable.
Simple Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency at Home
There are a few simple behavioral changes you can commit to with little or no cost that will help you considerably decrease your energy bill.
- Stop Phantom Energy Use: Plug all electronics (TVs, computers, gaming consoles, etc.) into a smart power strip. When you aren’t using them, turn off the power strip, which will stop them from silently sucking the electricity that you are paying for. You will probably see a reduction in your bill.
- Optimize Your Thermostat: Change the temperature on your thermostat by 7-10°F for any 8 hour period each day (eg. while you are sleeping or away from home). This simple practice can save you up to 10% on heating and cooling costs each year with minimal sacrifice to comfort.
- Utilize Natural Light and Heat: Open the curtains on windows that face south during the day. This will allow the sun to provide free heating and lighting for the hours that sunlight is available. During the hottest months, close the blinds to dampen heat and try to lighten the load of your air conditioning.
- Change Your Laundry Habits: Always use cold water to wash your clothes (you save the electricity that you would have used to heat the water). Run your washing machine and dryer only when you have a full load of clothes to improve your efficiency. Clean the lint trap of the dryer after every cycle.
- Do a Draft Search: On a windy day, go around feeling for drafts coming from your windows, doors, and electrical outlets. If you feel a draft, seal it up with inexpensive weather stripping or foam gaskets to stop your heated or cooled air from escaping.
If you follow the five suggestions above, you will transform your domicile into a more energy efficient space that is less expensive to run and more enjoyable to live in.
How to Save on Your Electric Bill with Practical Habits
Image Alt Text: Shallow Focus Photography of Yellow String Light
Simple changes like turning off lights when not in use are effective ways of how to save on your electric bill. Some ways include:
Conquer Phantom Loads
Many devices, such as game consoles, entertainment systems, and phone chargers, draw some power all the time, even when they are shut off. This is called phantom energy drain, and you can easily eliminate phantom energy draw by plugging these devices into smart power strips. Smart power strips will instantly cut power to devices when they are in standby mode.
Optimize Your Thermostat Settings
Heating and cooling typically account for the largest portion of your electric bill. You can make a substantial impact on your annual bill by setting your thermostat back 7-10°F for eight hours a day while you are at work or asleep.
Programmable thermostats make changing your settings more convenient and cost-effective by automatically returning your home to your comfort level when you are there, and maximizing efficiency when you are not.
Practice Water Heating Wisdom
Your water heater is an energy hog, and you can help it a little by washing your clothes in cold water, which is as effective for most loads. In addition to that, for a direct reduction in the amount of hot water that you are using, try to take shorter showers and install low-flow aerators on faucets and showerheads. This is an immediate way to save some money on your bill without losing your utility.
Upgrade to LED Lighting
If you’re using incandescent or CFL bulbs, making the switch is one of the easiest, most effective upgrades imaginable. LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy and last years longer, which means you’ll be saving money on both your electric bill and the cost of new bulbs. So remember to replace the bulbs in the fixtures you use most, like the kitchen and living room, first.
Maintain Appliance Efficiency
An appliance that is fighting hard to perform can use extra energy. Preventing this from happening is typically a matter of small maintenance. Remove dust from your refrigerator’s condenser coils to prevent it from working hard to stay cold.
The same goes with your dryer. Cleaning your dryer’s lint filter after every single load to increases air circulation and cuts drying time, and significant savings in electricity.
Choosing Energy-Efficient Appliances and Smart Home Devices
By purposefully selecting the appliances and devices you use in your rental, you may be able to achieve significant long-term savings on your utilities, even if no permanent alterations are made.
Prioritize the ENERGY STAR® Label
When you buy a new appliance (such as a mini fridge or window AC unit), the most reliable indicator of efficiency is whether it has the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR® is a government program that certifies products meeting energy performance standards set by the EPA.
When selecting these types of models, you can be assured that you will use fewer watts of energy for the same tasks, resulting in reduced operating costs, a longer lifespan, and better eco-friendliness.
Right-Size Your Appliances
Because large appliances consume a significant amount of energy, you should carefully consider your actual needs before making a purchase. For instance, a large refrigerator used by a small household simply expends energy cooling empty space. Likewise, a large window air conditioning unit will cycle on/off so frequently that it may very well use more power than a right-sized unit operating continuously.
Invest in Smart Plugs and Power Strips
For renters, smart plugs are one of the easiest and most effective ways to upgrade your smart home. Essentially, smart plugs allow you to automate and control power to nearly any plugged-in device through your smartphone.
This can help you schedule lamps to turn off, completely eliminate phantom loads from entertainment centers by simply cutting the power on a schedule, and you can check real-time energy usage for your biggest power users.
Select Efficient Window AC Units
If you need a window air conditioner, you only need to understand two important metrics: the BTU rating for your area and its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). A unit with a higher EER rating will give you the same cooling power while using less electricity. If you get a unit too small for your room, it will run constantly.
If you get a unit sized too large, it will cool off your room too quickly and not dehumidify properly. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the appropriate BTU size for your space to operate efficiently.
Communicate with Your Landlord
If the appliance provided, such as a refrigerator, HVAC system, etc., is old, broken, or really inefficient, let them know about it. A broken appliance can be a significant, undisclosed source of higher energy bills.
A reputable property management company would see that updating to a new, efficient unit is beneficial for you and them. Many landlords trust Northern Virginia property managers to handle tenant screening and lease enforcement. It is a reasonable request that can positively impact the efficiency of your home at no additional cost to you.
Conclusion
As a tenant, you have a lot more influence over your energy costs than you think. Renter’s often require more flexibility. Just Energy’s Renter’s Choice plan features fixed rates and flexible cancellations.With some smart habits, a few low-cost changes, and some careful choices regarding energy-efficient rates, you can create a more efficient and more pleasant home life.
This will lead to direct savings in your monthly bills and a reduced impact on our environment. If you want definitive direction to reduce your electricity bill, check out all the resources provided by the area property management professionals.