Ultimately, the best option to low electricity costs is to try to find the best electricity rate and plan possible to lower your monthly costs. That said, here are some simple tips you can implement in order to reduce your energy expenses. Keep these tips in mind, whether you rent, or own, your property as they can drastically help make your electricity bills more manageable.
Change your thermostat by a few degrees. Dialing your thermostat down just a few degrees during the winter and a few degrees up during the summer can make a major difference in your monthly bill. Chances are you won?t even notice the difference in temperature.
Turn your heat and air down when you leave the house. It takes less energy than you think to re-cool your home right when you get back, and with programmable thermostats, you can set your home to automatically shut off the AC or heat when you leave.
Insulate your electric switches. Many people do not realize that air can be coming in and out of the home through the wall switches. You can buy rubber insulators for these switches at the hardware store for just a few dollars.
Replace your filters often. Clogged air filters can actually cause your HVAC system to work harder than it needs to, thus increasing your monthly energy bill. Make sure to replace that filter every one to three months.
Use power strips. Power strips do more than just give you more outlets. They can help you save energy, and you can even turn them on and off with a remote. Consolidate several similar appliances or items in your entertainment system to a single power strip to save energy.
Weatherstrip your doors and windows. Many people know about weatherstripping their outside doors, but it is just as important to weatherstrip your windows as well. This is a small investment that can make a major difference in your home?s energy bills.
Lower the temperature on your water heater. If you look at your water heater, you can actually set a max temperature on your device. If you lower this by a few degrees you will end up saving a great deal on your monthly costs and chances are you will hardly notice the difference. Most units are set to 140 degrees fahrenheit, when most people don?t need their water to ever reach higher than 120 degrees.
Switch your bulbs. Next time you need new bulbs for any of your light fixtures, consider energy efficient LEDs or CFLS, they can reduce your lighting costs by up to 80% and chances are you won?t have to replace them again as long as you are in your apartment.
The great things about these renter-centered tips is that you can make these small improvements to your rental property for very little money. It can be difficult to want to invest a lot of money in a home you don?t own, but with these small changes, you can expect to see a big impact on your monthly bill.
