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Renters
| Saving
Energy In Your Apartment |
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| If
you are currently renting, these tips will help you save money on
utility bills while keeping comfortable. |
| Temperature
Control |
-Setting
your temperature will affect your savings. Your thermostat shouldn't be
set no higher than 72 degrees during the day/evening while your at home.
-Consider lowering your thermostat below 72 degrees at night and while
you away from home.
-If you feel you cannot stay warm DO NOT use the stove for additional
heat, contact your building manager; there could be a problem with your furnace.
-If your building uses a central boiler, you could close the radiator
valves in the rooms that are too warm. Also notify the building manager
that your apartment is too warm.
-On sunny days, take advantage of the free heat. Open blinds and shades,
especially if your windows face south. During the summer, close shades
and blinds to keep heat out.
-In the evening during the summer, open window to allow cooler air in in
the evening and early morning. |
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| Hot
Water |
-If
you don't have a hot water heater that supplies hot water for all the
apartment, this section does not apply to you.
-If you leave for vacation, turn the water heater down.
-Consider turning down the water temperature until you have reached a
comfortable setting. A temperature of 115 degrees provides comfortable
hot water for most uses.
-Check your owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendation about
insulating the hot water tank. Some do not recommend adding insulation
around the tank.
-Notify immediately the building manager if any of your faucets leak.
Wasted water are sending you energy dollars down the drain.
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| Kitchen
Stove |
-Consider
picking the average temperature of foods that you are cooking and use
this temperature to cook your food.
-Clean your oven regularly. Use pots and pans that fit burners. Pans
that fit a burner absorb more the energy.
-Use the broiler when possible. The broiler uses less energy and
preheating is not required.
-Use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking.
-Use your oven light when cooking, opening the door off on reduces the
temperature by 25 degrees and makes your oven work harder to keep the
desired temperature.
-Don't use the oven to heat your apartment. This is a fire hazard, the
fumes given off will make you sick.
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| Refrigerator |
-Check
the gasket (the soft plastic piece that seals the door to the
refrigerator). If it doesn't close firmly to the refrigerator, cold air
will leak out. Replace if necessary.
-Let food cool before putting it in the refrigerator.
-Clean coils located on the back of your refrigerator. Use a vacuum
cleaner or a soft brush.
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| Washing
Machine and Dryer |
-To
save money use hot water for very dirty clothes, most clothes can be
washed in cold water.
-Try to do full loads of laundry which will save you money and energy or
properly set your washing machine to the proper setting for your load.
-Do overload the washer, this is a waste of water and energy and your
clothes won't get as clean as they should be.
-Be sure to clean out your dryer's lint filter after every load. Your
dryer's efficiency won't be as high as it should be.
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| Window
Air Conditioner |
-If
you are considering buying an air conditioner, choose one with an EER of
at least 10. Although there are air conditioners higher than 10, they do
cost more.
-Remove and clean the filter of your unit every month to help save money
and keep the air cleaner in your home.
-Check to make sure the fresh air vent is closed so you're not cooling
the outside air.
-If possible, put the air conditioner on the shady side of your home.
When the cooling season is over, consider removing the air conditioner
rather than keeping it in your window.
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