Nothing feels quite as nice as reducing your utility bills and going green at the same time. For many renters, the idea of having complete control over your energy use may seem like a far off dream. But in reality, there are a ton of simple ways to cut back on your overall energy use and save on your bills each month. Reduce your carbon footprint, save money and keep your apartment home comfortable year round with these easy tips.
1. Replace Your Bulbs
Change up your current lighting situation by ditching those outdated incandescent bulbs and switching to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). On average, CFLs last about 10 times longer than standard bulbs and use 75 percent less energy. LED bulbs are mercury free and can last anywhere from 3 to 5 times longer than CFLs.
2. Enjoy Clean Air
Sticking to a regular schedule for replacing your dirty air filters will help your furnace perform better by allowing better airflow and will also keep the air in your apartment cleaner. A faulty furnace can really raise your utility bill. Use less energy to heat and cool your home by replacing the air filters every 2 to 3 months.
3. Clean Your Refrigerator
When you rent a home or commercial place you’re unlikely to upgrade to the most energy efficient appliances available but that doesn’t mean you can’t help your large appliances work better. Be sure to clean the coils on the back of the fridge when you deep clean around the home. A clean refrigerator equals an efficient refrigerator.
4. Stop Rinsing Your Dishes
If you have a dishwasher in your apartment you’re already saving a ton more water than you would if you washed your dishes by hand. But pre-rinsing each time you do the dishes is totally unnecessary. In fact, if you skip this step you can save up to 6,500 gallons of water each year.
5. Take a Green Shower
If you switch out your standard shower heads for low-flow options you’ll be doing the earth a huge favor and reducing your water bill. It’s a win-win. With a low-flow shower head you’ll only use about 1.5 gallons of water each time you shower versus 5 gallons with a conventional shower head.
6. Unplug While You’re Away
Going away for the weekend? Then there’s simply no reason to keep all of your appliances plugged in while you’re away from home. Even though your TV and microwave aren’t switched on when you’re out of the house, they are still using a small amount of energy while plugged in. Just one cell phone charger left unplugged while not in use will save you an average of $20 per year! Apply that to TVs and stereos and you’ll see quite a bit of savings annually. Also, make sure to hire the contractor if you feel that there are any appliances that are not working properly, they could be compromising a lot more energy because of this Nifty Naperville Appliance Repair
7. Seal Up Your Home
During the cooler months, it’s always a good idea to keep precious heat from escaping your apartment home by sealing all doors and windows. Door sweeps can easily keep the cool air at bay. Use plastic seals over windows to keep the wind from howling and trap all the nice, warm air inside.
Reduce Utility Bills and Enjoy a Happy Home
With just a few adjustments to the way you think about using energy and an investment in more advanced equipment, anyone can reduce their carbon footprint. Keep your utility bills down and go green with these easy tips!
