Your electric bill can be a substantial part of your housing costs unless you take some reasonable steps to save energy. If your apartment uses electric heat, and you live up north, or if you live in the Sunbelt, the savings can really add up. Air conditioning, laundry, dishwashing, and artificial lighting can still cost a substantial amount of money each year. Most of these tips help you lower your bill for free! There are plenty of ways to save money on utility costs. And anyone can do some of these simple changes.
Energy Efficient Blinds
Homes that have lots of windows may also have a significant amount of energy lost. In this case, you might want to consider using energy efficient blinds. These blinds designed to trap warm air in your home in the winter and keep cold air out. You can also consider getting thermal curtains to make sure no heat is escaping from your home. The nice thing about thermal curtains is that they also help block out the sun in the summer and keep your house cooler.
Invest in Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Lighting has changed dramatically over the years and the latest trend, LED lights, are incredibly efficient. For example, a 40-watt LED bulb uses only six watts of power, which is 85 percent less energy than a standard light bulb. Although LED bulbs are more expensive, they are worth the investment. Depending on usage, a single bulb could last up to 20 years and costs only 72 cents a year to operate. Plus, you can take these energy savers with you when you move.
Turn Down That Water Heater
If you’ve got an individual water heater in your apartment, take advantage of the savings you can earn by turning down the temperature of the water. Think about it: when you take a shower, you have to add cold water to the hot coming out of the faucet. If you lower the temperature to something closer to shower temperature, you’ll save money while still having comfortable showers. In addition, look for water heater insulated jackets to wrap around your tank. They reduce heat loss to save even more energy.
Air Dry Clothes
If your apartment came with a washer and dryer, that’s great. You can save time and it is much easier to save a little energy by air drying some clothing at home. Buy a drying rack and put it in the tub where your clothes can drip dry without making a mess. If you have a full washer, you can fill the dryer and save a bit of energy that way. As with drying dishes with a machine, machine-drying your wet clothing isn’t always necessary.
Cut the Use of Kitchen Utensils
Set your fridge to between 38 and 40 degrees. Higher, and bacteria can grow. Lower, you're just using energy to cool your food more than necessary. For the oven, use glass or ceramic pans, instead of metal. You can decrease the temperature setting by 25 degrees without altering the cooking time.
For more details: Noel Projects
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