Save Energy in your Apartment

How To Save Energy In Your Apartment

Morgenson RealtyApartment Living, Apartment Renting, Apartment Tips, Quality Living, Renting Tips, Save on electricity

Conserving energy means reducing your carbon footprint and saving more money on electric bills by using less energy. On the other hand, you can also be energy efficient by using products and appliances designed to use even less energy. Don’t worry, you can actually do both – conserve energy by being efficient! Below are energy saving tips for your apartment.

If you are a renter, you can’t really make drastic changes to your apartment without the approval of your landlord. But, don’t worry! That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to save energy in your apartment. There are actually many basic and easy ways to do it.

Weatherstrip Your Windows

Sealing any air leaks in your windows (and doors) can help you save energy. When your apartment loses heat in the winter because of these air leaks, your heating system works overtime to produce more heat which forces your energy consumption to increase. Same goes with air conditioning during summer. Proper weatherstripping can help keep the heat/cold inside during the winter/summer, and keep the outside air from coming in.

There are a variety of ways to do this, but the simplest one would be to DIY plastic, felt, or vinyl. You could also opt for draft stoppers or door sweeps in for the bottom of your doors. If  you haven’t have the time to do any of these yet, just roll a towel in front of your window sills to prevent any drafts from coming through.

Another helpful tip during the summer is to use blinds (or blackout shades) and keep them down in the morning. Morning sunshine is good, but the longer you let it in, the hotter your apartment will be. More heat causes your air conditioning unit to overwork, which causes higher energy consumption.

Replace Your Light Bulbs with LED Ones

Not only do LED light bulbs consume less energy than the usual ones, they also cost less! If you don’t want to change all the light bulbs in your apartment, then start with the fixtures and lamps that you use more often.

Still, the number one rule to save energy is to turn off the lights (and fans) when not in use. It’s free and very easy to do!

Reduce Hot Water Usage

Using less hot water also uses less energy to produce heat. Whenever you can, use cold water when showering or take shorter hot showers.

Another thing you can do is to wash your clothes in cold water. A full load under cold water can already save a lot of water and electricity, plus it cleans the same!

Avoid Phantom Power or Energy Vampires

When you leave your devices and appliances plugged in when not in use, they still consume energy which is called phantom or vampire power. Examples of these are your phone chargers, tv, toasters, coffee machines, and even your power strips. So, for an efficient energy saving, you could purchase some smart power strips which can automatically turn off electricity whenever you turn your devices off. Or, you could just unplug any devices that are not in use.

These tips are only a few ways to save energy in your apartment without doing drastic changes and spending money. Whether it’s your own house or you are just renting, make smarter choices and less negative impact on the environment by conserving energy efficiently.