In our role as energy providers, every day we have the opportunity to speak with homeowners and teach them how to lower the electric bill in their apartment. Over time, we have compiled those strategies into posts with the hopes of passing those savings along to others. In putting all of that information together, something that has become apparent is that there is a need for savings strategies, not just for homeowners, but for those living in apartments, as well. So, for those renting apartments, here are some tips for you to save money and lower your electric bills.
Here is what you need to do to reduce your apartment’s electric bill
Table of Contents
1. Use lights only when you need them
Though it is one of the most widely corrected habits from childhood, leaving the lights on when they are not needed stays with a surprising amount of people. Because of this, one of the biggest contributors to high electricity bills stems from people needlessly wasting electricity within their homes. To begin counteracting this, you could consider motion-detecting lights within your home that automatically turn off after extended periods without movement. You could also invest in light timers throughout your home. Using these, you could select one or two light sources in central locations to power on, allowing you to minimize the number of lights you require. And when the preselected hour rolls around, the lights will automatically turn off helping you save on your electric bill.
2. Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs
Even if you know you’re not going to stay for a long time in your current apartment, making the switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs(CFLs) will be beneficial. CFLs do have a greater price than other kinds of lightbulbs, but what the slight uptick in cost will get you is a light that consumes less and lasts longer. In comparison to incandescent lights, CFLs use less than a third of the energy and can last anywhere from ten to fifteen times as long. In the long run, the amount you’ll save on electricity will make investing in CFLs a no-brainer.
3. Same Kind Of Bulbs To A Fixture
The gradual switch over to energy-efficient lights generally happens as bulbs go out. For those using bulb outages as an opportunity to become more energy-efficient, it may come as a surprise that combining energy-efficient bulbs with standard ones in a single fixture can actually end up costing you more. The reason for this is that the heat that comes from the incandescent lights dramatically reduces the life of CFLs, undermining the expense paid for a longer-lasting bulb. In a fixture with multiple lights, it is important that you refrain from using CFLs and incandescent bulbs simultaneously.
4. Dust Your Lamps And Light Fixtures
Giving your lamps and light fixtures a dusting every now and again does more than provide their surfaces a necessary cleaning. Oftentimes, the buildup of dirt and debris on bulbs will actually reduce the amount of light they can emit. When homeowners fail to realize what is going on, they will sometimes add light sources to solve the problem and increase the brightness of the room. Though this strategy does work, it comes at the cost of a greater monthly energy bill. To eliminate this expense, regularly dust off your lamps and light fixtures to allow them to give off their maximum shine.
5. Decrease The Heater
On drastically colder days or during the winter months, the temperatures within apartments can drop to less than comfortable levels. To beat the cold, many people turn to the aid of portable and baseboard heaters to help get the temperature back up. The problem with the heaters is that they use up a considerable amount of energy and are not energy-efficient. Especially when left on in an attempt to keep the heat, this warmth can be expensive. One way to cut that cost can be to use the heat supplied by warm clothing. By bundling up just a bit more than usual around the house, you can continue to leave the heat on at a lower setting, keeping yourself warm and the cost to do so low.
6. Get new Curtains And Shades for your apartment
Curtains and window shades are often thought of as tools for keeping out the heat, but in the winter, they can be just as effective in helping you keep your home warm. This is done naturally, as the sunlight that pours into our homes through the windows causes the interior to heat up. Curtains and shades can help minimize that heat as lighter-colored varieties can reflect sunlight and promote cooler temperatures. For certain darker-colored curtains, heat is absorbed. There are even special kinds of shades that are meant to absorb more than usual and heat up your home. This helps to keep the temperature up so that you don’t have to use as much electric energy to heat your apartment.
