Of the 45+ million renter households in the U.S., more than half live in an apartment building. If you currently fall into this population, you might be getting monthly headaches thanks to your apartment electricity bill. You want to save energy, but you’re not allowed to make many of the energy-saving improvements you often see suggested by your Texas electricity company.
What’s a renter to do? Follow our apartment electricity savings guide to maximize your energy efficiency while living in a space that’s not yours to fully customize.
How to save money when you rent an apartment
Lowering your average apartment electric bill will take some time and effort, but the savings could add up. Here are some of the primary areas of apartment living to concentrate on as you begin your energy conservation journey.
Thermostat & temperature settings
Since cooling and heating can account for much of your apartment electricity bills, let’s start with effective ways to manage the temperature inside your apartment.
- Upgrade your thermostat. If you don’t already have a programmable or smart thermostat, ask your apartment complex or landlord if they can install one. Though there is a cost involved, this can go a long way in keeping tenants happy and helping to reduce energy usage.
A programmable thermostat lets you set temperature schedules so you don’t end up using your air conditioner or heater when you’re not around. A wireless-enabled smart thermostat takes efficiency even further, learning your comfort zones and allowing you to adjust the temperature remotely. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that users of smart thermostats can save an average of 8% on their electricity bills.
- Adjust your temperature settings. Energy.gov notes that you can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling costs by turning your thermostat setting back 7°-10° from its normal setting for 8 hours a day. Even if you can’t adjust it that much, or for that long, every degree warmer in summer and cooler in winter can net you savings.
- Use fans. While it won’t cool your room, a fan blowing in your general direction will make you feel cooler, thanks to the wind chill effect. Use this phenomenon as an opportunity to raise your thermostat a few degrees to save on your apartment energy bill without sacrificing any comfort. In the winter, a ceiling fan rotating clockwise can distribute warm air throughout a room.
Lighting
Did you know that lighting accounts for around 15% of an average home’s energy usage? Even though you’re renting, you can still be smart about your apartment lighting and find easy ways to save.
- Use LEDs. If your apartment still has incandescent bulbs in the light fixtures, swap them out with more energy-efficient LEDs. Though they are more expensive to purchase than other bulb types, they use much less energy and can last 25 times longer. Just remember to take those new bulbs with you when you move out of your apartment and replace them with the old bulbs!
- Rely on sunlight. Whenever possible, use the free and natural sunshine to light your rooms instead of artificial light.
- Turn off lights. Make it a habit to turn off lights when you leave a room so you don’t needlessly waste energy and wear out your bulbs.
Airflow
Keeping the air circulating efficiently in your apartment living areas is one of the biggest factors in how well a cooling or heating system works.
- Keep air vents clear. Avoid putting furniture, toys or other items in front of air vents, as it can block circulation and cause your HVAC system to work harder.
- Change air filters. If you’re responsible for changing the air filters in your apartment, set a monthly reminder on your calendar to stay on top of this task. Clean air isn’t just essential to good health and keeping allergies under control — it can also help your air conditioner and heater run more efficiently.
- Get fresh air. In summer, open up windows in your apartment in the early morning and/or evenings to let some fresh air in while the temperature is cool. This can help you use your air conditioner less.
- Stop drafts under doors. Don’t let expensive cooled or heated air escape under your doorway — use a draft stopper. You can even make one yourself with some basic DIY skills.
Electronics & appliances
Get the most out of your electricity-using devices without running up your apartment’s monthly electricity bill.
- Avoid standby power. Also known as vampire power, idle load, or phantom load. Standby power is the electricity your devices consume while plugged in but fully charged or not in use. While it’s a small amount per device, having many electronics plugged in 24/7 can add up to unneeded charges on your energy bill. To combat this waste, unplug small electronics when they’re not charging or being used. Or, use smart power strips or smart plugs to turn an outlet’s electricity on or off according to a schedule.
- Use energy-efficiency settings. TVs, laptops, monitors, kitchen appliances, and many other electronics have a sleep mode or power management feature. Enable these settings whenever possible.
- Be strategic. On hot days when the air conditioner is already working overtime, hold off on running your clothes dryer, dishwasher, or other heat-producing appliance until the evening.
Hot water usage
Saving water on its own is great for the environment. But conserving hot water means your water heater doesn’t have to use as much energy to keep heating more H20.
- Shower smarter. Shave off a few minutes from your daily cleanse or enjoy a warm — not hot — shower on summer days.
- Wash clothes in cold water. Most regular loads of laundry can be cleaned using cold water, except items that are heavily soiled or need to be sanitized.
- Switch to a low-flow showerhead and faucet aerators. Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm), but low-flow showerheads use 2.0 (or fewer) gpm. According to the EPA, simply switching to low-flow showerheads that have the WaterSense label can save the average family 2,700 gallons of water every year!
- Check your apartment’s water heater. According to Energy.gov, a water heater setting of 120° is hot enough for most households. If your water heater is set higher, ask your landlord to turn it down to 120° for energy efficiency and to prevent scalding.
Apartment maintenance requests
In addition to tweaking the water heater settings, you can ask your landlord to make other improvements to the apartment that can help you save electricity. They might realize the long-term value of your requested upgrades and the value of having happy, loyal tenants.
- Seal air leaks. While you can probably do this yourself, you’d need your landlord’s permission first. Ask them to fix these for you, so you don’t have to spend any of your own time or money.
- Upgrade to ENERGY STAR® appliances. If any of the appliances in your apartment are on the fritz, it doesn’t hurt to suggest some more efficient ENERGY STAR® models to your landlord.
- Install a ceiling fan. If the apartment lacks ceiling fans in often-used rooms, ask if one or more could be installed. As previously noted, using a fan in an occupied room lets you turn down your air conditioner and use less energy without sacrificing comfort.
Lifestyle
Sometimes, all it takes to save on your apartment electricity bill is a change in habits or routines.
- Don’t work from home. Having the flexibility to work from home is a major benefit, but keeping your HVAC system running all day long can cause your electric bill to spike. If you’re able to work from a library, café, or other comfortable space securely and effectively, you can ease up on your energy use at home.
- Dress for the weather. Layer up in winter. Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes in summer. And wear fabrics that keep you in your comfort zone without relying on your heating and cooling systems.
- Cook efficiently. Try using a slow cooker, pressure cooker, grill, or microwave instead of your stove and oven to prepare meals in summer.
- Launder with a purpose. We’ve mentioned washing clothes in cold water and waiting until the evening to run your dryer in summer, but there are several other ways to use your washer and dryer more efficiently. A few more ideas include: waiting until you have a full load, using wool laundry balls or clean tennis balls in the dryer to decrease drying time, and hang-drying your clothes outside (if allowed by your apartment complex).
Energy monitoring & electricity plans
Keeping a watchful eye on your usage and seeking out the best electricity plans for apartment living can help you keep your energy bills in check.
- Monitor your usage. About 73% of residential electricity customers in the U.S. have Smart Meters. If your apartment has a Smart Meter installed, you may be able to access and monitor your energy usage in near-real-time. Keeping track of your usage patterns can help you identify inefficiencies around your home and could reveal that a Time-of-Use electricity plan (like one with free nights or free weekends) might be a cost-effective option for you.
- Compare electricity plans. Once you have a handle on your electricity usage patterns and have looked over your historical usage, you can shop for a Texas power plan that meets your needs. Everything Energy’s innovative shopping tools help you narrow down your options and make apples-to-apples comparisons of plans from many of Texas’ trusted retail electricity providers.
- Research incentives. You may be eligible to participate in a demand response program from your retail electricity company or utility. This type of program rewards you when you help the electricity grid during peak usage periods by adjusting your thermostat to conserve energy.
Conclusion
As a renter, you may not always have the option to complete the same energy efficiency upgrades and fixes that a homeowner does. But as you can see from this apartment electricity savings guide, there are still many things you can do to become more energy efficient and potentially lower your average apartment electric bill.
To find the best energy provider for apartment living and your unique needs, shop and compare plans with Everything Energy today.