When you rent, it’s possible to feel like you have no control over your heating bill. You can’t change the windows, doors or insulation ? so how can you take control and really lower your heating bill? Get started with the following tips:
Tip #1: Cut back on hot water use.
A lot of people don’t think about their water heaters as a source for higher natural gas bills. If you have scalding water in your shower, your hot water heater setting may be too high. Changing it is as simple as dialing down your water heater temperature. If you don’t have access to it, contact your maintenance person or landlord to assist with dialing it down.
Tip #2: Find opportunities to insulate.
If you find that a problem area in your home is allowing heat to leave, you can opt to weather strip around windows and doors. This usually won’t cause your landlord to hit you with a fee when you move out, but check with your landlord first to be safe. If they decide weather stripping isn’t allowed, place old towels or packing foam near drafty windows and remove them in the spring.
Tip #3: Cook strategically.
This tip takes some planning, but if you could swap your stove use for smaller appliances, it can help you save on energy costs. For example, is it necessary to bake one pan of brownies in your oven or can you make those in a toaster oven? There are also a lot of great crockpot recipes out there that won’t require natural gas thus making your bill lower.
Find other ways to lower your bill by visiting our website or signing up for a Renter’s Energy Assessment today. What’s your favorite energy saving tip? Share it below and we may use it in a future #SundaySavers post.
