Tips for an
Energy-Efficient Apartment
Simple conservation measures can lower
your utility bills while increasing the comfort of your apartment. Although your
landlord is largely responsible for your building's condition and heating system
efficiency, and possibly the choice of major appliances, you make dozens of
energy decisions every day. The following tips suggest physical improvements and
energy-conscious habits that can reduce costs for space heating and cooling,
water heating, lighting, and appliance use. Before you implement any measures
requiring some alteration of your apartment, such as caulking and
weatherstripping, make sure to get your landlord's permission.
Space Heating and Cooling
During the heating season, set your
thermostat between 65° and 68° Fahrenheit (F) (18.3°-20° Centigrade [C])
during the day and at 60°F (15.6°C) before going to bed. People over 65,
infants, and people with certain illnesses risk hypothermia at temperatures
under 65° F (18.3° C). If you think you are at risk, consult your doctor
before turning down your thermostat. During the cooling season, set the air
conditioner at no lower than 78°F (25.6°C).
Keep your radiators clean. Dirt and dust
absorb heat and reduce heat output. Since radiator covers block air flow, you
need to remove them when the radiators are in use. Placing radiator reflectors
on the wall behind the radiator unit increases the amount of heat reflected
back into the room.
Arrange your furniture and drapes so
they do not block or obstruct registers (vents), radiators, or baseboard
heaters.
If heated air from a forced air system
enters your apartment through an inconveniently located register (for example,
under a piece of furniture), you should direct the air out into the room with
an air deflector. This is an inexpensive scoop-shaped device that attaches
over the register, typically with magnets.
If your main door opens to either an
unheated hallway or directly to the outdoors, make your door airtight. Warm
air can escape between the door frame and the wall. If this is the case in
your apartment, caulk between the frame and the wall. The loss of warm air is
frequently greatest under the bottom of the door. Prevent this by installing a
door sweep on the bottom edge of your door. A low-cost alternative to a door
sweep is a draft guard. This is a closed tube of cloth filled with sand that
is laid against the bottom of your door.
Weatherproof your windows to decrease
heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Caulk around the window
to decrease heat loss or gain. In the winter, use plastic sheeting over your
windows to act as temporary storm windows. Reasonably priced commercial
mounting kits are available. For greater savings, you may want to invest in
moveable insulation such as insulated curtains.
Dress for the season. If your apartment
feels chilly, try putting on another layer of clothing, such as a sweater or
jacket, before turning up the thermostat. In warm weather, wear loose,
lightweight, light-colored clothing that allows air to pass across your skin,
evaporating moisture and cooling you.
Winterize your room air conditioner. It
can let in drafts if left in place or uncovered during the winter. You should
use an inside cover in addition to (or, if you cannot safely reach the outside
of your unit, in place of) an outdoor cover.
If you use a room air conditioner, check
the filter at least once at the beginning of the cooling season. If it is
clogged, your unit will operate inefficiently and run longer than necessary.
Clean the filter or replace it. If you can do so safely, check and clean the
condenser coils and the grills on the outdoor side of the unit.
When the temperature outside is
comfortable, use a window or ceiling fan instead of the air conditioner. A fan
only requires a tenth of the energy needed to run an air conditioner.
If you have a fireplace without glass
doors, consider plugging it when it is not in use. Even a closed damper leaks
a large amount of heated air to the outdoors.
Lighting and Appliance Use
When leaving a room for even a short time,
turn off the lights.
Use natural sunlight in place of
electric lighting as much as possible.
Dirty windows let in less light, and
dirty light bulbs, fixtures and shades emit less light, so keep them clean.
Position lamps to make the most of their
light. For instance, you won't need to light up the whole room if you have a
lamp by your reading chair or at your desk.
Consider purchasing light-colored
furnishings, curtains, and rugs, rather than dark, because they reflect light
and reduce the amount of artificial light needed in a room.
Replace incandescent lights with
fluorescent lights in fixtures that you leave on for long periods of time
(kitchens, study lamps, hallways, bathrooms). Fluorescents are five times more
efficient and last up to 20 times longer. Compact fluorescent lights are now
available that provide light quality that is similar to that of incandescent
lights. Styles are available that fit into most common incandescent fixtures.
They cost more to buy than incandescents, but you can always take them with
you when you move.
If you do use incandescent lights, use
low wattage light bulbs when you need only a small amount of light. When you
need a larger amount of light, however, use a higher wattage bulb rather than
two or more lower wattage bulbs. The efficiency of incandescent bulbs
increases as wattage increases. For example, one 100-watt incandescent bulb
produces about the same amount of light as two 60-watt bulbs but uses less
electricity.
Control your lighting with dimmers or
timers. Dimmers save energy by allowing you to reduce the amount of energy
needed. Using timers is much less costly in the long run than leaving your
lights on all day. If you want the added protection of leaving lights on when
nobody is at home, consider lighting timers. These turn the lights on and off
automatically at preset times. Fluorescent lighting requires special dimmers
or timers, so only use in fluorescent fixtures that are approved for such use.
Thaw frozen food items in the
refrigerator instead of on the counter top. When you transfer the items to be
thawed from the freezer to the refrigerator the day before using them, the
frozen items will help cool the refrigerator as they defrost, cutting down on
the energy the refrigerator uses.
Frost build-up increases the amount of
energy needed to cool refrigerators, so defrost regularly. Never allow your
freezer to build up frost more than one quarter of an inch thick.
Turn appliances off when you are not
using them.
Leave seldom-used appliances—such as
extra color televisions and video tape players—unplugged when not in use.
They draw as much as 10 Watts (7 kWh/month)—;even when they are not on.
The energy consumption of waterbeds
ranges from 500 kWh/year to 2000 kWh/year. At $0.10/kWh, that is a $150/year
difference. If you must have a waterbed, keep your utility expenses down by
buying foam pads (about $20), and buying shallow-fill (6 inches thick or less)
mattresses. These require smaller heaters (150 watts).
Keep appliances in good working order.
They will last longer and operate more efficiently.
Buy energy-efficient appliances. An
appliance with a lower initial purchase cost may, in the long run, cost you
more than an energy-efficient model with a higher initial purchase cost.
Preheat your oven only when absolutely
necessary and do not preheat for dishes cooked for an hour or more. In any
case, never preheat for more than 10 minutes.
Whenever you can, use the range top
instead of the oven. The range uses far less energy.
When cooking or baking in your oven, do
not open the oven door any more than absolutely necessary. The oven loses
about 20% of its heat every time you open the door.
If you do not already have one, consider
purchasing a microwave oven. Microwave cooking uses much less energy than
conventional cooking.
Hot Water Conservation
Take showers instead of baths. A five
minute shower uses only about one-half as much water as a bath.
Install low-flow shower heads. They cut
the flow of water by 40 to 60%.
Turn your faucets all the way off. Just
one drip a second from a leaky faucet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a
month. Replace worn out washers.
Do as much household cleaning as
possible with cold water rather than hot.
Only run full loads in the dishwasher.
Use the air dry (or energy saver) option if available. Heat drying is a high
energy user.
Rinse dishes in a tub of clean water
instead of under hot running water.
Check your hot water temperature at
faucet with a thermometer. Adjust the temperature at your hot water heater (or
get your maintenance person to adjust it) until the faucet temperature is
120°F (49°C).
EREC is operated by NCI Information
Systems, Inc. for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory/U.S. Department of
Energy. The statements contained herein are based on information known to EREC
at the time of printing. No recommendations or endorsement of any product or
service is implied if mentioned by EREC.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Clearinghouse (EREC)
P.O. Box 3048 Merrifield, VA 22116
Voice: 1-800-DOE-EREC
E-mail: doe.erec@nciinc.com
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