Path of Lease Resistance

Umbra on being an energy-efficient renter 15

Dear Umbra,

I'm an apartment dweller in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it doesn't get too cold or too hot. Still, my energy bill is much too high for my liking and I'm wondering what I can do to bring down the cost and the waste. Any suggestions for non-homeowners?

Sarah J.
Oakland, Calif.

Dearest Sarah,

Renting is a blessing and a curse: little control, and little responsibility. You don't get to make long-term, expensive investments, but you can certainly undergo behavior modifications to reduce your energy bills. I've offered the generally recommended steps over the years, and I'm happy to collect them all here. We might as well go room by room.

Love will tear us apartment.

In the kitchen, our main hope for energy savings is in reducing hot water use in the sink and dishwasher. Install low-flow attachments on the sink -- and, in fact, on all the faucets in your apartment. If you have a dishwasher that's not a dinosaur, use it; the newer models are more efficient than cleaning dishes by hand. Run it only when full, and don't use the "heated dry" setting. Use a dish tub if you do have to lave the old-fashioned way. Keep the fridge and freezer relatively full and at 36 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit for the main compartment and between 0 and 5 degrees for the freezer. Turns out, cleaning the coils doesn't make a big difference in fridge energy use. Phew. (As an aside, replacing an old refrigerator with an Energy Star model is good, so if you can persuade your landlord ...) Microwaves and plug-in kettles are more efficient than using the stovetop and oven.

Over in the bathroom, we can continue our crusade to get in less hot water. We've already installed a flow restrictor on the faucet, and now we can put a low-flow head on the shower. Take short showers and fewer baths if you can bear it (I personally find bath restriction an onerous duty).

In the bedroom, a major help is to have an ample comforter, so the thermostat can be turned down as far as possible at night. The overall goal, of course, is to keep the thermostat as low as you can when it's cold outside, and as high and un-air conditioned as you can when it's warm. If you or the landlord can pony up the dollars for a programmable thermostat, it may be worth it. They're fairly cheap, and they always remember to lower the heat while we're at work -- something we ourselves might forget. It takes less energy to reheat or re-cool the apartment when you get home than it takes to keep it toasty or cool while you're away.

Throughout your dwelling, replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, and turn off lights when you leave a room. Turn off your computer if you're not going to use it for an hour. Unplug electronic devices that come with LED lights or standby functions: These draw small amounts of power that add up over time. The same goes for "wall warts" such as cell phones and iPod chargers -- even when they're not charging anything, they're drawing phantom energy. Power strips are a handy way to turn off a whole bunch of the suckers at once.

There is also a lot you can do with your windows, which can be huge panes in the glass (sorry). Windows, seriously, are a major source of excess heat loss and heat gain, but here I'll refer you to a previous column that examines the problem in detail. Suffice it to say that key items for window efficiency include curtains, caulk, and glazing. As to doors, if your apartment has one leading to the outside, you might consider putting weather-stripping around the jamb.

What else? Laundry should be washed in cold water and hung dry when possible. If you're doing all these things already and have rooms and quandaries I haven't imagined, then I have failed you today. Write back and let me know, and I'll see if I can dig a little deeper.

Guaranteedly,
Umbra

 

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Send your green-living questions to Umbra.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

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  1. rufwork Posted 1:16 pm
    09 Sep 2008

    Oooh, clever."huge panes in the glass" -- Well done.  ;^)

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  2. RichardWeirick Posted 1:33 pm
    09 Sep 2008

    Just do a search...These are all good ideas, but there are many other things that can be included.  LCD televisions vs. plasma for instance.  Basically, if someone is really interested in conserving energy, there are a plethora of websites out there that talk about energy use.

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  3. bhurley Posted 9:09 pm
    09 Sep 2008

    Great adviceThis list pretty much mirrors everything I did during my nearly 30 years of living in apartments. I had a collection of compact fluorescents, low-flow showerhead, faucet aerator, etc., and each time I moved into a new apartment I spent a few hours installing them all and putting the old incandescents, shower head, etc. into a box so they'd be easy to replace again when I moved. Landlords can be picky and set restrictions on what you can and cannot install, but one of my landlords allowed me to install electronic setback thermostats, whch saved lots of energy over the five years I lived in that place.
    For laundry, I hung my wash outside except during winter or in the few places where the landlord forbid it; in those cases I used indoor drying racks, which worked fine for everything except flannel sheets. I lived for 30 years without a dryer, no problem. I do have one now because the only place we can fit drying racks in our house is the basement, and it's too damp down there for clothes to dry; even with a dehumidifier running it can take a week for clothes to dry out.

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  4. carli Posted 5:11 am
    10 Sep 2008

    It can be done...My mother lives in South Florida in a 1200 sq ft house with a double-car garage that was built in the traditional style and she spends about $20-30 per month for electricity (water comes from a well). The key is to turn off all the power sources (good things to do with the electrical storms that are so common but a pain for guests trying to fire up the computer). This includes the water heater except just before dish and body washing, which gives the water enough time to heat up sufficiently. This is a huge drain on the electrical bill. She is quick to shower but only takes sponge baths when hurricanes affect the power. She closes all the curtains before she leaves during the day and opens everything up when she returns. The thermostat for the AC (yes, she does use AC - it is S. FLA...) is set on 82 when she's home and 95 when she's gone. She mows her lawn with an electrical mower and is on her second Prius. I'm sure she made the builder put in high-rated insulation in the attic, and the long porch on the back as well as the double-pane windows, keep radiant heat out. She also has a radiant barrier in the attic or the floor - don't recall which -- that keeps heat and moisture from coming in. She has never had a dryer or dishwasher. I guess you could say there are many sacrifices but she's done these things for so long that they're just old habits for her now and she still vividly recalls living in Paris as a kid with food/energy rationing because of WWII. She is 77 and feels it's a noble obligation to conserve our resources because it's a bad thing for everyone when they're no longer available...

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  5. Gene Posted 1:32 pm
    10 Sep 2008

    filling the frigIn one report we are told we waste food, in another we should fill our refrigerators as much as possible.  I have to work very hard to keep food from rotting in our frig.  It's way too big for our use.  I do put all my grains, flours and mixes in the frig and that helps to fill it up. J

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  6. pfletch Posted 4:19 pm
    10 Sep 2008

    Any suggestions?I've already done just about all of this, including buying a new frige, microwave, washer, dryer, and on-demand hot water heaters when i moved in here 3 years ago.  TV and computers are on power strips, as are my various chargers.
    But what can i do in my kitchen?  The stove (oven rarely used) and the over-stove microwave/vent fan also have clocks that run 24/7.  Because they have those funny plugs (220 service?), and one is plugged in near the ceiling and the other near the floor, both behind the appliances, unplugging them when not in use is NOT an option.  There is also a clock on the AM/FM/Weather/CD under a cabinet in the kitchen.  Three clocks in such a small space is laughable, except for the constant electrical drain.  Any thoughts from fellow Gristers?
    Thanks for the suggestion, Gene.  That will also help clear the counter!

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  7. craigdavis Posted 4:47 pm
    10 Sep 2008

    Financial rationing environmentally beneficialYour mother is an inspiration to us all.  My grandparents live similarly.  They are not as savvy about the modalities of energy conservation.  However, their minimalistic approach to all aspects of life is close to sainthood.  I suppose growing up during times of forced rationing or real absence instills this mentality in us all. Hopefully the current energy and food prices will cause sufficient economic burden to our relatively wealthy contemporaries to reevaluate our behavior (regardless of the environmental concerns).  

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  8. PermieWriter's avatar

    PermieWriter Posted 6:28 am
    11 Sep 2008

    LCD v. plasmaThere's another way: ceiling-mounted projector and pull-down screen. That way, when you're not watching, you don't have The Eye staring at you and there's no wasted space. And I believe projectors use less power than any kind of TV.

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  9. francoise lehouck Posted 1:01 pm
    11 Sep 2008

    energy efficiencyAll that is nice, now if microwave ovens are nrg efficient, how healthy are they really? Personnally i always refused to have one because they supposedly kill your food...?

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  10. human power Posted 1:21 pm
    11 Sep 2008

    Heating and A/C in Oakland?Why would anyone need either heat or air conditioning in Oakland? I lived for two decades just south of there and another two decades in the heart of the central valley (when it used to get foggy for months at a time in the winter and 113 was a normal summer temperature). In those four decades, I never used a heater and only turned on the a/c once to see if it worked when I moved (it didn't, but the repair was simple). None of my friends ever used heat or a/c either, so it is not exactly an heroic deed to do without.

    This renter should go on a car-free diet. This will allow him/her to acclimate to the outdoor temperature so that interior climate control (one of the biggest contributors to climate change) is unnecessary. Humans have the ability to function at a wide range (>60F) of temperatures, but Americans seem to think that any temperature not in the 70s is unbearable.

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  11. human power Posted 1:31 pm
    11 Sep 2008

    @ pfletchAssuming you own the place, you can hardwire in switches, even for 220V. If you do not wish to learn to do it yourself, it should be pretty easy to find a licensed electrician to do it. Sometimes the easiest place to place the switch is near the breaker box, which may not be the most convenient location for a switch to operate a kitchen appliance.

    Alternatively, you could just use the circuit breaker as a switch, but that will result in it needing to be replaced much earlier than would have otherwise been necessary. Whether you do this or not, it is my heartfelt opinion that everyone should own a circuit tester and check all of their breakers annually. It really sucks when you get a short in a circuit that is not protected by a functioning circuit breaker (can you say fire?).

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  12. abgundy Posted 1:40 am
    12 Sep 2008

    buying a new television?I think its important to remember that when you buy a new energy-efficient anything, you are creating waste when you throw away the old.  When it beomes necessary to buy something new, it is certainly better for the environment to buy an energy-efficient model.  Sometimes, it may even be better for the environment to replace something that is incredibly inefficient with something that is much much more efficient.  However, when we start buying everything that has a "green" label on it, we have the potential to generate vast amounts of waste.  This is obviously not good.  So just be cautious.  Thanks!

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  13. xinrachel Posted 2:09 am
    12 Sep 2008

    If energy consumption is your concernYou can always make a commitment to bring less meat in the house and buy less stuff, this will certainly lower your environmental impact and your other bills.  

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  14. hillhi Posted 6:28 am
    16 Sep 2008

    shades, blinds & drying clothesIt amazes me that folks don't gain sun's heat in winter--if correct side=direct enough of the time one is actually away that day, plus block it in summer. Any superb window is still a big heat loser or gainer in the wrong season.
    --dry clothes inside in heat season helps retain heat, adds comfort to your lungs

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  15. redambrosia99 Posted 3:13 am
    26 Sep 2008

    Poorly built apartmentsOne thing to consider with apartments is that they usually are not built with energy efficiency in mind.  If anything, I'd have to say that they were built purely with profit in mind.  I've lived in numerous apartments throughout my life and even the more expensive ones what been poorly built.  Poor insulation, windows that don't fit properly, non-functional fireplaces; these have all been the standard.  My feeling is that the builders cut corners trying to save money (seriously, try finding a stud in that... well nigh impossible sometimes).
    There's very little we can do to improve this, but there is one rather pleasant solution to poor insulation.  Bookshelves.  I don't know how many of you feel about that, but bookshelves crammed with books (and other things) makes for a great sound and heat barrier.  Just a thought.

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