Do you rent your home or apartment? You’re not alone – about 33 percent of U.S. residents were renters between 2006 and 2008. Taking energy-saving steps can seem challenging when you don’t own your home and cannot make major changes to your living space. But, did you know that there are easy ways to save energy and shave a few dollars off your utility bill this summer?
Viewer Tip: Give these renter-friendly energy-saving tips a try.
No Cost: Bump the thermostat up to 78 degrees when no one is home. For each degree you raise the thermostat, you’ll save three to five percent on air conditioning costs. Close shades and curtains during the day to keep the heat out.
Low Cost: Swap out a few traditional incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). CFLs are a bit more expensive to purchase, but they last six to ten times longer than traditional bulbs and give off 75 percent less heat!
Investment: If you are purchasing a room air conditioner, look for the Energy Star label. Energy Star qualified models use at least ten percent less energy than standard models. Make sure the unit you purchase is the right size for your room – for help, visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_properly_sized.
Season: Summer
(Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates Data Profiles, http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en&_ts=; U.S. EPA, “EPA Offers Cooling Tips for Every Budget this Summer.” http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6424ac1caa800aab85257359003f5337/386ebff0a635644f8525773c004d84d3!OpenDocument; American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy, “Cooling Equipment,” http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide/cooling.htm)
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