Apartments change on the inside with the seasons: new décor goes up, recipes change, wardrobe choices rotate, and as fall and winter approach, that transition between hot and cold can also mean a change in your gas bill. Apartments in extreme climates (think Austin apartments and Seattle apartments) will notice this difference especially. Remember, however: if you are mindful of the temperatures of your apartment, your gas bill will stay manageable. Renters, cutting back on utilities doesn’t have to mean walking around your apartment perpetually wrapped in an afghan! Avoid the embarrassment of having to buy a Snuggie with these useful tips to lower the gas bill in your apartments:
A programmable thermostat will do wonders for an apartment’s gas bills. Apartments can benefit greatly from the ability to adjust the temperature automatically throughout the day. Especially if you’re at work all day, turn up your thermostat before you leave. Even better, if your thermostat has a timer, adjust it so that the temperature fluctuates with the amount of sunlight the room receives to keep the temperature steady. Some suggest that you turn it off altogether if you leave home for more than two hours, but apartments in more extreme climes may want to steer clear of this option, since freezing pipes and overheating are both real possibilities.
Close your blinds and put up curtains. Apartments’ temperatures fluctuate easily if a window is left exposed to the elements, making the heating or air conditioning activate unnecessarily.
Much of apartments’ energy used in a washing machine is for heating the water. To save money in your apartments, wash clothes in cold water only. Your clothes will be just as clean. A cold water wash will not only save you money, it is environmentally friendly and better preserves the colors of your clothing.
Test the door seals of the refrigerators and freezers in your apartment. Put a dollar bill in the door and close it. If the bill does not hold, replace the seal.
Invest in a sweater and some socks. If you only turn down your heat even a few degrees, most apartments’ heating bills will show a significant decrease. Be conscious of when you want to adjust your thermostat, and ask yourself whether it is enough to warrant the change, or if you could easily put on a pair of socks to solve the problem.
