It took millions of year for our planet to produce natural gas. Fortunately, you only need a few days to wrangle its power to meet your needs and fit your budget!
Natural gas powers everything from furnaces to manufacturing processes. What uses natural gas in an apartment? Perhaps a half-dozen appliances or more, including:
- Furnace
- Stove
- Hot water heater
- Washing machine
- Clothes dryer
- Fireplace
Here are 4 tips for reducing your apartment’s natural gas energy costs.
1. Adjust the thermostat. If your apartment has a programmable thermostat, use it. Adjust its settings to take advantage of times when no one’s home or when everyone is asleep. Why pay to warm an empty apartment? Or when you’re at work or comfortably snug under a blanket?
If you’re not yet using your programmable thermostat, you’re not alone. According to one study, 14 percent of people with programmable thermostats “do not know where the settings are.” Another 25 percent say they “know where the settings are but do not know how to change them.”
2. Limit little luxuries. Remember that you’re running an apartment and not a luxury day spa. Pampering yourself periodically is a great idea. Regularly indulging in the following practices, however, only wastes energy and money!
- Washing clothes with the “hot” setting. If your unit includes a clothes washer, set it on “cold” as often as possible.
- Taking long, steaming hot showers. A short shower with a maximum heat set at 120 degrees is plenty warm enough.
3. Calculate the cost of running your gas appliances. Refer to this convenient natural gas appliance calculator to help determine your costs. You can enter the amount of time you use your natural gas appliances per month, per week and/or per day.
4. Communicate with your landlord. Have a chat with your landlord or appropriate building management representative. He or she will be able to confirm which appliances in your apartment use natural gas if you’re not sure. This will also be your opportunity to ask about the age of certain appliances. Whether shared by every tenant or not, newer appliances maximize efficiency. Older appliances might increase energy costs—costs that may be passed on to you.
This is also a good opportunity to address safety measures. Natural gas is a safe, inexpensive and convenient way to power the appliances in your apartment. But its use can raise safety concerns, as well. Be open with your landlord about any concerns you might have. From security site SafeWise.com:
“Ask the landlord when the last professional inspections and maintenance were performed on the furnace, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems. Find out how these systems work in your unit and what types of regular maintenance you need to perform.”
Want to really start “cooking with gas,” as the saying goes? Search apartments for rent on ApartmentSearch.com with the exact kitchen and appliances you want. Whether you’re looking for more counter space, newer energy efficient appliances, or an easily programmable thermostat, you can have it all in your next apartment!
