As natural gas prices spiral up and energy bills continue to skyrocket, much of the information that’s been made available on energy efficiency has been geared to homeowners.
However, many apartment dwellers, specifically those who are responsible for their own heating and electric bills, are also feeling the sting of high energy bills this winter.
There is a lot, however, that the typical apartment tenant can do to cut back on their energy usage. These techniques will especially make a difference if you pay for your own heat and electricity. However, even if you don’t pay for your heat (and in some cases, your air conditioning), they will still make a difference comfort-wise.
For an investment of only a few dollars, you can winterize drafty windows with plastic-sheet kits available at most home improvement stores. In addition, a few dollars worth of caulk will seal any gaps between the window frame and the wall, also blocking drafts.
Here’s another important area to seal: Any air-conditioning units left in windows or in walls. Your best bet is to seal them from the outside, as well as the inside. On exterior doors or doors that open to unheated hallways, install door sweeps along the bottom. Stick-on and screw-on sweeps take a few minutes to install and cost around $5. In a pinch, you can place a rolled-up towel or rug at the bottom of that door, especially on windy days.
When you leave the apartment for work, or when retiring for the night, turn down your thermostat by 5 to 10 degrees. That will make a notable dent in your heating bill. You can also install a programmable setback thermostat in the apartment that will lower and raise temperatures automatically.
Arrange furniture and draperies so that they don’t block heating vents, radiators or baseboard heaters. On sunny days, pull back drapes and shades and allow sunshine to help warm the apartment.
To cut down on the above costs, you might also consider asking for some financial assistance from your landlord. You can also try to persuade your landlord to make a few major energy-efficient improvements to the building: a new efficient heating and cooling system, new windows and insulation in walls and attic. (A less expensive investment would be a programmable thermostat).
While those projects may cost thousands of dollars initially, your landlord will eventually recoup his or her investment in energy savings and more importantly, increase the comfort level of your apartment.
For more information, check out the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) book, “Improving Energy Efficiency in Apartment Buildings,” available online at www.aceee.org/pubs/b21.htm. The 350-page, soft-cover book sells for $30.
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Write to Energy Q&A, Chicago Tribune, Your Place section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611. Or you can e-mail energyqa@aol.com.
