Energy efficiency solutions for renters

If you rent your home or apartment, you may be wondering how you can become more energy efficient. Many of the solutions presented in the media only apply to people who own or are intending to own their own home. But you live in a home owned by someone else, and there’s only so much control you have over what goes on and what improvements are made.

Luckily, there are heaps of small and big changes you can make to your lifestyle and habits to become more energy efficient. This will help reduce your carbon footprint, and save you money on your bills – there’s no smarter solution.

Energy efficient tips for tenants

Try these tips to improve energy efficiency in your household:

• Turn off lights, appliances, and computers when you’re not using them. This doesn’t just mean hitting the OFF switch, but also turning them off at the wall.
• When making decisions about new appliances such as TVs or microwaves, make energy efficiency one of the main criteria for your decision.
• If you’re going to be away from home for more than two weeks, turn your hot water cylinder off. Don’t forget to switch it back on when you get home!
• Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when they’re completely full. It’s also good if you can use cold water for washing instead of warm.
• Line dry your clothes and forego the dryer completely – it’s one of the biggest power guzzlers in your home.
• When cooking, put lids on your pots! A pot without a lid uses 3x more energy than one with a lid.
• Try to buy in bulk when possible and look for products with less packaging.
• Bring reuseable shopping bags to the supermarket instead of single-use plastic bags.
• Heating your home can consume a significant amount of energy. Depending on the heat source, it can also contribute to dampness. Before you turn on the heater, throw on an extra layer of clothing, make a hot water bottle, or wrap yourself up in a blanket. In most situations, this will be enough to keep you warm.
• Switch off heated towel rails during the day. Instead of using them 24 hours a day, leave it on for a few hours in the evening, or ask your landlord about installing a timer.
• Try not to open the oven door while cooking unless absolutely necessary. This drops the temperature by around 15 degrees every time, meaning your food will take longer to cook and your oven is less efficient.

Are you a tenant trying to be responsible with your energy use? What other tips can you share to help save energy? Share on our Facebook page!