Apartments can pose a unique challenge to people.
Since most people who rent property do not own the property or aren’t under a rent-to-own contract, renters often times ignore energy saving tips.
Their point of view, which is certainly understandable, is why pay for improvements that will reduce bill when I will not reap the rewards or benefits of my effort? Why pay for improvements on property that isn’t owned by me?
For renters, there are a couple of things to consider before deciding whether to balk and ignore the whole …

After you move in
Keep your electricity bills in check right away! If you have the money, replace most or all of the lights with fluorescents. You can stagger this if you wish, and only buy or install the lights you anticipate using most often. Take the old incandescent bulbs, and carefully place them in a bag. Wrap them in newspaper so they won’t break. Store them safely.
If you moved in during the cold season, get some rope caulk and seal the gaps or cracks in …

Let’s say you’re apartment hunting.
Do a brief “mini” energy audit while you’re walking through the apartment.
When you inspect an apartment, carefully look at the heating and cooling ducts, and especially the windows.

Do the windows or doors feel drafty?
Do they look old?
Are they in good condition?
Would you be comfortable sitting next to this window on a cold day?
Are the walls in good condition?
Is there water damage?
Is the floor in good condition?
How about the attic and/or crawlspace?
Light fixtures and switches – do they look like they’re in good condition?

Ask your landlord about …

By Noah Buhayar

Posted Thu Jan 3, 2008 11:17am PST

Noah Buhayar is a fellow at the Rocky Mountain Institute.
The Rocky Mountain Institute recently compiled energy usage information for the typical American household. We found more than 30 ways that most people can reduce the amount of energy they use at home — without freezing in the dark.
Last week, my colleague shared with you nine no-cost ways to cut your home’s energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint, and save money.
That’s good news this time of year as home heating …

In a recent post, I talked about the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. In order to qualify, a certified energy rater must come to the home and look in specific areas to determine the home’s efficiency.
What exactly are they looking for?

An energy envelope that is efficient and free of leaks. A building energy envelope is the area surrounding the home or building that affects its energy usage. Typically, this includes the actual frame and construction of the home, the ducts inside the home, windows, doors, insulation, building materials, …

Believe it or not, there is a program out there called the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. Not all lenders will recognize this, but this appears to be a federally backed program that helps buy homeowners and buyers finance and improve their home’s energy efficiency – which in turn boosts the assessed value of the home.

Its no surprise to people who watch home energy closely that energy prices are likely to rise soon. As quoted from Reuters:

“(Obama) believes that the price of oil and the price of energy is not likely to stay at the level it is now…”
(Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKWAT01085420090126)

Of course, this is interesting on several levels. First of all, I’m not sure about you, but I don’t recall an actual reduction of the rate of my home energy bill. It remains the same, and has remained the same for a while. If anything prices …

Its happened to everyone. A few months out of the year, you either slip up and use too much energy, or need to use more energy out of necessity. Winter months in a cold climate, or the summer months in warmer climates are the classic examples.
Budget payments offered by the utility companies give you the flexibility of paying lower energy bills during these months, but you pay the same amount every month for a fixed term – usually 6-10 months or billing cycles.
Budget payments do no save you money. And …

There is a debate in the home energy community over what to do if given the choice between using a microwave oven to cook versus a gas powered range. My obvious advice is this: it really depends on what is being cooked and how much is being prepared. All meals are not created equally.

A general question that gets asked more often than you think is “because of the recent crappy credit market (and weak economic climate) what will happen to my energy bills? Will they increase?”
The answer, unfortunately, is a sound “I don’t know.” Givent he current market conditions, and weak economic forecast with signs of continued slowdowns, energy prices may continue to actually fall depending on the market volatility. This is welcome news for consumers, as their bills may actually be lower.
However, this is typically not the case. During times of economic …