FAQ Series: How can my tenants save money on electric usage?

As part of our efforts to provide valuable resources to our customers, we regularly share information that we have researched that can be of use to landlords and property managers.  This week we are featuring information that may be of value to your tenants (and therefore may be beneficial to you as well). Here is a letter that a landlord sent to his tenants that may be of value for your tenants.

Dear Tenant:

Last years' winter taught us that when it's cold, it's expensive to heat the house.  Here are a few tips to keep your electric bills down.

Electric Heat

Regardless of your heat source, all heating bills go up in the winter, but if you have electric heat, that increase can be substantial.

 On average, electric heating systems lose efficiency when temperatures fall below 30 Fahrenheit. The colder the temperature outside, the harder your system will have to work to keep your home comfortable. So as winter continues and temperatures fall, you will see your energy bills increase to keep up with those cold days. 

Preparing for Higher Bills in the Winter

Space heaters can help, but only temporarily:

• Portable space heaters are extremely expensive to use and will have a drastic impact on your energy bill, don't rely on them for an extended period of time.

• Turn on a space heater to quickly take the chill out of a room, but then turn them off and unplug to avoid additional usage. Space heaters can be fire hazards if used incorrectly.

Use your thermostat efficiently:

• Keep thermostats set at a comfortable level and don't keep adjusting the temperature. If you have an electric heat pump, this can trigger your backup unit, causing increased usage and costs since both systems are working simultaneously.

• Consider investing in a smart thermostat to help stay on top of your energy usage.

• If you have different zones in your home, only heat the ones frequently used.