Energy Saving Tips for Apartment Renters?

[jencam]

We can't tell what is wrong, but something is. It should cool way below 80. When mine would not, the air handler was simply worn out. When I first moved in, the AH was ok, but the condenser was almost 30 years old, inefficient. Really high bills! That was the first thing I replaced.

A neighbor who was renting FLED. She was not anticipating $300 summer electric bills. The LL was a doosh for not replacing that or offsetting her bills.

With everything operating correctly my bill is now average $45/month and it could get down to 70 if I wanted it to. The only other thing I did for electricity was weatherizing.

[KO Stradivarius]

Change the air filter often. This is the single most common issue with HVAC problems. And I would not use the Filtrete filters unless absolutely necessary (allergies, etc) - the filters are so good that they decrease airflow, causing the unit to run harder. And they are very expensive. But typically the apartment should provide filters and replace them for you. If they are not keeping up on this duty, you should ask them to.

I also believe that sunscreens (80% - 90% blocking) are very helpful for windows, at least for those that face south or west. For an apartment you would probably need to install them on the inside, which is not typical, but it can be done. I custom-made one for our south facing window using a kit from Home Depot. It's not easy but it's either that or hiring a contractor. We just moved in and I did it in March, so I don't know how it would have been w/o it, but that bedroom is not noticeably warmer at all. I've also seen some tenants that use a type of large sunscreen on their balcony/patio to shade the sliding door.