Navigating the rental process can be overwhelming, particularly when balancing your home utility bills with your rent and other bills. A lease agreement often does not include electricity, water, and gas. However, if these expenses aren’t responsibly managed, they could easily become pretty costly.
Whether you’re making sure not to waste energy or taking full advantage of any utility company perks, there are numerous ways for you to maintain comfort in your new rental home while saving money at the same time. Here are some quick and easy tricks that will allow you to have everything necessary without breaking your budget while living in rental home communities.
1. Use Natural Light as Much as Possible
Using natural light instead of electricity when you rent a home can be a great way to save money. The need for additional lighting or installing other light fixtures is eliminated by using natural light. Additionally, no electricity needs be consumed to keep your space bright, reducing energy consumption and the corresponding cost.
Depending on where your rental home community is and where the property is located, the sun may provide more or less brightness during its path across the sky. Here are a few things you can do to get all the benefits of natural lighting in your home:
- Position furniture near windows to maximize available sunshine and brighten the space
- When days are particularly sunny, make sure you open up all of your curtains and blinds so that no sunbeams go unused
- Use window treatments to strategically direct and filter sunlight in a way that optimizes illumination and brightness in the space
2. Keep Up on Your Apartment’s Maintenance
Staying on top of maintenance for your apartment’s appliances, HVAC system, and other fixtures is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep your utility costs low when living in rental home communities. It not only means cleaning your appliances and full apartment regularly, but it also means that you have the right professionals come to inspect areas of your apartment occasionally, too.
Here are a few basic things you can do to make sure your apartment’s maintenance is being taken care of regularly so that your utility bills stay at a minimum:
- Cleaning out your refrigerator’s coils and keeping the seals intact will help prevent it from working overtime to keep temperatures cool
- Regularly replacing your air system’s filters (or having an HVAC professional come to do so) not only improves your air quality but also makes sure that the HVAC system works as efficiently as possible
- Finding potential water leaks in pipes and having a professional come to fix the issue right away
Be sure to check your lease agreement before taking care of these maintenance issues. Some rental home communities provide these services for you, saving you money from having to call a professional. Additionally, calling your property management company for maintenance first may also save you money.
3. Reduce Phantom Energy Usage
Phantom energy usage is a major issue in many places for rent, as most appliances and electronics are left plugged in even when not in use. Leaving these appliances, such as a coffeemaker, toaster, television, or microwave, can cause a significant amount of wasted energy and inflated electricity bills. While it is not always possible to control, there are specific things you can do to reduce your apartment’s phantom energy usage. Here are a few simple ways you can help to stop it from driving up your electricity bill:
- Unplug all unnecessary appliances and electronics when they are not in use
- Use a power strip and turn it off when it is not being used
- Practice the habit of unplugging cell phone chargers and other small electronics when you are not using them
4. Be Mindful of Energy Consumption
When you are a tenant in a rental home community, you have a unique opportunity to be mindful of your energy consumption and cut down your utility bills. Even if you are doing everything right, there are things that we all forget to do daily that contribute to our utility bills climbing.
Here are just a few things you can add to your checklist when coming and going throughout your home during the day:
- During the spring and fall, open windows during the day instead of running your air conditioning so you can let the fresh air into your home
- Turn off the lights when they are not in use or you are leaving a room
- Use energy-efficient light bulbs throughout the home
- Adjust the thermostat settings to a comfortable, but not overly warm or cool temperature
- Use appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers only when necessary
- If possible, use low-flow showerheads or other water-saving devices
- Inspect your windows for air leaks or drafts that can lead to a loss of energy efficiency
If You’re Looking for Luxury Rental Home Communities, We Can Help at Burkentine Properties
Keeping your utility bills low is important when you are renting a home. By following these four tips, like taking advantage of natural light and unplugging appliances when not in use, you can reduce the amount of money you spend on utilities.
Whether you are just looking for apartment complexes in York, PA, or ready to rent a luxury townhouse and start your family, Burkentine Properties is here to help you along the way. From start to finish, our team can help you find the right rental home communities in Maryland, North Carolina, Connecticut, or central Pennsylvania. If you are ready to start your next chapter, contact us today!