Energy Efficiency for Apartments: Tip sheet
Questions? Contact Emily Bobrowich or Jeremy Mussoni at 765-855-3188.
Water:
1. Set water heater temperature no higher than 120°F. For apartments with 1 or 2 members, a 115°F setting may
work fine.
2. Maximize your machines! Only run the dishwasher/washing machine when it is full.
3. Install water-heater wrap per manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Drain 1-2 gallons from bottom of water heater each year to reduce sediment build up.
5. Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators
6. Fix dripping faucets. (Or have your landlord!)
7. Don’t let water run while you are shaving.
8. Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth.
9. Displace water in your toilet tank. Find a plastic bottle and fill it with gravel. Place it in your toilet tank to fill your
tank with less water.
Heating/Cooling:
1. Purchase a draft guard to place at the bottom of your door leading to the outside where temperature-controlled
air can escape from your apartment.
2. Purchase insulated curtains/shades, and close them when you leave the house to minimize solar gain in the
summer. Leave them open during the day in the winter to get the extra heat.
3. If your windows face east, make sure you close the blinds when you get up. If your windows face west, make
sure that you close your blinds in the late afternoon.
4. Inspect and clean the filters of any window unit air conditioners you may have.
Lighting:
1. Replace any light bulb that burns more than one hour per day with its equivalent compact fluorescent bulb. CFL
bulbs use 75% less energy than the standard bulb and last about 10x longer. They also produce less heat than
the standard light bulb, which can reduce cooling costs in the summer.
2. Turn off unnecessary lighting.
3. Replace any outdoor/patio lighting with its outdoor-rated equivalent compact fluorescent bulb. Also, only use
outdoor security lights with a photocell and/or a motion sensor.
4. Use fixtures with electronic ballasts and T-8, 32-Watt fluorescent lamps.
Miscellaneous:
1. Avoid the Phantom: Phantom draw costs us 15% of our energy bills.
2. Vacuum the refrigerator coils clean (located on the back), in addition to moving your refrigerator a few inches
away from the wall.
3. Make sure your furniture is arranged so that it is not blocking any vents or radiators.
4. “Green” your apartment & improve air quality! NASA scientists have discovered that houseplants (1
houseplant/150 sq. ft.) are effective at absorbing benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, common
chemicals in paints, carpets, and wall paper.
5. Try to green your habits: purchase cleaning products made from natural materials, put a lid on your cooking pots
(15% more efficient!), keep an organized refrigerator (so you don’t waste energy searching for food.)
6. Share! To avoid enlarging the waste stream, share appliances that you use infrequently with your neighbors!
Recycle too- recycling just one bottle saves the equivalent of a 100 watt bulb for two hours.