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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 landlords of high-rise apartment buildings make Energy Star-suggested changes, the energy saved each month could power a crotchety landlord's TV for 1,640,625 years.
COCKTAIL FACT
One Scottish landlord's property manager ad requested that applicants have "the guts to kick someone between the legs as we evict them and their two-year-old child onto the street."
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home › tip library › Landlord Resources
Want your landlord to see the energy-efficient light?
The Bite
Relationships with crotchety landlords and ladies can be anything but heavenly. Give 'em a few eco-tips that speak to their bottom line (hallelujah!), and you'll be one step closer to domestic harmony.The Benefits
- A greener home-sweet-home. Improvements like more efficient appliances and eco-flooring benefit both you and your landlord.
- Better for the earth. Energy Star washers use 50% less energy than conventional ones, and eco-paint won't emit nasty stuff into the air.
- A 'lord that smiles down upon ya. Higher property values and lower bills (35%+ savings with energy efficiency) will win you points.
Personally Speaking
Jen's friends with her old landlord in DC, and he recently sent her an email saying that after a year of making her suggested small changes, the savings are now racking up. He made no mention of any rent rebates though... damn it.Wanna Try?
Surefire tips for getting on their good side:- AC - new air-conditioning and even shade trees can lower energy bills.
- CFLs - replacing regular incandescent light bulbs with CFLs in common areas can reduce lighting bills and require fewer changes.
- Efficient Windows - windows account for 25%-50% of a home's heating/cooling losses.
- Energy Star Appliances - more efficient appliances save big on energy and water.
- Low-Flow Johns - newer toilets like those with a dual-flush system (with a low-flow flush for number 1 and a regular-sized flush for number 2) save as much as 6 gallons per flush.
- Cabinets, Countertops, Flooring and Paint - eco-versions help increase LEED green building credits and raise property values.
- More Energy-Saving Tips - post on a public bulletin board in your complex.
Apr 02,2007
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Tambourines are Loud
My only interactions with my current landlord have been polite, short, impersonal, and to-the-point… just how I like it. No landlord or building manager of mine (I can count six, including the one I have now) has been overjoyed to receive an email or call from me, since it means 1. I'm gonna complain, 2. I need something fixed, or 3. Both. (Admittedly, there were plenty of times I've been on the receiving end of complaints, usually during covert band practice. "Covert" because we knew we weren't supposed to be playing hi hats or electric bass in the building, but sometimes, you, uh, forget.)
Next time I email my landlord, rather than (well, in addition to) mentioning how the heater is still making that horrible screeching noise, I'm going to give him this tip (minus the "crotchety" part). It's hard to argue with the cash savings, and who knows, maybe it'll buy my next band some leeway.
-Toshio... off to break out the maracas...
Next time I email my landlord, rather than (well, in addition to) mentioning how the heater is still making that horrible screeching noise, I'm going to give him this tip (minus the "crotchety" part). It's hard to argue with the cash savings, and who knows, maybe it'll buy my next band some leeway.
-Toshio... off to break out the maracas...
Biter Comments...
The problem with those compact florescent light bulbs is that they contain mercury - which we know is a neurotoxin. Shouldn't go into the landfill. There should be a warning label on the package and instructions for proper disposal.
Hallelujah! About time advice is available to renters. Just about every advice I see about greening homes only apply to homeowners, which isolates a huge percent of Americans who rent.
This is a much needed tip and I'll be sure to spread it around to all of my renter friends!
The other problem with compact fluorescents is that when they are power cycled alot - turned off and on - they don't last very long. In high use areas some have lifespans near that of incadescent bulbs. That doesn't really justify the toxic mercury in them.
Other options for these areas include LED lights.
Ann, I agree with you. I am a renter myself, but my family has rented apartments to people for about 40 years, and usually it's the renters who are the nightmares. Lots of people have absolutely NO respect for rental properties. All the messes I've seen throughout my life have taught me how to be a renter that I would like to have - I treat the townhouse I'm in now with respect and care, as if I own it.
I was thinking of suggesting a tankless water heater to my landlord since the owner of the building pays for water. I also wish we had one because I waste so much water waiting for the water to be the right temperature. It gets really hot or really cold without warning because so many people use the same plumbing. I wonder if the tankless would solve that problem. Either way, it would save a lot of energy and that would make my suggestion worthwhile.
March 31, 2007, 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM was the first EARTH HOUR. Around the world people were supposed to turn off all things electrical. It didn't get much publicity this time but hopefully it will catch on. My friends & I did our part - it was fun besides giving back to Mother Earth! Go to earthhour.org for the details! Imagine New York dark for an hour.
When thinking about energy efficiency, don't forget your (or your landlord's)outdoor lighting. Replace ugly, energy sucking flood lights with a "Glarebuster" www.theglarebuster.com - Save money and save our precious night sky! Also a little scary... current research shows that loss of a dark sleeping environment can lead to breast cancer, or infertility.
Our compact fluorescent bulbs did come with the "proper disposal required" info on the packaging....albeit in fairly "fine print". I even saved that part of the package to remind me, in case one burns out. I wasn't aware that they were susceptible to shortened life spans in high use areas...good to know. Unfortunately, that's what all the "green guides" tell you to do - replace your most used bulbs with the compact fluroescents! -sigh-
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Ann | April 02, 2007 at 03:48 AM