HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-10-28, Page 49Page 7
Apartment dwellers should sive energy t�o
No, we won't forget about
apartment .residents.
Whether you live in ahigh-
rise or smaller building, there
. are plenty of ways that you.
cansave energy. (Hopefully
even.. if your rent is fixed the
landlord will eventually pass
on his savings. And
remember that there are
many other reasons to con -
.serve energy even if you do
not immediately benefit
financially. -
Let's look at some ways you
can save energy in your
apartment building: ,
Doo-- you " find yourself
frequently opening the
windows because ` the apar-
tment is too hot? Maybe the
landlord has setthe ther-
mostat too high. If he follows
thorn suggestions on home
heating — including lowering
the thermostat — he'll make
the . building more com-
fortable, save fuel,' and
hopefully pass the saving on
to you.
If you have ' your own
thermostat, try setting. it for
68 deg. F. (20 deg. C) during
the day andfive degrees
lower at night; If the apart-
ment is empty all day, leave
the thermostat at the night
setting' and turn it up when
you come in from•work.
In many • older, smaller
buildings, there is only one
central thermostat. If your
apartment is often too hot, try,
closing off some of your heat
outlets. How doesthis save
energy? The heating unit will
send more , heat - to the open
outlets. .These areas will
warm up more quickly, so
less use will be made of. the
heating unit.
If, your heating is by forced
-warm air, ask the landlord if
there's a humidifier on the
furnace. If not (or if the
building •is heated ' by hot
water, steam or electric heat)
think about buying -a small
humidifier for your apart-
ment. It- will help you . feel
morecomfortable, at a lower
temperature setting.
Ask the landlord to install
them. They'll help to keep the
heat inwhich will mean
saving for the landlord and
more comfort for you.
You may have your own
electric meter. If you don't
know where it is, ask the
landlord. First, make sure' no
other electrical sources are
hooked up to your power
supply, burn everything off in
your apartment (don't forget
the refrigerator) and then
•
look at your meter; the -dials
should not be moving. If they
are, headstraight for the
landlord and find out what
other outlets are on your
circuit.
If you don't have your own
meter - it still makes good
sense to develop a con-
servation ethic.. Turn off
lights that aren't needed, use
your appliances wisely and so.
on:
Hot-water pipes throughout
your ' apartment building
should be . insulated, so the.
water doesn't cool off bet-
ween the boiler and your taps.
If your hot-water taps have to
run for a minute or so'before
you get :any hot water, talk -to
your. landlord. He's wasting
energy!
Instructions: They -.should
be posted near washers, and
dryers so all tenants use them
economically.
It :takes as much energy to
wash or dry a half load as a
full load. So try not to do less
than full loads.
Take clothes out of the
dryer as soon as they -are dry
,enough to iron..
Hang small washings up to
dry in your apartment. It will
add welcome humidity.
Do you really 'need air
conditioning? If you're out all
day, evening breezes or a fan
may be all you really need.
You can keep heat out,during
the day by closing drapesand
curtains', especially on the
southor west ' side of the
building. '
If your building ' doesn't
have central air conditioning,
perhaps . you're thinking.
about installing an apartment
unit. Make sure you choose
one that suits your needs. If
it's too large you'll just waste.
energy.. . .,
Check with your building
superintendent about proper
installation.
Talk over energy con-
servation with other tenants
in your . building. Band
together and approach, your
landlord with ideas on how he
can. save energy: Suggest that
he replace inefficient
systems, such _ as hot-water
heaters that have a low
recovery rate. You'll ;be
helping him . save . money in
the face of rising energy
costs. • Hopefullythese
savings. will be passed along
to you, by . holding off rent
increases.
For .apartment .dweller's,
financial, • savings from
energy conservation prac-
CANADIAN ENERGY CONSUMPTION
INDUSTRY
27%;
COMMERCE
DOMESTIC
AND FARM
20%
ENERGY SUPPLY INDUSTRIES,
LOSSES, NON -ENERGY USES
15%
tices are likely to go in the
first instance to the owner of
the building. We suggest that
tenant groups — either,
organized or . informal --
stress
stress :..energy conservation
with building management,
and perhaps explore ways of
returning the dollar saving to
tenants. However remember,
that therg are many reasons
for saving energy which are.
not related to a personal
dollar saving, and it still
makes sense to conserve
energy even if you do not
immediately benefit finan-
cially.
•
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