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Home Comfort for Renters!

New York natives and newcomers alike can use these low and no-cost tips to save $$ and energy!

Space heating consumes the largest amount of energy in your home. *Turn down your thermostat at night. Energy-efficient winter settings are 68 F in the daytime and 55 F at night. No thermostat? Check your radiator, it probably has a knob you can turn to lower the heat. Or ask your building super about controlling the heat in your apartment.

*Dress indoors according to the weather. T-shirts in winter leave you chilly and broke. Wear a sweater and add a blanket to your bed to keep you cozy.

*Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans sparingly in the winter. In just one hour these fans can blow all the warm air to the outdoors. Windows left open can also cause "energy leaks."

*Circulate heated air. As warm air rises, it tends to heat up the highest areas of your home. A ceiling or portable fan running at a very low speed with windows closed can help re-distribute warm air.

*Use heat reflectors between your radiator and the wall to direct heat back into the room. Make one yourself by covering a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil or buy a reflector at hardware store.

*Keep a shallow pan of water on the radiator. Moist air makes you feel warmer than dry air at the same temperature, so you can lower your thermostat and still feel comfortable.

*Let the sun shine in. Keep drapes and shades on south windows open during the day to let the sunlight in. Close them at night to retain indoor heat. Don't block radiators by placing furniture or drapes in front of them.

Summer-time Can Be Cool!

*Wear warm weather clothes & PJs. Air cools you naturally when it can circulate across your skin because it evaporates moisture. A cool shower is great!

*Keep windows open on cool nights. Take advantage of night air when it is cool. Leave windows open while you sleep if you deem it safe. Make sure to close then before it gets warm the next day. Close the curtains on the sunny side too.

*Use fans instead of air conditioners on warm days. They improve the air circulation in your home and use 90% less electricity.

*When you do use the air conditioner, keep your ceiling/room fan running. The air circulation makes the room feel cooler and lets you save energy by setting your AC's thermostat higher. Save 5% of cooling costs for every degree - we recommend 78F.

*Reduce your air conditioner fan speed in humid weather. This makes the coils run cooler and increases the amount of moisture that the air conditioner can remove from the air.

*Check your AC filter once a month during the cooling season. Hold it up to bright light - if you can't see through it, it's time to clean or replace it to save 5% of energy consumed. Check the coils if you can - they should be clean and straight.

*Turn the air conditioner off when you leave for several hours. It is more efficient to re-cool the house later than to leave your air conditioner running. Use a timer to start it half an hour before you return home.

*Be aware of lamps, TV sets, cooking and other heat generators. Minimize or turn off whenever possible. *Enter and exit rooms quickly. Keep doors closed, you will lose less cool air that way.


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