If you rent a house or live in the apartment, May you feel that there is a lot you can do to control energy costs. Residential buildings are known to be very inefficient. Since the building owner does not pay energy bills, they have no incentive, unless required by building codes, installation of equipment for energy saving. As a tenant, usually have no incentive to install energy saving devices in your home or apartment. There are, however, some exceptions to this, and you can always choose the equipment you’re stuck with it, so it works as efficiently as possible. Let’s look at some of the ways you can save money on energy consumption as a tenant. Programmable thermostat Programmable thermostats are a great way to cut 10-15% off your bills for heating and cooling. They usually cost between $ 50 and $ 100 and will come with installation instructions. If you do not like to do the installation yourself, have a friend or a competent electrician to do it for you. Do not forget to save the old thermostat. You will need to install when you move out. Once you have installed a new thermostat and program it to match your daily routine. At a time when you are home, set the temperature of the thermostat in summer, or below in winter. While you’re at it, try changing settings typical. Maybe you can be just as comfortable with the AC set at 78 degrees and 72 degrees. You can save even more money this way. Lighting Lighting is one area where you have almost complete control over energy usage. In addition to energy conservation by disabling unneeded lights, install energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in fixtures and lamps in your home. CFLs use about 25% of the energy that incandescent lamps use. They also produce much less heat, so during the summer cooling season, they will help to keep your living space more comfortable temperature without the need for more air. low-flow showerhead Low flow showers are an inexpensive way to save money on water heating and water bills. You can probably find one for $ 15 or less at local home improvement store. They take minutes to install. Remember that old showerhead in a safe place (hold it with the old thermostat and replace), so you can reinstall it when you move out. Adjust your water heater If you have access to the water heater, check its temperature. If set on 120 degrees, you should turn it down. Heating water for all just high energy and waste heat increases the risk of burns. Most water heaters are “vacation” setting. Use this option when you are away from home for more than a few days. Leave yourself a reminder to turn the heat back up when you get home. Saving furnace and air You have no control over what makes and models of air conditioning or furnace in your home. You can make a safe bet that they probably are old and inefficient. Heating and cooling costs are part of the energy bill so that even small steps that you can save you money. If you have access to the furnace and air conditioner, take time and effort to keep these pieces of equipment. Change your furnace filter every few months during the heating season. Regular inspections will give you a sense of how often the filter needs changing. Do the same for your air conditioner. If you rent the house and your air conditioner exposed to direct sunlight, to make a shade for it. your AC condenser will run more efficiently at low temperatures.