CHOOSING THE RIGHT APARTMENT
Here are a few things to consider when choosing your apartment:
Heating
and Cooling System
What type of heating and cooling system does the apartment have?
The type of system that your apartment has typically determines the
type of electric bills that you might expect. Many apartments
use heat pumps for heating and cooling purposes. Click on the
following links for cost estimates and heat pump information:
Estimated
Electric Cost For Heating and Cooling
Heat
Pump Information
Age of Units
How old are
the apartments that you are considering, and more importantly, how
old are the appliances and heating and cooling systems? The
average life span of most heating and cooling systems is 15 years.
As HVAC systems and appliances age, they lose their efficiency
resulting in higher costs.
Orientation of Apartment
An apartment that
faces the east or the west will experience higher temperatures
increases during the day, throughout the summer months, than units
that face north or south. This may result in higher cost for
the east-west facing units than others. Units that are
centrally located, with units to each side, top and bottom, will
also typically have lower bills than end, or top floor units.
Windows and Doors
How tight do the windows and doors seal on the apartment that you
are viewing? Double pane windows that seal tightly are a plus.
Also check sliding glass doors for tight fits. Leaky windows
and doors can result in higher energy costs. Rope caulk, which
is removable caulking , can be purchased from a local hardware store
and be used to compensate for air leaks around windows.
Water Heating
Consider the type of water heater that your apartment uses.
Electric water heaters use approximately $30 of the kilowatts per
month and are typically a large portion of your bill. You can
have the apartment complex adjust the temperature on your water
heater to partially lower this cost. A setting of 125 degrees
Fahrenheit is recommended for a water heater.
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