How to Save on Your Power Bill

With the cold weather coming in and the electric bills going up there are several items to do to help reduce your power usage.  These are 3 tips to help lower your power bill.

1.  Lighting is one of the easiest places to start saving energy. Replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lights can save more than $65 a year in energy costs. ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) provide high-quality light output, use 75% less energy, and last 6–10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement costs.

• Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb that would otherwise burn eight hours a day can save about $15 per year!

2.  Consumer electronics play an increasingly larger role in your home's energy consumption, accounting for 15 percent of household electricity use. Many consumer electronics products use energy even when switched off. Electronics equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR helps save energy when off, while maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings, and remote-control functions.

• Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use (like your cell phone charger!).
• Use a power strip as a central “turn off” point when you are done using equipment.
  • Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often use a small amount of electricity. For home office equipment, this stand-by or “phantom” power load can range from a few watts to as much as 20 or even 40 watts for each piece of equipment. Using a power strip for your computer and all peripheral equipment allows you to completely disconnect the power supply from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption.

3.  A ten minute shower can use less water than a full bath.

• With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) shower head, a 10-minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water, saving you five gallons of water over a typical bath. A new showerhead also will save energy — up to $145 each year on electricity — beating out both the bath and an old-fashioned showerhead.
• To avoid moisture problems, control humidity in your bathroom by running your ventilating fan during and 15 minutes after showers and baths.

For this and more information go to energystar.gov

Mold Prevention

The most effective way to deal with mold is PREVENTION!


Mold can cause a variety of health problems.  The most common is a variety of bronchial asthma and lung related problems.

Mold spores are present everywhere and by themselves do not necessarily present a health risk.  It is impossible to get rid of all mold spores.  This is why when we wipe up mold or bleach mold spots, it can re-appear relatively quickly.  Re-growth is typical if the moisture problem is not dealt with.  Mold spores need wet surfaces to land on before they can grow and present a health risk.

Bottom Line: 1.  Mold is a natural occurrence in the environment.  2.  It needs moisture to grow and become potentially hazardous.

All human beings create moisture.  Some normal moisture creating activities include: breathing, sweating, taking a shower, and cooking

Controlling moisture is the only way to prevent mold!
Some areas and times are more "at-risk" than other areas and times.

1. Winter time is most risky: During the winter we have our homes shut up tight to keep out the cold.  
2. Other risky areas are behind beds or behind clothes.
3. Condensation is a normal occurring event.  Warm air has more "moisture capacity."  It can hold more water.  Cold air has less "moisture capacity."  Cold air holds less water.  When warm air meets cold condensation occurs.  This sounds technical, but we see it all the time.  Have you seen:
• water collect on windows during the winter?
• beads of water appear on walls during or after a shower?
• water bead up on door knobs or other metal surfaces?
• water appears above stove or on range hood?
• black spots appear around a plumbing leak?

 These are all signs of condensation.  If water is present for 24-48 hours it presents wonderful living conditions for mold.

Bottom Line:  Condensation = Mold Risk

The most common areas we see mold are in bathrooms above the shower, around windows, and under sinks in a cabinet.  The most at-risk time is during the winter because warm moist air meets cold dry air creating condensation.

Prevention:

1. Reduce moisture in air
1. Take a short shower
2. Turn bath fan on
3. Open window while cooking or showering
4. Check behind beds and keep clothes cleaned up.
5. Run de-humidifier
6. Wipe walls/windows where moisture appears especially in and around shower/bathtub.  During winter exterior corners are typically the worst because that is where it is the coldest.
7. Report leaks roof leaks and plumbing leaks IMMEDIATELY!  Follow up to make sure repair is fixed correctly.

Mold spores are naturally occurring part of our environment.  They only become a risk when they have a moist surface to attach too.  If mold grows unchecked, it can present health risks.  It is the resident's responsibility to prevent mold by controlling moisture and reporting water leaks.
More information at http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldbasics.html

Deposit Frustration

 Deposits can be a very sore subject for residents and landlords.  Residents complain about having their deposit unfairly withheld and landlords complain of not having enough deposit to cover the damages.  These are some steps to help avoid having deposit unfairly withheld!

1. Sign a checklist and/or take pictures of the apartment/house BEFORE you move in.  A signed agreement is best.
2. Request a cleaning checklist from the landlord or the property manager.
3. Ask about a cleaning fee or a carpet cleaning fee is to be held after the termination of the lease.  This should also be evident in the contract.
4. Follow all terms in the lease.  A broken lease is almost always grounds for forfeiture of deposit.
5. Don't make repairs yourself: Many times people will make repairs to save money.  Often times, this costs more money to repair because the landlord/manager has to "re-fix" the problem.  The best solution is to talk to your landlord/manager about the most cost effective solution.  
6. Leave plenty of time for cleaning.  Even after a short time it can be surprising how much dinge can build up in and around toilets, on baseboards, mini blinds, stoves, etc.  Refer back to your checklist.  Moving takes so much time and involves so much stress.  Leave time for cleaning.
7. Refer to checklist or pictures: Look back to your checklist and/or pictures from before you moved in.  Leave the apartment in as good as or better condition than when you arrived.
8. Review: Once you think your are done cleaning, walk through and review details.  Details that are often forgotten are clean blinds, clean floor under stove and fridge, tracks on windows.
9. Don't: Ignore problems.  Sometimes people will ignore cleaning because they have done damage.  People that do this, typically end up with a huge bill after they move out.  You are better off to do what you can and just be upfront with your landlord or manager.

Other things to keep in mind: Contract maintenance and cleaning is very expensive.  Many times, just to have a contractor show up can cost $50-$100.  Even if all a tenant does is forget one item it can be relatively expensive.
You should receive your statement and check within 21 days of proper termination of the lease.  If you haven't receive received a statement or a check within 30 days make a phone call or write a letter.  If you think your deposit has a mistake write a letter and specify the mistake(s) made.