Like many here, I live in a POS rental home with roommates. We just got our gas (heating) bill for November. $200! And it was barely even cold! We paid $15-20 during the summer for gas to run the dryer, oven and water heater, but I'm dreading a $400 gas bill when we hit average temps of 10F in January/ February.
I'm looking for things to do that can reduce this bill, but there's a big dilemma. We won't be staying in this house next year, so anything I do needs to have very fast ROI. Even more so because my roommates are stubborn and will probably be unwilling to pay for the materials to do the job.
I'm sure the first suggestion will be to lower the thermostat. Unfortunately, this is non-negotiable. One of the guys is a delicate princess who can't handle anything lower than 72, and I'm constantly lowering it to 70. I also cant really turn it down while we sleep, because the schedules in the house basically have someone awake at all hours of the day.
I know the biggest single thing I can do is deal with the uninsulated attic, but I'm skeptical that I can make back $500+ on it in one winter.
I'm planning on picking up some weather stripping for the doors and windows, probably some caulk and gaskets for electrical outlets. Other than that what can I do that I can either take with me when we move out, or pays itself off in one winter?
December 27, 2018 at 09:25AM
