If you're a renter and pay your own utility costs, it makes sense to do some simple things to lower your energy use and your utility bills. The more of these you do, the more you'll save.

Space heating tips

1. Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower to heat your home. Each degree that you lower the thermostat can lower your heating costs by as much as 3%.

2. Turn down the thermostat before you go to bed at night, when you are away from home, and in rooms you are not using. By heating your home for only 8-10 hours per day instead of 24 hours per day, you could reduce the heating portion of your bill by as much as 45%.

3. Keep wall, baseboard, and forced-air heat registers free from obstructions so the heat can circulate.

4. Heat only the space you are in. Use a small space heater in the room where you are located, and turn down the temperature in the rest of the house.

5. Use electronic digital thermostats for ceiling, wall, or baseboard heating systems that are controlled by wall-mounted thermostats. Check the accuracy of the thermostat by comparing the temperature shown to an accurate thermometer.

6. If you have a fireplace, close the flue damper and fireplace glass doors when the fireplace is not in use. A chimney will suck warm air out of the house and leave cold drafts in its wake.

7. If you live in a rental that is not energy efficient, encourage your landlord to utilize cash incentives from EWEB to make energy improvements like adding insulation to attics, walls, and floors.
Water heating tips

8. Check the temperature of your hot water at a faucet with a kitchen thermometer, and a temperature of 120 degrees is recommended. If the temperature of your hot water is higher or lower than 120 degrees, adjust both thermostats on your water heater-and turn off the water heater at the electric panel box before removing the covers on your water heater to adjust the temperature.

9. When you are going to be gone more than three days, turn off the water heater at the electric panel box. To remind yourself to turn it back on when you return home, leave yourself a note.

10. Wash only full loads in your dishwasher. Use the air dry setting and/or the energy saver setting.

11. Repair leaky faucets promptly. Even small drips can add up quickly, especially if the dripping water is hot. About 11% of all water used in homes is wasted due to leaks.

12. Use efficient shower heads and faucet aerators. These could save up to 10 percent on your water heating costs in addition to the water that they save.

Appliance tips

13. Use appliances wisely, and don't leave appliances on that are not in use. The energy used by TVs, radios, and computers that are left on really adds up.

14. Eliminate phantom power consumption from standby power. Many consumer products use energy even when turned off. Completely disconnect home electronics that have standby capability, or connect multiple electronics (such as TV, DVD player, and stereo) to a power strip or surge suppressor, and turn them all off with the press of one button. Phantom power can account for as much as 10% of home energy use.

15. Set your refrigerator temperature to 35-40 degrees. To find out how cool it is in there, use a thermometer set in a glass of water. Set freezer between 0 and 10 degrees, and verify with a thermometer packed in frozen goods.

16. Keep the refrigerator full to reduce energy consumption. Water jugs or other beverages work well.

17. Keep refrigerator condenser coils working efficiently by cleaning them regularly. Unplug units, and vacuum the coils under or behind the cabinet twice yearly, since this allows the motor/compressor to run less often and for shorter periods of time to remove heat from inside the cabinet.

18. Microwaves are a more energy efficient way of cooking than stoves and ovens.

Lighting tips

19. Turn off lights that are not in use.

20. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Start by replacing the bulbs that are used most often. CFLs use one-third the energy of incandescent bulbs and last ten times longer.

21. Use task lighting as opposed to general lighting-so if you only need light in one corner of a room, only light that corner and not the entire room.

For more tips, advice, and information about saving energy and lowering your utility bills, rely on the energy experts at EWEB.