Keep Comfortable and Save Energy Using These 4 Tips
August 22, 2017
Property Owners, Know These Common Myths About Fall Maintenance
September 19, 2017
Owning a vacation rental property can be a significant investment. Fortunately, conserving energy can increase your returns on a vacation home. Amid cleaning fees, costs of advertising, and maintenance expenses, one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is your energy bill. You can keep utility costs down regardless of who rents your vacation home with a few easy tips for energy savings.
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Take Good Care of Your HVAC System
Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can present a hefty expense to you as a vacation property owner. It can cost thousands of dollars to replace an HVAC system – a job you should only have to do at the absolute end of your unit’s lifespan. If you fail to properly maintain your unit, you’ll face greater repair costs and hasten your need for a brand-new unit. Save money by scheduling routine HVAC maintenance with a trusted local company.
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Tint Your Vacation Rental Windows
Do you own a property that gets hours of full sunlight on a lake or the side of a mountain? Old, inefficient windows could welcome the light – and heat – inside, leading to an increase in cooling costs. Replace old windows with new ones that use smart tinting technologies to keep the sun’s harmful UV rays out. Tinted windows work better than curtains or window treatments for keeping hot air outside during the summer and work well to conserve energy.
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Use Energy Star Appliances
Don’t neglect your vacation property’s appliances. Using old washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, sinks, toilets, and other appliances could be wasting money every month. Replace outdated pieces of equipment and opt for Energy Star rated devices instead. Energy Star devices are designed with energy conservancy in mind. A high-performance Energy Star toilet, for example, uses just 1.28 gallons of water per flush. Compare this with about six gallons per flush on older toilets.
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Optimize Insulation
Whether your vacation home is in the snowy mountains or at the beach, you need proper insulation to regulate indoor temperatures. Keep outside air out and inside air in with proper insulation and weather stripping on doors and windows. Otherwise, drafts could make your tenants less comfortable and lead to wasted energy.
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Set Limits on Your Thermostats
One of the best ways to conserve energy in a vacation rental is by installing tamper-proof thermostats with programmable temperature limits. This puts you in control of the temperature in your rental – not your tenants. You’ll never have to waste money on inefficient use of your HVAC system, such as setting extreme temperatures or forgetting to turn the system off when the tenants leave. The power will be in your hands.
