As a landlord, you always have a lot going on. Your goal is to make your tenants as happy and as comfortable as can be – even if it means extra spending. But what if you could improve your tenants’ experience and save money? You can by going green!
The environmental website Click Green has put together five tips for landlords seeking to save money and make their rental property more attractive and eco-friendly:
First off, ditch the hard copy contracts and bills – and go paperless. Going paperless allows you to save money on ink and paper, and eliminates the hassle of paper filing.
Secondly, improve your property’s energy efficiency by upgrading insulation and windows. Approximately 50-70 percent of a home’s energy consumption is attributed to heating and cooling. Old insulation and windows allows both warm and cool air to leak out, forcing the units to work harder and burn more energy.
The third suggestion is to install Energy Star rated appliances. While these can be pricey, the government-backed Energy Star symbol on the appliance means their energy-efficiency has been thoroughly vetted.
The fourth tip is to install water efficient plumbing. Installing water-efficient showerheads and faucets can save a landlord up to 3,000 gallons of water each year.
And finally, change all your property’s light bulbs to LED’s. LED lightbulbs have an average lifespan of 50,000 hours. The annual operating cost for 30 LEDs is about $33; 30 incandescents cost over $325 annually.
Consider these tips when making improvements to your rental property. And remember: going green can save green.
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Five Tips for Landlords Who Want to Go Green
Photo, posted January 31, 2015, courtesy of Mike Mozart via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.