Quick Summary: 12 Ways to Lower Your Apartment Utility Bills

1. Switch to LED light bulbs
2. Unplug electronics or use smart power strips
3. Run appliances during off-peak hours
4. Install a smart or programmable thermostat (if allowed)
5. Reverse your ceiling fan seasonally
6. Seal window drafts with thermal curtains or window film
7. Add rugs to bare floors for insulation
8. Dress for the temperature indoors
9. Install a low-flow showerhead
10. Report leaks immediately
11. Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads
12. Air-dry clothes when possible

Read on for the details on each — including which tips work best in older buildings, which require a quick conversation with your leasing office, and how to make the biggest dent in your bill fastest.

Electric and Lighting Savings

1. Switch to LED Light Bulbs

LED bulbs use about 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. If your apartment came with older bulbs, swapping them out is the single fastest energy upgrade you can make. Keep the original bulbs in a box so you can swap them back when you move out.

2. Unplug Electronics or Use Smart Power Strips

Appliances draw small amounts of power even when they're turned off — this is called "phantom load" and it can account for 5-10% of your electric bill. Coffee makers, TVs, gaming consoles, and phone chargers are the biggest culprits. Smart power strips automatically cut power to devices in standby mode, so you don't have to remember to unplug anything.

3. Run Appliances During Off-Peak Hours

In Portland, most renters are on Portland General Electric (PGE), which offers a time-of-day pricing plan where electricity is significantly cheaper overnight and on weekends. If you can shift laundry, dishwashing, and EV charging to off-peak hours, you can lower your bill without changing your habits much. Check with PGE to see if a time-of-day plan makes sense for your usage.

Heating and Cooling Savings

4. Install a Smart or Programmable Thermostat

A smart thermostat is one of the highest-ROI upgrades a renter can make. Setting your heat back 7-10 degrees while you're at work can save around 10% per year on heating bills. Many apartments allow smart thermostats, but check with your leasing office first. If installation isn't permitted, a manual programmable thermostat or even a set schedule you follow yourself can produce most of the savings.

5. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan Seasonally

In summer, fans should run counterclockwise to push cool air down. In winter, reverse them to clockwise on the lowest setting — this pulls cold air up and pushes warm air (which naturally rises to the ceiling) back down into the room. Most fans have a small switch on the motor housing.

6. Seal Window Drafts

Drafty windows can be responsible for 25-30% of a home's heat loss. Thermal or insulated curtains, window insulation film (a shrink-wrap kit you apply with a hair dryer), and draft stoppers along the bottom of exterior doors are all renter-friendly fixes that leave no permanent marks. In an older apartment, these can make a noticeable difference within a day.

7. Add Rugs to Bare Floors

Hard floors — hardwood, tile, or laminate — let heat escape faster than carpet. Adding area rugs traps warmth in living spaces and adds a layer of insulation between you and the cold subfloor. It's a small change that makes rooms feel warmer without touching the thermostat.

8. Dress for the Temperature Indoors

The cheapest thermostat adjustment is a sweater. Wearing warmer layers in winter (and lighter clothing in summer) lets you keep the thermostat set a few degrees closer to outside temperatures, which is where the biggest heating and cooling savings actually come from.

Water Savings

9. Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

Low-flow showerheads cut water use by 40-60% without a noticeable drop in pressure. They're inexpensive, install in about two minutes with no tools, and can be swapped back to the original when you move out. Since your water heater is one of the biggest energy draws in your apartment, using less hot water lowers both your water and electric bills.

10. Report Leaks Immediately

A dripping faucet or running toilet can waste thousands of gallons of water per year. Even if your rent includes water, unreported leaks can lead to bigger issues (mold, damage) that become your problem. Submit a maintenance request the same day you notice a leak.

Laundry and Appliance Savings

11. Run Dishwashers and Washing Machines Only With Full Loads

Modern dishwashers and washing machines use roughly the same amount of water and electricity whether they're full or half-full. Waiting until you have a full load can cut your usage in half. Bonus: use the cold water setting on your washing machine whenever possible — about 90% of the energy used by a washer goes to heating water.

12. Air-Dry Clothes When You Can

Clothes dryers are one of the most energy-hungry appliances in any home. Air-drying on a rack or line — even for just a couple of loads a week — can meaningfully reduce your electric bill and extend the life of your clothes. For renters in apartments without a lot of space, a folding drying rack that tucks away when not in use works well.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do renters typically spend on utilities in Portland?

Most Portland-area renters spend $150-250 per month on utilities, depending on apartment size, insulation, and how many people live in the unit. Electric and gas make up the biggest share, especially in winter.

What utilities are usually included in apartment rent?

It depends on the property. Many Portland apartments include water, sewer, and trash in the rent, while residents are responsible for electric and gas. Some newer communities include additional utilities as part of the lease. Ask your leasing office for the specific breakdown before signing.

Can renters install energy-saving upgrades without landlord approval?

Most of the tips above — LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads, thermal curtains, smart power strips, and window insulation film — don't require any approval because they're portable and leave no permanent changes. Smart thermostats, ceiling fans, and anything that requires wiring changes usually need written approval from your leasing office.

What's the fastest way to lower an apartment utility bill?

The three highest-impact changes for most renters: switch to LED bulbs, seal window and door drafts, and set your thermostat 7-10 degrees back when you're not home. Together, these can cut monthly costs by 15-25% without any major purchases.

Enjoy Comfortable, Efficient Living at West Parc at Bethany Village

West Parc at Bethany Village offers modern apartments in Portland's Bethany neighborhood designed for comfortable, efficient living year-round. Explore our floor plans or schedule a tour to see the community in person. Have questions about what's included with your apartment? Contact our leasing team.

The post How to Save Money on Utilities in Your Apartment: 12 Ways to Lower Your Bills appeared first on West Parc Blog.

This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be shocked how many people skip this crucial step. Your lease should contain everything you need to know, including all of the do’s and don’ts while living there.

Check your lease to make sure you’re allowed to put holes in the walls to hang things or whether or not you can paint the walls.

Even if your lease tells you that you can hang things or paint, there may be stipulations included. It is not uncommon for them to require walls be painted back to their original color or nail holes filled prior to your departure.

Carpets may need to be cleaned before you move out. This may all seem like a pain for you but these small fixes will save you tremendously in the long run.

Paying attention to details and leaving the home in as good of condition as it was when you moved in are both necessary to be sure you get your deposit returned. Always keep a copy of your lease in a safe place that you can access whenever you have questions.

Do A Thorough Inspection of Your Own  

Landlords will usually do a walk-through of the home before you move in. Sometimes they will even give you a document for you to record the condition of the home. If they don’t do this then you can ask them to record any issues that you see, or you can create a record of your own.

Put your phone to good use and record a video or take pictures of the home prior to you moving in. This will give you a time and date stamp showing exactly the condition that you found it in.

Pay attention to any scratches or stains on flooring, holes or dents in the walls, any appliances that aren’t working properly or any other issue that seems out of the ordinary.

Save these findings for yourself and also email a copy to your landlord. Keep these until you move out and get your security deposit back.

Assuming you have not caused any further damage, this will ensure you aren’t blamed for a prior tenant’s issue and receive your deposit back upon moving out.

Clean Up After Yourself

A little bit of scrubbing goes a long way! Spend a few hours giving your home a little TLC before you turn in your keys.

Leaving a home dirty can open the doors for cleaning fees and repair costs. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom where grime and grease tend to congregate the most.

Most ovens have a self-clean option that you can put on while you tend to the other areas that need a little elbow grease. Scrub the fridge, microwave, and inside pantries and cabinets.

Be sure to get the shower and scrub the grout to remove any mold or mildew. If you have never dusted your baseboards, now is the time!

Check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks for any stray items you may have missed. Renting a carpet shampooer from your local home improvement store is another good idea. These are usually pretty affordable, and they can help make the carpets look a lot more presentable in a short amount of time.

Repair small nail holes and don’t leave any of your belongings for the landlord to deal with. Take everything with you, including anything you may have had in storage like a garage or attic.

Try to leave the home better than you found it. Your landlord will thank you and you’ll be happy you put forth the extra effort when you get your security deposit back.

Take Pictures

Document the condition of the home once you move out just like you did when you moved in. This is especially important if you live with roommates and you have to move out before they do.

Document your room and everything you’ve done to keep the home in the condition you found it or any upgrades you may have done. Speaking of upgrades- always get permission from your landlord first.

Be present when your landlord does the final inspection if it’s possible. This will ensure that you can answer any questions they might have or dispute any discrepancies in their findings. Remember, document it or it didn’t happen.

Be A Nice Person
 

Just be a decent human being. It’s really simple! Remember that golden rule from when you were a kid? Treat others the way you want to be treated.

 If you have been a good tenant and not given your landlord or neighbors any problems, then chances are you won’t have anything to worry about. Clean up after your pets, keep your music down, clean up after yourself and pay your rent on time. Courtesy and kindness go a long way.

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Making sure you have the finer details of your finances in order when it comes to your new apartment will help you avoid surprises and secure a new apartment that is comfortably within your budget.

Here are 5 questions to ask the landlord before you rent an apartment.
 

1. How much is the monthly rent?

OK, this may seem obvious, but it's important. Don't assume that you know the monthly rent because of something you saw online. The rent for apartments within a complex can vary a lot based on location, floor plan, and other factors like recent updates or renovations.

When you figure out which unit you like best, ask about the monthly rent for that particular unit – including the floor its on and the position it's in in the complex.

If you have pets, you should also inquire if there's an additional monthly pet rent fee.
 

2. What does (and doesn't) the rent include?

Different apartment communities have different policies when it comes to amenities. Make sure you know what is and is not included for categories such as:

• Parking
• Utilities
• Laundry
• Gym access
• Common area use/maintenance
• Trash and recycling services

Also, be sure to ask if there are shared community fees that get added to your monthly rent bill. Some communities will divide up the utilities for shared use spaces like the pool and gym area between residents each month which can add up!
 

3. What is the required deposit?

Apartment deposits vary wildly because of a variety of factors. Everything from state and local laws to property management company policies to your personal credit history can affect how much you have to pay up front to rent an apartment.

Ask what is required for a security deposit, damage deposit, and (if you have a furry friend) a pet deposit. Also, ask how it's applied (i.e. is it held and refunded after 12 months or applied to your last month of residency).
 

4. What is an average utility bill?

If your utilities are not included in your rent, then ask how much an average utility bill will be for the unit you're interested in. Many properties will have this type of information available, but you may need to reach out to the utility company if they don't.
 

5. What are the ways you can pay rent?

An increasing number of apartment communities are offering online payment options that allow you to pay rent with a debit card, credit card, or e-check. Some even offer automatic bill pay so you never pay late. You should also ask if there are processing fees for any of the available payment methods. This will help you avoid those little fees that can really add up over time.

Don't be shy about asking these financial questions when you're apartment hunting. It may feel a little uncomfortable to talk about money, but it's important for your financial health. Apartment leasing staff expect and are ready to answer these types of questions so you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

The post 5 Money Questions to Ask the Landlord Before You Rent An Apartment appeared first on West Parc Blog.