Having a holiday rental house, whether in the mountains or on the beach, is advantageous for various reasons. To begin, vacation houses and apartments for rent in Chicago may be a terrific source of additional income, allowing you to grow wealth and save for retirement. Furthermore, it allows you to take economic family and group trips when most convenient. On the other hand, the additional home maintenance expenditures that come with owning or managing a vacation rental may frequently be budget busters for many individuals.
Improving the energy efficiency of the house is a tried-and-true cost-cutting strategy. So, how can you begin conserving energy in your holiday home? Here are seven examples:
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1. Disconnect all electronics between stays.
Switching off consumer devices isn’t enough since most include an “Instant On” option. When you turn off your surround sound system, phone chargers, DVD players, clocks, or TV, this function continues to use energy. Disconnecting all gadgets throughout your stay is the only way to avoid this hidden energy waste.
While this may be more challenging during peak season, you may conserve energy by taking advantage of low seasons. Do the same with humidifiers, space heaters, hot tub warmers, and other plugged-in equipment. Turn off the water heater at the power panel while you’re at it!
2. Reduce the temperature and go “smart.”
Although your thermostat does not turn off like other gadgets, you should set it to 50-55°F when no visitors are present to prevent pipes from freezing. A web-enabled smart thermostat is an excellent energy-saving purchase since it allows you to adjust the internal temperature of your vacation rental from anywhere. You may adjust the temperature on your smartphone to avoid freezing or broken pipes caused by inclement weather.
You may even raise the temperature remotely before your visitors arrive to ensure that your home is warm and pleasant (or chilly, depending on the season) when they arrive. They will be grateful for the gesture and will likely submit a favorable review highlighting it.
3. Replace air filters
Clogged or unclean air filters reduce the effectiveness of your second home’s HVAC system, causing it to overwork. They also pollute interior air quality, so the air purifying system works hard but achieves little; allergies and poisons persist. You squander energy while creating an unpleasant atmosphere for your visitors.
If your holiday rental accepts dogs, your air filters must be changed every 60 days. Filters should be replaced every 90 days if there is a no-pet policy.
4. Renovate the bathroom
Bathrooms may be a major source of home energy waste, particularly if you include luxuries like jacuzzis or bathtubs. If you track your bathroom’s energy use, you’ll see that it consumes a lot. To reduce energy waste in the bathroom, do the following:
Install water-saving showerheads and sinks.
Replace your old showerhead and sink faucet with more ecologically friendly alternatives with the assistance of general contractors. While shower replacements are inexpensive, the new installations will deliver a far better experience while consuming less water and energy.
Use energy-saving light bulbs.
Replace incandescent lights in your bathroom with fluorescent tubes or LEDs. This also applies to all other rooms in your holiday rental house. LEDs, for example, are more durable and use 80% less energy than incandescent lamps.
Replace the bathroom windows.
If there are no bathroom windows in the vacation rental property, it is preferable to build little windows that give wonderful views of the outdoors (if feasible!). If, on the other hand, the bathroom windows are excessively large, they must be resized to prevent outside air from entering or departing the bathroom. Heating or cooling from the outside is a waste of money.
You may also save electricity by purchasing Energy Star windows. These windows are distinguished by their innovative design, which includes Low-E glass, many panes, and high-quality frame materials.
Put in low-flow toilets.
Most rental properties have standard toilets that consume more than a gallon of water every flush. If yours falls into this category, consider replacing it with an energy-efficient, low-flow one. This will not only substantially decrease the quantity of water consumed, but it will also save you money.
5. Repair any holes, gaps, or possible leaks.
Ensure your vacation rental house is well-sealed to avoid heat loss, particularly during the winter. Examine this:
- All doors leading to the exterior are shut, and there are no gaps underneath them through which air may enter or exit. Remember to mend the garage door as well since it connects to the interiors indirectly; it is sometimes overlooked when other doors are serviced.
- The outside walls, windows, and ceiling are all well-insulated and sealed. Hire a specialist to assist you in locating and sealing concealed air leaks in the attic.
- Attic soffit and gable vents are cleaned to maintain free-flowing air through the attic and a cool, dry roof deck. A dry deck means no ice jams and no lost energy attempting to break them apart.
- There are no obvious holes or rips in the vents or ducts via which warm air may escape. Small holes in electrical lines should be filled with caulk or spray foam. Mastic or metal (foil) tape may also cover unsightly duct openings. If you are on a limited budget, you may use duct tape, but remember that it is not a permanent solution.
- The chimney and furnace flues have no openings. Metal flashing or high-temperature caulk may be used to seal any chimney openings.
6. Set up solar panels
This has to be the most environmentally friendly energy-saving alternative for holiday rental houses. Solar energy minimizes your carbon footprint and cuts your energy expense dramatically. Furthermore, installing solar panels raises the market value of your property. On top of this, if you’re running a vacation rental business, your profitability is important. People tend to use vacation rental software, partnerships with cleaning businesses, and other methods to save on expenses but many don’t stop and think of solar panels as another perfect way to save on expenses and increase profitability.
Last but not least
That’s all there is to it! Making energy-efficient choices for your house is not difficult, but it does need some time and effort initially. Understanding where energy is lost and how to be more efficient will always benefit you and the environment. Your visitors would also enjoy it since their electrical expenditures will be reduced. We can strive toward a more sustainable vacation rental sector that thrives in the long run if everyone does their bit.
