As we do every summer...here are a few seasonal reminders to keep everyone safe, comfortable, and knowledgeable as to how to keep power bills down and take care of your rental home.
Hopefully you have been enjoying the great weather, grilling outside (away from the house please) :), and getting to the beach occasionally. Please consider trying some of these tips to save energy and stay cool!
TIPS FOR SAVING ENERGY IN YOUR HOME
*Set your thermostat to the highest (summer) and lowest (winter) to still be comfortable.
*Only use fans in rooms when people are in them. Fans cool people (and pets)…not the air. You can reverse your ceiling fans in summer months. There is a small switch on the side of fans for this purpose. Just like a light, you should turn a fan off if you leave the room. A fan running all the time can use about $6 to $9 a month.
*Use shades to reduce sun (or let more warmth in).
*Set water-heater to a lower temp. **Ask if you would like to know how to do this**
*Reduce water use with a low flow shower head.
*Do not allow exhaust fans (bath and stove) to run for longer than needed. Remember that they will just empty the cool air from inside your home and send it outside.
*Choose the shortest run time on dishwashers to get the dishes clean. Also clean dishwasher food traps often, and turn off HEAT DRY if not needed.
*Wash clothing with cold water unless extra sanitizing is required. Run dryer loads back-to-back and clean the lint filter every time. Don’t over dry clothes and dry on the lowest setting needed. Check the dryer vent on the OUTSIDE of the house too. If this is clogged...your dryer will work poorly and could be a fire hazard.
*Turn down refrigerator and freezer controls to factory settings. Make sure you vacuum out the bottom front vent of the refrigerator (especially if you have pets), and also any vents on the back (if easy to reach). Refrigerators are on wheels, so if you have never moved one…they are fairly easy for one person to slide out.
*Make sure that registers and return vents are not covered by furniture, rugs, wall hangings, drapery, etc. this will prevent them from working properly. Change your AC filter often to be sure your unit is working efficiently.
*Use energy-saving light bulbs (and unplug anything you are not using regularly-toaster, microwave, chargers...)
LAWNS:
As a reminder to tenants with lawns (except tenants who have included lawn care)…lawncare is your responsibility. Grass and shrubbery should be regularly cut and trimmed to keep lawns looking neat. Please do not wait until I drive by your home (or someone from the city does) and sees that the grass is too high. In the summer months, grass may need to be cut every 2 weeks. Also, please do not allow any vines to attach themselves to the exterior of your home, shed, and/or garage. Although pretty, vines can do extensive structural and paint damage. If I have to ask you to cut your lawn, please do so within 7 days or arrangements will be made for it to be cut for you at your expense. Call me if you need the number of a landscaper OR if you would like to speak with me about adding lawncare to your rent.
PEST CONTROL:
You have pest control service with Anchor Pest Control. You may call Anchor for additional treatments, if needed. IT IS FREE! The local office phone number is: 850-435-7696. Please call to ask for additional service appointments. Fleas may be bad again this year since we had a warm winter. Palmetto bugs have also been ridiculous. It is important to keep all pests out of your home...but especially fleas. Treat all pets monthly and have your home serviced immediately if you see even one flea.
MAINTENANCE:
Please notify us if you have any major concerns with your property that need to be addressed i.e.) water leaks, roof leaks, electrical malfunctions, or appliance malfunctions. Please speak up. These types of problems tend to get worse over time…not better. It is much easier to fix small problems before they become a disaster.
AIR FILTERS/SMOKE DETECTORS:
Changing air filters and smoke detector batteries is your responsibility. Please check/change your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months (usually daylight savings time is a good time to change smoke detector batteries.) Please check that your AC filters are changed once a month or as needed. A good rule of thumb is: if you cannot see through the filter...it needs to be changed. AC/Heat units do not function at their best with a dirty filter. If a problem arises with your air-conditioner that is proven to be caused by clogged or unchanged filters, it will be your responsibility to pay for the repairs. Use CHEAP filters (blue or dark green fibers). Thick HEPA filters are great if you have severe allergies, but to your Air Conditioner...it is like sucking a marshmallow through a straw, and can be very costly to you. If you have an odd sized filter, there are a few hardware stores/specialty that sell all sizes of cheap filters and the big box stores can order them for you too, with advance notice. Also...Amazon.com. :)
JACKSON STREET RESIDENTS ONLY>>> your filters can be removed by pulling up the screen on the front of the unit. You can wash them in the sink. Dry them thoroughly and return to the unit. Be sure to turn off the units before doing this.
SPRING CLEANING:
Spring/Summer is a great time to clean out your homes and get rid of excess junk. You must have trash service set up at your home (unless included in your rent). Any trash that is picked up by the city will be billed to us if you do not have service in your name. This amount will be added to your rent. You should call the city if you need to schedule extra pick ups or pick ups for large items. There is a cost associated with this…but it is always less expensive if you call first.
*Florida Power & Light provides energy audits to customers for free. They take about a month to order. They can show you how much energy each of your appliances is pulling. Occasionally, we have found a faulty appliance and replaced it. Usually it is just a good lesson on how FPL bills people. Call FPL to order this service if you like. We would be happy to meet you during the appointment.
And lastly...here are the numbers for ECUA (water company)
For after-hours emergencies (850) 476-5110.
For all other requests, contact the Ellyson Customer service office at (850) 476-0480.
While it is best to call us first in the event of a maintenance issue, you can always call ECUA or FPL first if there is a major electrical issue (ie.) you notice power arcing from a transformer or there is a river of water in your yard. :)
Visit https://www.fpl.com/save/lower-bill/tips.html for more energy saving tips and various billing options that will fit your needs.
Stay cool and HAPPY SUMMER!
Hopefully you have been enjoying the great weather, grilling outside (away from the house please) :), and getting to the beach occasionally. Please consider trying some of these tips to save energy and stay cool!
TIPS FOR SAVING ENERGY IN YOUR HOME
*Set your thermostat to the highest (summer) and lowest (winter) to still be comfortable.
*Only use fans in rooms when people are in them. Fans cool people (and pets)…not the air. You can reverse your ceiling fans in summer months. There is a small switch on the side of fans for this purpose. Just like a light, you should turn a fan off if you leave the room. A fan running all the time can use about $6 to $9 a month.
*Use shades to reduce sun (or let more warmth in).
*Set water-heater to a lower temp. **Ask if you would like to know how to do this**
*Reduce water use with a low flow shower head.
*Do not allow exhaust fans (bath and stove) to run for longer than needed. Remember that they will just empty the cool air from inside your home and send it outside.
*Choose the shortest run time on dishwashers to get the dishes clean. Also clean dishwasher food traps often, and turn off HEAT DRY if not needed.
*Wash clothing with cold water unless extra sanitizing is required. Run dryer loads back-to-back and clean the lint filter every time. Don’t over dry clothes and dry on the lowest setting needed. Check the dryer vent on the OUTSIDE of the house too. If this is clogged...your dryer will work poorly and could be a fire hazard.
*Turn down refrigerator and freezer controls to factory settings. Make sure you vacuum out the bottom front vent of the refrigerator (especially if you have pets), and also any vents on the back (if easy to reach). Refrigerators are on wheels, so if you have never moved one…they are fairly easy for one person to slide out.
*Make sure that registers and return vents are not covered by furniture, rugs, wall hangings, drapery, etc. this will prevent them from working properly. Change your AC filter often to be sure your unit is working efficiently.
*Use energy-saving light bulbs (and unplug anything you are not using regularly-toaster, microwave, chargers...)
LAWNS:
As a reminder to tenants with lawns (except tenants who have included lawn care)…lawncare is your responsibility. Grass and shrubbery should be regularly cut and trimmed to keep lawns looking neat. Please do not wait until I drive by your home (or someone from the city does) and sees that the grass is too high. In the summer months, grass may need to be cut every 2 weeks. Also, please do not allow any vines to attach themselves to the exterior of your home, shed, and/or garage. Although pretty, vines can do extensive structural and paint damage. If I have to ask you to cut your lawn, please do so within 7 days or arrangements will be made for it to be cut for you at your expense. Call me if you need the number of a landscaper OR if you would like to speak with me about adding lawncare to your rent.
PEST CONTROL:
You have pest control service with Anchor Pest Control. You may call Anchor for additional treatments, if needed. IT IS FREE! The local office phone number is: 850-435-7696. Please call to ask for additional service appointments. Fleas may be bad again this year since we had a warm winter. Palmetto bugs have also been ridiculous. It is important to keep all pests out of your home...but especially fleas. Treat all pets monthly and have your home serviced immediately if you see even one flea.
MAINTENANCE:
Please notify us if you have any major concerns with your property that need to be addressed i.e.) water leaks, roof leaks, electrical malfunctions, or appliance malfunctions. Please speak up. These types of problems tend to get worse over time…not better. It is much easier to fix small problems before they become a disaster.
AIR FILTERS/SMOKE DETECTORS:
Changing air filters and smoke detector batteries is your responsibility. Please check/change your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months (usually daylight savings time is a good time to change smoke detector batteries.) Please check that your AC filters are changed once a month or as needed. A good rule of thumb is: if you cannot see through the filter...it needs to be changed. AC/Heat units do not function at their best with a dirty filter. If a problem arises with your air-conditioner that is proven to be caused by clogged or unchanged filters, it will be your responsibility to pay for the repairs. Use CHEAP filters (blue or dark green fibers). Thick HEPA filters are great if you have severe allergies, but to your Air Conditioner...it is like sucking a marshmallow through a straw, and can be very costly to you. If you have an odd sized filter, there are a few hardware stores/specialty that sell all sizes of cheap filters and the big box stores can order them for you too, with advance notice. Also...Amazon.com. :)
JACKSON STREET RESIDENTS ONLY>>> your filters can be removed by pulling up the screen on the front of the unit. You can wash them in the sink. Dry them thoroughly and return to the unit. Be sure to turn off the units before doing this.
SPRING CLEANING:
Spring/Summer is a great time to clean out your homes and get rid of excess junk. You must have trash service set up at your home (unless included in your rent). Any trash that is picked up by the city will be billed to us if you do not have service in your name. This amount will be added to your rent. You should call the city if you need to schedule extra pick ups or pick ups for large items. There is a cost associated with this…but it is always less expensive if you call first.
*Florida Power & Light provides energy audits to customers for free. They take about a month to order. They can show you how much energy each of your appliances is pulling. Occasionally, we have found a faulty appliance and replaced it. Usually it is just a good lesson on how FPL bills people. Call FPL to order this service if you like. We would be happy to meet you during the appointment.
And lastly...here are the numbers for ECUA (water company)
For after-hours emergencies (850) 476-5110.
For all other requests, contact the Ellyson Customer service office at (850) 476-0480.
While it is best to call us first in the event of a maintenance issue, you can always call ECUA or FPL first if there is a major electrical issue (ie.) you notice power arcing from a transformer or there is a river of water in your yard. :)
Visit https://www.fpl.com/save/lower-bill/tips.html for more energy saving tips and various billing options that will fit your needs.
Stay cool and HAPPY SUMMER!