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Old 11-17-17, 06:11 PM   #7
medicdude
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: CT USA
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200 dollars a month for a normal sized apartment seems absolutely insane, I pay on average 75 dollars a month and I have very expensive electricity and 100% electric heating.

You might have a faulty appliance that is working much harder or more often than it has to, hot water heaters and fridge's are common culprits.

You also might have significant AIR LEAKS to the outdoors, "permanent" AC units and cheap-*** windows are some of the biggest culprits, you can seal these up with covers, duct tape, or by installing clay-like temporary window caulk along any seams you can feel cold air coming thru in the window.

There might be actual structural issues, gaps, or holes in your aparement that are letting in cold/hot air as well. There is not much you can do about these other than inform your owners and complain to your local government and see if they can put pressure on the owner to fix the problems.

If you find any large holes from the interior of the apartment you can spray low expansion foam to help seal these up.

If they are a low-income subsidized project they may actually be required to perform some of these basic energy saving techniques on their own, and you could report them to whoever oversees or manages the project in your local area, or up to higher authorities if you are being ignored.

You will never break even with any interior installed PV panels; the light coming into your window is already providing heating and you will get no benefit from installing PV panels. The only time it might be useful is to block up the outside of your windows during the summer.
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