Renter battles landlord to fix the hidden cause of enormous energy bills: 'My electric bills have been more than double my neighbors'

Many homeowners have been taking control of their household energy costs and saving thousands of dollars by installing heat pump water heaters. 

But advocating for energy savings can be an incredibly steep uphill battle for renters with difficult landlords. 

One Reddit user posted a question to r/askaplumber about who to call to fix a water heater causing extremely high electric bills. 

The OP found that their electricity usage dropped by 70% after they turned off the water heater for a few days. They explained, "My electric bills have been more than double my neighbors'." 

"My landlord is pushing back and claiming I'm somehow using $150-$180 worth of electricity (1200-1400 kWh) in my 600 sq. foot apartment," the OP wrote. "Problem is, all I keep on is my laptop, TV (on occasion), and a couple of lights." 

Old, outdated water heaters are notorious for wasting energy and making utility bills more expensive than necessary. 

Meanwhile, heat pump options like Cala's intelligent heat pump water heater deliver comfort and reduce energy use by up to 80%. Highly customizable water heaters like these help people reduce their energy bills and environmental footprints with in-demand hot water that's always available when needed. 

While homeowners have recently enjoyed the Inflation Reduction Act tax rebates and credits for heat pump water heaters, future government incentives are currently uncertain under the Trump administration. In certain situations, renters have even qualified for rebates under former President Biden's Investing in America plan.

However, significant changes to the IRA would require an act of Congress, offering hope that homeowners and renters can still afford to upgrade their residences to live more sustainably. 

How old is your current water heater? 10 years or older 😬 5 to 10 years old 🙂 Less than 5 years old 😎 I have no idea 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

To help the OP handle their water heater dilemma, fellow Reddit users shared their advice for approaching the landlord and living affordably with hot water. 

"Call your landlord and tell him he needs to change it, and if he refuses, let him know politely that you will get the health department involved as hot water is a basic requirement, and yours is malfunctioning to the point where you can't afford it," one Redditor wrote in the comments. 

"When was the last time your water heater was flushed?" another Reddit user asked. "It should be done every year." 

Someone else suggested, "If the hot water heater runs all the time, look for a leak in a hot water pipe. All that heat has to go somewhere."

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