Houston Apartment Association Hosts “Don’t Forget to Bring a Bear” event

Thank you to the Houston Apartment Association for hosting the “Don’t Forget to Bring a Bear” event at the recent HAA Ambassadors meeting. The stuffed animals were donated to the “911 Bears Project” supported by the Houston Police Department’s Badges and Bears Program. This program puts stuffed animals in vehicles of first responders to give away when they are on an emotional scene where a child is involved. Minol USA’s Wil Castro (proudly wearing his Minol shirt) was honored to have attended.

How Long Will Your Meters Last?

There is no crystal ball to tell you just how long your meters and AMR system will last.

Submeter: Typically, a meter’s lifetime is 10-12 years. As meters age, they read low and negatively impact your cost recovery.


AMR System: With proper battery changes every 7-8 years, your system will last about 10 years. Over time, electronic components go obsolete, making maintenance and replacement difficult if not possible.

The Minol Team’s Meter Data Management group is here to help keep your systems current and running at optimal efficiency.

14 Ways to Use Less Energy in Your Rental

Energy efficient apartments have two moving parts: things you buy to be more efficient and things you do. This articles takes a look at some of the changes you can make as a renter that will have the biggest impact.

Turn down the thermostat while you sleep
You can save up to 10% on your heating and cooling bills each year just by turning your thermostat down by 7-10 degrees for eight hours a day. If you have control over your apartment’s thermostat, turn it down before you go to bed and then snuggle up under the covers to stay warm while you save some dough. If you don’t have pets, you can also turn the heat down during any hours that you’re not at home.

Weatherstrip your windows
Windows are one of the main ways that your apartment loses heat in the winter, which in turn forces your heating system to work overdrive to maintain balance. Fortunately, there are a number of affordable weatherstripping products that are simple to apply to your windows and help keep the cold air outside where it belongs. If you rent in a particularly old building, consider adding two layers of weatherstripping material to ensure your efforts pay off. Sound like too much work? You could also place a rolled up towel in front of the window sill to block drafts from coming through.

Draft-proof your outlets
Like windows, outlets can let in drafts from the outside that offset your apartment’s heating and cooling efforts. Put your hand in front of each outlet on a cold day and feel for any cold air coming through, or just see if your outlets themselves feel especially cold. If either of those things are the case, use gaskets—little plastic plugs that fit in your outlets—to seal them up and keep the air out. Gaskets plug in and out easily, so you can remove them when you need to use the outlet.

Click here for the complete article Energy Efficient Apartments: 14 Ways to Use Less Energy in Your Rental

 

 

LED Lighting Reduces Energy

Reducing lighting costs is an easy way to reduce overall energy consumption. It sounds easy and it is. Below are four easy steps to get you started:

 

1) Determine how much you are using and spending
2) Complete a building lighting audit
3) Consider motion sensors, timers and energy saving lighting
4) Install LED lighting in Common Areas

 

It’s best to consult with lighting experts to determine the most efficient next steps toward energy savings. Minol is always here to help shed some light on your energy expenses.

Water Submetering Installation Best Practices

Submetering a new project or retrofitting an existing one can be complicated, particularly in heavily regulated areas. From planning early to selecting the correct metering system, following best practices can not only save time and money but headaches for your Project Management Team!

Click below to download, “Water Submetering Best Practices: Preparing for a New Construction Submetering Installation,” authored by Phil Neeves, industry veteran and submetering expert.

Submetering Reduces Resident Water Usage

Many people are surprised to find out how much water the average person uses. Estimates vary but each person uses about 80 – 100 gallons of water per day.

The largest use of household water is to flush the toilet followed by taking a shower or bath. Submetering promotes conservation within a community. When residents pay for their actual usage, they can take the necessary steps to reduce their individual bills.

Is It Time For Your Community To Invest In New Toilets?

Many people don’t know you can test your toilet for a secret leak in three easy steps and in less than 20 minutes.

1. Put 10 drops of food coloring in the tank.
2. Don’t flush for 15 minutes.
3. If the colored water shows up in the bowl, you have a leak.

Encourage your residents to report leaks as soon as they are spotted. If leaks are happening more and more, it’s time to consider new toilets or retrofitting your current hardware.