QUOTE (realfortin @ Feb 21 2009, 03:32 PM) Electric baseboard heaters are generally close to 100% energy efficient... unless it is faulty, the only thing you need to do to is take the cover off and clean them to ensure a good airflow.
What you may save a lot if you change the thermostats to programmable ones and the tenants allow you to take the temperature down to 18 degrees at night. If they don`t want programmable ones, at least get electronic ones. The old ones are never accurate and tenants have a habit of shoving them on to full, then regretting it, opening windows etc. Old ones are also a single switch, they put 100% of power to the heater or none at all. Electronic ones, when they are close to the right temperature reduce the power to the heater so it brings the last degree of heat up slowly, and when the temperature goes down, it applies smaller amounts of power to keep the tempearture up. This results in a smaller fluctuation of temperature. With old ones, by the time it gets to the desired temperature the heater is really hot and will continue to heat above the temperature you want before it shuts off. Once it shuts off, it waits until the room cools too much before it then turns on, and then it`s at 100% again, resulting ina less stable heat where the tenants are likely to incresed the thermostat to well above 21 degrees.
Imagine driving your car where you can only have full throttle or no throttle, not very efficient or comfortable.
Real
I assume the units are metered seperately for electricity, so why don`t you just proceed with a withdrawal of service letter informing the tenants that electricity will no longer be included in the rent and that the rent will be reduced by $XX amount to compensate. Now you`re off the hook for heat and you may end up increasing monthly cash flow.
I`m a big fan of having all expenses placed on a monthly budget including utilities, insurance, taxes, etc.
I just wish you could do water on a monthly plan in my city.
