Desperate renter seeks help after discovering enormous energy bill — here's the advice that could save them $2,500

After spending exorbitant amounts on energy bills, one Reddit user made a desperate turn to the subreddit r/AskElectricians to see what they could do to reduce the costs, which had reached up to $200 per month despite a small apartment and little energy usage.

"Our landlord recently installed a device on our fuse box that monitors energy usage to try and help get to the bottom of it/determine what in the unit is using so much energy," the Reddit user explained. "It seems like the water heater is using a huge amount of energy compared to everything else even though my partner and I only take one 15-20 minute shower each per day."

They asked the group if their energy prices make sense, and the subreddit answered: It is way too costly. A simple switch could make all the difference. 

"Straight electric non-heat pump water heaters are super inefficient," wrote one commenter. 

Another went into more detail.

"I just replaced my 34-gallon resistive heat water heater with a 65-gallon heat pump heater and my electricity usage dropped by 30% and I got a $500 credit on my power bill," they said. They will also "get the federal tax credit."

The user is referring to replacing their central heating with a heat pump, a form of heating and cooling within the home that cuts energy bills in half, all while being more efficient. Heat pumps can save you $1,000 on yearly energy bills and — as Redditors prove — can unlock thousands in tax credits. 

The Inflation Reduction Act, in particular, has been responsible for saving homeowners thousands by giving them cash benefits to upgrade their homes to be more environmentally friendly. Environmentalists suggest acting fast, as the Trump administration has hinted at removing the benefits once he takes office. 

New heat pump technology makes heat pumps even more appealing to homeowners. The newly launched tech company Cala recently created "the world's first intelligent heat pump water heater." Its technology is supposed to offer 500% efficiency, as Michael Rigney, the CEO of Cala, told The Cool Down. 

Do you think home heating costs are higher than they should be? Definitely 👍 Depends on the season ☃️ Depends where you live 🗺️ No 👎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Redditors explained that by switching to a heat pump, the OP could save up to $2,500.

One commenter said to ask their landlord about their receptivity to switching to a heat pump, detailing that "The MassSave program offers landlords rebates up to $750 for ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters. This is in addition to the federal tax credit."

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