Gas vs electric dryers

[Tweaker]

Originally Posted by AkBrian

I'd also take a look at putting the apartment on a separate meter if at all possible. It avoids one source of potential conflict They want to leave the lights on all the time? No problem, they pay for it.

I have a similar studio behind my garage. The $900/mo is nice. No washer/dryer, gas water heater and stove, electric baseboard heaters.

The electricity thing is a problem because if you include it, they have no incentive to save. We put a meter in the line into the unit and he pays by the kwh. Interestingly, the electricity bill has never been more than $20. About $8 in the summer. We just lost the renter this month and I think I will just raise the rent and include every utility this time, prospects seem to expect it.
I think the gas safety thing is being way overblown, it's not like you are an absentee owner and lint will burn no matter how it gets hot. And I think you are getting reamed on that gas line install quote, it is no harder than a water line.

Of more importance is getting the right tenant. Hold out a month if you have to, but hold out for the right person. It pays in the long run.

[Dave]

Cheap. No fires. Green.

[Commuter Boy]

For the lint concern, a dryer vent clogged up with lint, gas or electric, won't work as efficiently, putting your out of pocket utility costs up. You'll want to make sure yourself the vent cleaning gets done annually, same as you want to make sure you do the lawn cutting and landscaping yourself.

A landlord should be responsible for preventative maintenance on a regular basis in the unit anyway. With a tenant you want a regular series of visits to check on how they are treating your place, and maintenance is a great excuse for that.

You should be making a walk through at least every two months, if nothing else to interrupt a 3 month grow-op cycle

[cogitate]

Originally Posted by Tweaker

I have a similar studio behind my garage. The $900/mo is nice. No washer/dryer, gas water heater and stove, electric baseboard heaters.

The electricity thing is a problem because if you include it, they have no incentive to save. We put a meter in the line into the unit and he pays by the kwh. Interestingly, the electricity bill has never been more than $20. About $8 in the summer. We just lost the renter this month and I think I will just raise the rent and include every utility this time, prospects seem to expect it.
I think the gas safety thing is being way overblown, it's not like you are an absentee owner and lint will burn no matter how it gets hot. And I think you are getting reamed on that gas line install quote, it is no harder than a water line.

Of more importance is getting the right tenant. Hold out a month if you have to, but hold out for the right person. It pays in the long run.

Agreed om the right tenant. I have someone interested i know for a long time, very responsible professional. He loves my dog, too. Besides the cook top, the place is lit by just a few recessed florescents. I managed the water bill here for years when my family lived with me , so i can't imagine that a single guy will shower longer than a teen age girl and a woman.

I figured a higher rent to cover the costs, make it more attractive to the renter.

[Kubla]

Originally Posted by Dave

Cheap. No fires. Green.

this is not an option when your house is 35 feet from I75, my cars are always covered in dirt and dust

[blues]

Gas is dirt cheap right now and, according to Boone Pickens, has bottomed out and heading back up. But should still be cheap for some time. We run gas everything FWIW.

[troidus]

One advantage to electricity is that it can be generated by multiple sources. (Wind, solar, geothermal, pedaling,...) With gas, that's it. Gas.

[blues]

Originally Posted by troidus

One advantage to electricity is that it can be generated by multiple sources. (Wind, solar, geothermal, pedaling,...) With gas, that's it. Gas.

And...?

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by troidus

One advantage to electricity is that it can be generated by multiple sources. (Wind, solar, geothermal, pedaling,...) With gas, that's it. Gas.

Originally Posted by blues

And...?

And....

If all your appliances are electric and incentives are strong to throw some PV panels on your roof or a wind turbine in you back yard it's as easy as installing the panels.

If that same thing happens with gas appliances those PV panels don't really give you the bang for the buck.

And if you care at all about emissions electric appliances powered by renewable energy is about as good as it gets. The only emissions you really have to worry about are the ones it took to produce said appliances and PV panels.

[blues]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

And....

If all your appliances are electric and incentives are strong to throw some PV panels on your roof or a wind turbine in you back yard it's as easy as installing the panels.

If that same thing happens with gas appliances those PV panels don't really give you the bang for the buck.

And if you care at all about emissions electric appliances powered by renewable energy is about as good as it gets. The only emissions you really have to worry about are the ones it took to produce said appliances and PV panels.

I don't think it is that easy, if it was I'd be doing it. Plus typically the energy
density is insufficient to make it practical in many locations. If you look into it in some depth you'll find all of the options have draw backs except conservation.

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by blues

I don't think it is that easy, if it was I'd be doing it. Plus typically the energy

What is so hard about it? What is stopping you from doing it aside from money?

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by AkBrian

I'd also take a look at putting the apartment on a separate meter if at all possible. It avoids one source of potential conflict They want to leave the lights on all the time? No problem, they pay for it.

AND a good reason to go all electric. Adding gas to the bills might leave you holding the bag if the tenant bugs out since you are on the same property.

My house that I just purchased is all electric, from the builder. I don't mind, but have the option to add gas later since it is already plummed for it.

Jim

[OaklandStrom]

Buy a gas drier, and switch it to LPG. Have the tenant buy bottles of propane.