Keeping the Winter out

[Brendan Stratton]

I’m curious about utility optimization. Particularly to heating. My apartment building is in Maine and is a Buy and Hold/House Hack. It is common practice for landlords in the area to include heating and hot water as part of the rental in multi family units. This has pros and cons for both parties. They don’t have to worry about the oil running out and we don’t have to worry about oil running out and causing potential damage. However this takes a good chunk of the Cash Flow during the winter months.

The building came with double pane vinyl windows. Since the purchase I have done upgrades to reduce my oil cost. Spray Foam in basement and attic. Replaced all doors going in and out of the units/building. Am having hybrid electric water heaters installed for each unit so the hot water cost will now the tenants responsibility. Have yet to insulate the walls with blown cellulose. I was told this should be a low priority because the return on investment is much longer than some of the other things I have done.

Any suggestions on other improvements? I had considered looking into heat pumps. But since the tenants don’t pay directly for their heat then they would just use them as ACs.

Thanks for any input

[Eddie Gonnella]

@Cody DeLong

Hey Cody, when I looked at doing mini-splits, it seemed that each unit would need multiple mini-splits and the cost added up fast. In say a standard 2-1 apartment (900sqft) with a kitchen, dining room, living room, how many mini-splits are you installing and what’s your ballpark cost?

Also, how do you mitigate the risk of the tenants failing to keep the place warm enough in the winter and having frozen pipes or something a long those lines? That’s why I’ve gone with landlord paid heating so far.

Thanks!

Eddie