Ouch!!!

[DianaB]

I keep our thermostats at 78* and if we get hot then we turn it down. You know when it's 100* outside then 78* feels pretty good. We also turn on the ceiling fans when we need a breeze on us and sleep with them on in the night. We haven't had very many really hot days yet and have actually had a nice summer so far with the cloudy and rainy days.

We had blinds installed in our windows on the west side of the house soon after we moved in because of the heat that comes in so when it's hot the blinds are turned to reflect the sun. When it's really hot I close them completely in the afternoon. It really helps to keep the kitchen cooler. I try to keep my computer on stand-by when I'm not using it because then the fan doesn't have to run......now if my family could just get that little trick through their heads!!!! Just press a key and it automatically comes back on.

My bill last month was $82.20 and we used 712 KWH. We read our own meter and send it in with our bill and I know that next month's bill will be higher. Our home is 2,350 sq. ft. with a full unfinished basement (4,700 sq. ft. all together).

[Marilyn]

I just don't get it. All of you have so much lower rates and lower bills. Diana, your rate calculates to $0.115 per KWH, so you are higher than most, but your usage is sooo low. Hubby and I live in a home build in 2003 with oodles of insulation, high efficiency everything. It's just soooo frustrating.

If we were paying Janet's rate, our bill would be $189.80.

At Angie's rate, our bill would be $203.62.

At Diana's rate, $278.76.

Our bill is $421.51!!!! And that's using non-profit, COOP power!!!!

We also use gas to heat our water, so our total energy bill is even higher!!

If we used some of the higher priced companies in our area, our bill could be as high as $509. We are using almost the lowest priced option in our area. We need more nuclear or something!!!! Maybe we need to violate the subdivision restrictions and start hanging the wash outside on a clothesline. That would look nice on the 15th fairway, don't ya think???

[Janet]

There is no way, honestly, that we would be able to pay your electric bill Marilyn. I forgot to mention that we are total electric also. I guess I shouldn't complain too much about what we pay.

I was also told...don't know how true it is...but that changing the thermostat settings is what makes most bill go up. I guess the reasoning is, once it's at a certain temp..it doesn't take much to stay there, but if say you turn the air up while you're gone...then it has to work harder longer to get cool again...same way with the heat. So we pretty much leave ours the same all the time.

[DianaB]

I want to say that if you're total electric you get a different rate, but I could be wrong on that.

We use gas for our clothes dryer and hot water heater so we're not total electric. I think that I save a lot by keeping my thermostat turned up. I'm comfortable with it higher because I don't handle it much cooler than 75* (Thanks to low thyroid). When my family is hot we just turn it down a notch and usually are comfortable. We have a pretty effecient home with Pella windows. Our home was built in 1999. We pay less for utilities than we did in our old, old home that was half our size!!! Did I mention that it was really old?

[Tink]

We used 890 kWh last month @ .09675 for a total bill of $124.67.
My refrig is 16 yrs old, my range 6 yrs old, my dishwasher, washer and dryer are too old to even remember when we got them; and we have 3 window air conditioning units going. I thought OUR elect bill was high till I saw Marilyns! LOL

We have natural gas for the water heater and furnace.

[gja1000]

I live in HOT Austin Texas - 100 right now at 5:45PM. Last month I used 2196 KWH for $230.60 (.1051 per KWH) Our home is about 27 years old, 2000 sf. total. 1200 sf is 27 years old and not well insulated; 800 sf we built on 6 years ago and it is very well insulated. We have two AC units - we put a separate one in the new addition. We have a den and my office in the new part and we stay out there almost exclusively except to sleep, of course. We keep the thermostat on 78 out there with two ceiling fans in the den and one in my office.

We keep the "main" part of the house at 80, unless I cook and then I turn it down a little. I don't cook much in the summer - we eat lots of sandwiches, fruit salads, etc. or cook out on the grill.

At night we turn the air down to 74 to sleep. My hubby has a heart condition and has to use oxygen at night. The oxygen concentrator (separates the oxygen from nitrogen in the room air) creates lots of heat, so our bedroom usually stays about 76-77. We use a ceiling fan and a floor fan blowing directly on us. We have two yorkies and they sleep under the covers!

My water bill was $50 because I have to water some trees every week. I planted trees a few years ago in front, side and back and they are getting big enough to provide some shade and help keep the house cool - but they do require some water right now. They are very drought tolerant, after they get a good start I won't have to water them so much.

[Dobie]

Wow- it must be because some of you are in very hot climates and are used to it, but I couldn't imagine having the house in the 70's. We keep most of the house at 68 and our bedroom is at 64 - I don't feel bad about keeping the house a little cooler now, because we only set the thermostat at 52 in the winter (and I still walk around the house in just shorts and a t-shirt). I really can't stand the heat, I guess I'm lucky I live in New England and not a warmer part of the country.

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Janet

.........I was also told...don't know how true it is...but that changing the thermostat settings is what makes most bill go up. I guess the reasoning is, once it's at a certain temp..it doesn't take much to stay there, but if say you turn the air up while you're gone...then it has to work harder longer to get cool again...same way with the heat. So we pretty much leave ours the same all the time.

We have a programable thermostat in our home and I think that once you have the humidity out of the house it's not too expensive to change the temperature. If I understand correctly, it's more expensive if you turn your cental air off and on a lot because of all the work of getting the humidity out. That's why we didn't put in an attic fan.

In the summer our airconditioner doesn't change too much. For some reason it's a little warmer in here in the morning so it's set at 77* and changes to 78* at noon. We're finding that we're more comfortable with it like that. We also sleep with the ceiling fan on low with a sheet and light blanket.

In the winter it changes quite a bit because at night it goes down a lot cooler for sleeping and warms back up right before we get up in the morning.

I would highly recommend a programable thermostat for everyone. I think that it does save on utilities. I think that we paid about $40 for ours.

As for having the temperatures in the 60's or lower I'm just not comfortable with anything below about 73-74*. My nose gets cold and I just shiver. I know that it's because of my thryoid. I'd absolutely die at 52*!!!!!! Or be dressed like an Eskimo!!!!

[Marilyn]

Already doing that. We have 3 programmable thermostats. I think our problem must be the high coastal humidity. Probably makes the systems work harder, and the high rate per KWH that we are forced to pay. It's highway robbery!!!

[HALEY]

Try living in Pa, talk about crazy, the change of seasons, somedays we run the a/c during the day and the heat at night!! Never get a break from the gas or electric companies....

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Already doing that. We have 3 programmable thermostats. I think our problem must be the high coastal humidity. Probably makes the systems work harder, and the high rate per KWH that we are forced to pay. It's highway robbery!!!

What if you got a dehumidifier to help out your airconditioner? That might be helpful.

Here's something that talks about how a dehumidifier can help your airconditioner. You might want to check more throughly into it.

http://www.sylvane.com/dehumidifiers.html

[Marilyn]

Just had to post one more time.....

Diana, I will definitely check on the dehumidifier and see what our AC guy thinks about it. This may be why you can get by with your thermostat set at 78. Your air is dryer and feels cooler. We haven't tried it so far because when you live in this high humidity for so long, you are affected more by dry climates. When we go skiing for example in the mountains where the air is dry, my nose dries up and bleeds, our lips crack and bleed, and I've even had the skin on my sides get dry and sore. Our bodies are climatized to where we live, but will ask and see what he thinks.

Also, I visited with a customer today who lives in Bay City, Texas. He is paying over $0.20 per KWH for his power. His bill last month was over $600, and he lives in a new, energy efficient home with new energy efficient appliances. He did discover that there was a problem with one of his A/C units and has had it repaired, so hopefully next month his usage will be lower. He also contacted his electric company and negotiated a fixed rate for the next 3 years of $0.165 for his power. So I don't have the highest rates around, and ....there is a nuclear power plant at Bay City. Not sure that is the source of their power though. I think the power from the nuclear plant goes to Houston.