Just a lil worry: Electric Bill

[budbeerlady]

I would compare with others in your immediate area. I pay $75-100 a month for our 1800sq, and we are never home!!!!!! Its high but I know our rates/fees are high.

 

[dmpteacher]

Somewhere in your house, according to the builder's website, there is supposed to be an "energy monitor" to tell you "in real time" how much electricity you are using. Have you found that monitor, and does it tell you anything at all?

I do have an energy monitor.. and I have NO idea what it means. LOL!! I know I should sit down and figure it out, but I really haven't had much time to do that. It's quite confusing and even after reading through the manual once, I had no clue.

Does anyone have a Beazer home and can explain the energy monitor?

 

[scbelleatheart]

From the bills you all have you have to be dealing with Toledo Edison. We close our place up on Erie down for the winter and we still get a bill. When we lived in Toledo the bills were huge. Thank you, Davis Bessie for the bills and the wonderful view.

 

[Karen C.]

I have been reading these posts with interest. I just opened my Duke Energy Bill yesterday and we jumped from 177.00 to 577.00 in one month. I am wondering how much our electronics and Christmas lights played a part in this bill. Thanks to this thread, I shall be making some calls to the energy company as well as the heating and cooling man.

 

[marius97]

From the bills you all have you have to be dealing with Toledo Edison. We close our place up on Erie down for the winter and we still get a bill. When we lived in Toledo the bills were huge. Thank you, Davis Bessie for the bills and the wonderful view.

Hey don't knock Davis Bessie...I spent my summers growing up at my grandparents across the swamp on sand beach. I used to love the views. As a kid it was kind of cool knowing that if that place blew, we'd be the first to die. Except for the time someone hacked the computer system and purposely set off the emergency sirens while we were there.

 

[Muushka]

On Jan. 2, new carbon emissions limits will be put forward as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares regulations that would force companies to get permits to release greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

If you think it is bad now.....

 

[disneylove69]

I would take yours in a heartbeat. My thermostat is at 63 and my mom uses a small new room heater in one room. The bill ....... $389. My bill has tripled since "smart meters" were put in.

 

[cm8]

I have been reading these posts with interest. I just opened my Duke Energy Bill yesterday and we jumped from 177.00 to 577.00 in one month. I am wondering how much our electronics and Christmas lights played a part in this bill. Thanks to this thread, I shall be making some calls to the energy company as well as the heating and cooling man.

,seems like you are also paying for the lights in the neighborhood as well

 

[Debbie7452]

We have dual fuel on our system. Heat pump is electric and is the normal way the house heats. The emergency or back up is the gas aspect. They both run during the cold times of the year and we are very pleased with the system.

I guess my question to you is, if the heat pump is your emergency, what is your normal heat method?

Sorry I was not clear. It's all electric. We don't have a gas option since I live in a rural area outside of town. The heat pump is our normal heat and supposedly energy efficient, but when it's really, really cold we have an extra electric "emergency heat" That's what eats up the power like no tomorrow! Yikes, we make sure not to turn that on anymore.

 

[Liberty Belle]

That's about how much our electric bill is in our 2500 sq.ft. home. We don't have gas, so everything is run by electricity. I honestly expected it to be a little less since the house has extremely good insulation, but it's always right around $250.

 

[Muushka]

Sorry I was not clear. It's all electric. We don't have a gas option since I live in a rural area outside of town. The heat pump is our normal heat and supposedly energy efficient, but when it's really, really cold we have an extra electric "emergency heat" That's what eats up the power like no tomorrow! Yikes, we make sure not to turn that on anymore.

Ah, yes, heat strips? My husband told me about those bad boys. They also suffered through heat pumps rather than turning them on!

 

[nordkin]

was this a read usage from your meter? If not and you are in a townhome community, they may be averaging the usage for everyone else -including those under construction. I would call and ask to have the meter read and get a real idea of your usage for that time frame. Also ask them to come out and do an analysis of your appliances, lighting, & heating/cooling systems-most utilities will do this as a complimentary service to get you to use less energy. Good luck and congrats on the new home!

I am a Metering Supervisor for the electric company in Virginia and I can guarantee everyone that this is never done. Yes there are estimates, but they are for individual homes and when someone moves in or out an actual reading is taken to give the old customer an accurate final bill and give the new customer an accurate starting point. It sounds to me like the temperature being so high for the first two weeks you did not live in the home is the driving factor in this as well as the unusually cold weather the entire country has been having. I would not panic until you get a bill with the actual way you live in the house. Good luck and congratulations on the new home.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I would call and ask to have the meter read and get a real idea of your usage for that time frame. Also ask them to come out and do an analysis of your appliances, lighting, & heating/cooling systems-most utilities will do this as a complimentary service to get you to use less energy. Good luck and congrats on the new home!

This is a good idea. First, as others have said, find out if this bill is a combination of two periods. It may not be actual readings but an estimate. Second, more importantly, ask the company providing your electric to do an energy analysis of your unit. Most utilities do this as a complementary service.

Yes, it's brand new construction. I'm the 1st person to live here and I know the attic is insulated. I had my own personal inspector come to make sure everything was ok here.

What do you mean by "ok"? Is the insulation R-30 in the attic? The inspector's report should tell you.

For the 1st few days I was here, I had to sleep with the windows cracked just to be comfortable. I know I wasted electricity by doing that, but didn't know what else to do at that point.

Here again, talk with the people who did your inspection. That person should give you advice as to how to control the upstairs heat. Closing the vents may not be the proper thing to do, but get advice from qualified heating contractors/your inspector.

Good luck.

 

[Debbie7452]

Ah, yes, heat strips? My husband told me about those bad boys. They also suffered through heat pumps rather than turning them on!

YES! That's the name...heat strips. They are evil!

 

[seashoreCM]

Electric water heater plus leaking faucets (or a leak in a pipe) equals high electric bill.

Electric hot water costs a lot more than gas hot water in most parts of the country.