topic Re: Electric bills! in Community Chat

Electric bills!

Shorty2U — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:47:13 GMT

Well this has been talked about before on here. But here I go.

Did you get your new bill yet, and is it high if you are in the area of hot weather? I am in PA and its been hot here non stop.

We got our electric bill yesterday. Its 216 dollars! That's an estimate and I went out to read the meter because if its lower they will down grade the price if you read it on the estimated month. (every other month is estimated, and every other is actual).

Well upon reading the meter I find out it really should be more, so if this heat keeps up its going to be even more next month when they read it.

Don'tget me wrong, I'd rather this weather than Winter and snow. (minus the AC bills...lol). But I am thinking that next year we will put an air conditioner in the bedroom and one downstairs here. That way we will just have one air conditioner on at a time, (one when downstairs and one when in bed). and we wont use the central air since its just DH and I. we don't need it on in the other rooms (except when the grand kids come).

Because there has to be a way to beat these AC bills!..lol..

(Also in Winter it used to be as high too because we have a hot tub on the deck but last year we winterized it after Fall and didn't have it on in Winter to save some there because the past few years we didn't go in it in the Winter)

Re: Electric bills!

JeanLouiseFinch — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:57:46 GMT

Can you go on a budget plan with your power company? We've done that our entire married life with the electric company and gas company and it's really worked well. Every month is the same amount with one "even up" month a year. It makes it easier for us to budget that way and there are no staggering surprises.

Re: Electric bills!

Nevadablue — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:03:59 GMT

Want to trade????????????????? We are in Kansas City and last month I paid $521.00 and being the heat has not let up expecting another one this month too. Exactly the reason my home is on the market and we are moving back to Pa. to get away from this cost of living and weather extremes here. But my house is 4000 sq foot so thats not helping either.

Re: Electric bills!

CaryH — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:12:00 GMT

What on earth do you have your thermostat set at? Or how old and energy efficient is your HVAC system? Do you use a programmable thermostat?

I am in the middle of the heat wave in Va and my last bill was only $57.

I keep my thermostat at 75 degrees in the summer and its more than comfortable for my son and I (and the pets).

Are you cooling rooms you don't spend much time in? A whole house? That bill just seems way high to me.

Now granted, I live in a condo now but when I was in my house (3500 sq ft) my bill was never more than $150. I miss my house.

Re: Electric bills!

hockey mom — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:12:36 GMT

I guess I can't complain. I live in TX its been 100 all this week. The heat index has been as high as 110. I have my AC on all the time set at 78. My electric bill was $123. and that was $20. more then last month. I have a two story house. I'm from Long Island and can remember in an apartment my AC bill was near $300. Hopefully it cools off soon.

Re: Electric bills!

Buck-i-Nana — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:13:24 GMT

I had to replace my heating and ac system about 2 years ago. I went with a 93% efficiency system furnace and ac with a seer rating of 16. It's less expensive for me to run my central ac than a window ac unit. In winter, it's cheaper for me to run my furnace than even an energy efficient space heater.

Re: Electric bills!

stellabystarlight — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:14:11 GMT

I live in an apartment in Westchester County, New York, and I just received mine - $202 and I am retired and on a fixed income. I need air-conditioning because I have allergies, but Con Edison keeps raising the rates! It is very difficult for older Americans to get by these days.

Re: Electric bills!

Shop Till you Drop — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:14:20 GMT

I am in TX as well dealing with this 100 degree temps and that doesnt sound bad. Mine hit the mid 250's this month and next month will be over 300.00. But my winter bill isnt as bad!!

Re: Electric bills!

ValuSkr — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:21:46 GMT

Electricity rates vary widely. You might be efficient, or relatively so, but still have a high bill compared to folks in other parts of the country. It might be better to compare kWh.

Re: Electric bills!

fthunt — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:24:07 GMT

$216 doesn't seem unreasonable to me. IF you go with window units instead of central air - you must take into account the layout of your rooms. If you have doors on your rooms where you can close off from other rooms - then your idea might work. However, if you have an open floor plan - nope, your A/C window units will have to work overtime to cool the heat that is flowing in your A/C room. That will cost you much more.

Re: Electric bills!

Buck-i-Nana — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:25:50 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Electricity rates vary widely. You might be efficient, or relatively so, but still have a high bill compared to folks in other parts of the country. It might be better to compare kWh.

That's a given, but it's still wise to go with the most efficient unit you can afford to minimize your usage regardless of the kwh costs. It's something you can control. Also, it's important to pay attention to whether or not your utility charges different amounts based on peak hours.

Re: Electric bills!

Nightowlz — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:29:08 GMT

New bill has not come out yet. My last bill was $175.

I run the AC on 70° - 73° during the day & put it on 72° when I go to bed. I put it on 70° when I'm cooking or cleaning so it will run non-stop. LOL!!! I don't care how much it is I'm not going to be hot. I'm sick of the heat.

We had temps in the 100's half of June, almost every day in July & continuing in Aug.

It's only 87° right now but with the heat index it feels like 97°. Our high is suppose to be 102° so we will be over 105° with the heat index this afternoon.

We will finally get relief next week when our temps change to the higher 80's & 90's. Hopefully that will be the end of our over 100° temps.

We will still get miserable humid rainy weather before we get some cooler weather.

Re: Electric bills!

Krimpette — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:32:16 GMT

I'm in the mid-Atlantic area in a 3-story townhouse. My most recent bill was $217. I keep my t-stat at 75 during the day, but lower it to 69 at night. I need to sleep cool. And I need to be comfortable.

Re: Electric bills!

Nightowlz — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:33:21 GMT

@Buck-i-Nana wrote:
@ValuSkr wrote:
Electricity rates vary widely. You might be efficient, or relatively so, but still have a high bill compared to folks in other parts of the country. It might be better to compare kWh.
That's a given, but it's still wise to go with the most efficient unit you can afford to minimize your usage regardless of the kwh costs. It's something you can control. Also, it's important to pay attention to whether or not your utility charges different amounts based on peak hours.

That's what our Electric Co does. Their peak hours of course are the hottest part of the day. If you are on their plan & don't use the AC during those hours your bill would be lower. We are not on thier plan. No way am I turning my AC way up the hottest part of the day.

They also want you to do laundry early in the morning which I already do or after 7-8 PM & same with cooking dinner. I don't like to eat after 6 & will not eat after 7 so that's out for me.

I don't need anyone telling me when to turn on my AC. LOL!!!

Re: Electric bills!

Allegheny — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:33:37 GMT

@Shorty2U

My most recent actual read bill (last week) was only $88. I am kind of suspicious that it was read correctly as it seems way to low. I was expecting our bill to be twice that amount. (I think I am going out later today and read it myself and compare it to what was billed.)

About three years ago our meter died and it was replaced with one of the new digital ones, which they told me are more accurate compared to the old dial ones. (old meters registered slower).

We have a very small home, so that is one reason our bill is probably lower. We also installed a very efficient HVAC system less than 5 years ago. We keep our AC set at 75.

I am in PA also. I just read in our local newspaper that West Penn Power (First Enengy) is requesting the PUC for a 10% increase.

I think before I would go to the expense of purchasing individual room units, I would get an energy audit done of my home. I think some utility companies do this for free.

Re: Electric bills!

chickenbutt — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:40:29 GMT

We don't get ours until later in the month, but the August bill is always the highest of the whole year. I'm not frivolous or wasteful with the a/c, but it does still take a certain amount to keep me from melting in the heat.

I am expecting mine to be around $200 this time and then it will go back down to being in the low 100s or less.

If you have central a/c, you can just expect August to be the highest, I think.

Re: Electric bills!

151949 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:48:26 GMT

We stay in a camper in Pa in the summer but we still have to keep our AC on our Florida home to prevent mold. Our bills last month were around $50 in Florida and the thermastat is set at 82 and here in the camper it was $88 with the thermastat set at 75. So about $140 for both, even though cooling a camper is like cooling a car - it just runs constantly!

It would be nice to catch a break from this heat for a few days and open the windows.

Re: Electric bills!

Allegheny — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:58:43 GMT

Nightowlz wrote:
That's what our Electric Co does. Their peak hours of course are the hottest part of the day. If you are on their plan & don't use the AC during those hours your bill would be lower. We are not on thier plan. No way am I turning my AC way up the hottest part of the day.
They also want you to do laundry early in the morning which I already do or after 7-8 PM & same with cooking dinner. I don't like to eat after 6 & will not eat after 7 so that's out for me.
I don't need anyone telling me when to turn on my AC. LOL!!!

I am glad they have not instituted that in our area yet. I find it unfair to the retired population who are home most of the day.

Re: Electric bills!

hckynut — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:18:15 GMT

Since you are in PA, i am sure you are aware of what produces the cheapest electricity, and also what has been done to it. Should things continue on the same path, for the next 4-8 years? Those bills will continue to go up.

The only ac used in our home is a portable one. I do not ac our 4 season patio room for that reason, plus i my body is acclimated to heat, still maintained from my working days.

Re: Electric bills!

ValuSkr — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:21:32 GMT

@Buck-i-Nana wrote:
@ValuSkr wrote:
Electricity rates vary widely. You might be efficient, or relatively so, but still have a high bill compared to folks in other parts of the country. It might be better to compare kWh.
That's a given, but it's still wise to go with the most efficient unit you can afford to minimize your usage regardless of the kwh costs. It's something you can control. Also, it's important to pay attention to whether or not your utility charges different amounts based on peak hours.

Yes, of course, best to minimize kWh. I think rates in the Northeast are highest in the country. But I may be wrong. I would love to have off-peak rates, but it's not offered here. If you're in Pennsylvania, you have a choice of supplier and they're very easy to compare thanks to a website set-up by the state. There are only a few variables: fixed rate vs. variable, term vs. no term, penalty (for early termination) or no penalty, green vs. not green.

I'm in Southeast PA and haven't used my A/C yet this summer. My place is shaded by trees for the most part and I keep shades drawn and, on humid days, doors closed as much as possible.