# Utility Costs



## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2013)

We just received our electricity bill for this month, house is $422 - shop was $168. Is this crazy or what? Stupid ass heat pump in the house is pulling the current 3 times what all my shop equipment and furnace motor pulls combined!!!!!!!

Oil for the shop furnace is extra though, who knows what that'll cost this month. 
:soapbox: This is getting stupid.


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## mc2442 (Mar 11, 2013)

Not to rub it in (too much), but I really don't miss seasons. Been in my current place a little over 2 years, have not turned on the heat and don't have air conditioner (regret that a couple weeks a year).

That is just crazy heating bills! We pay in most other ways out here though....that and the earthquake that will eventually get us.


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## WildBoar (Mar 11, 2013)

The main part of my house has a gas furnace, and the addition has a heat pump plus a high-BTU gas fireplace. Natural gas has been stupid cheap this winter (for the first time in several years); my gas bills have been running <$150/ month over the typical summer amount, and electric is up about $100. $250/ mo to heat the whole house is about half what is cost the previous 5 years, and we've only had the addition for one of those years.

Are you getting killed by single pane windows and minimal insulation? If so, you may be able to cut your bills by tackling one or both of those items, but frankly the payback is typically ~20 years so it may be more economical to just pay higher bills monthly then to finance a window replacement or insulation project. The main benefit for either of these projects is really the improvement in the interior comfort.


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## ajhuff (Mar 11, 2013)

Our electric bill was $330 last month. Heat pumps are evil. They should be outlawed.

-AJ

PS I can't believe you have a heat pump. I didn't know they were used north of the Mason-Dixon line.


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## Jmadams13 (Mar 11, 2013)

I don't live that far from you Dave, in Hanover. I know its a little colder near you in Hamburg (I go to Hawk Mountain twice a month) so I understand. It really hasn't been a really cold winter here, but my electric bill for Feb was 327 for a two bedroom townhome, for two people who both work 60 hour weeks. It's crazy. We have Met Ed, is that who you have?


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## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2013)

Yeah we have Med-Ed 

AJ, you're correct, heat pumps shouldn't be used this far north.

Elec is just crazy expensive though


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## Pensacola Tiger (Mar 11, 2013)

Dave, a ground source heat pump would be a much better idea, especially in areas where the temps get below 40F. But, then, the upfront cost is quite a bit higher.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heat_pump


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## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2013)

I'm renting so doing any changes (besides moving) is not in the cards.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2013)

One day before I die I'll have a piece of land with a river running though it and I'll be harnessing that sucker for all it's worth.


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## apicius9 (Mar 11, 2013)

I was wondering how much rent a 2-bedroom place with a shop/garage in your area is so that we could start our imperium, but I may not even be able to afford the electricity bill... 

Stefan


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## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2013)

apicius9 said:


> I was wondering how much rent a 2-bedroom place with a shop/garage in your area is so that we could start our imperium, but I may not even be able to afford the electricity bill...
> 
> Stefan




Yeah and you'll probably be cold all the time and want to run the damn heat all day. Hawaii boy!


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## Lucretia (Mar 11, 2013)

ajhuff said:


> Heat pumps are evil. They should be outlawed.
> 
> -AJ
> 
> PS I can't believe you have a heat pump. I didn't know they were used north of the Mason-Dixon line.



It depends on the heat pump. What really runs the bill up is when you have resistance heat as the auxilliary heat source. Our heat pump is a dual fuel system with a natural gas backup instead of resistance. When the outside temperature drops below a certain point, the heat pump switches over to the gas furnace. Our bills are down substantially since we've gone from just the furnace to the heat pump/furnace combo. It's a lot more comfortable in the house, too--the heat pump doesn't dry out the air the way the furnace does.


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## Von blewitt (Mar 12, 2013)

My electricity bill for my small 30 seat restaurant is $3,700 for 3 months! Gas is $180 per week!


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## DSChief (Mar 12, 2013)

I'll get you all mad! my electric bill for all of 2012 came in around 68.00. Have a 4KW solar array on the roof. On sunny days I make more than I use.


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## kalaeb (Mar 12, 2013)

Von blewitt said:


> My electricity bill for my small 30 seat restaurant is $3,700 for 3 months! Gas is $180 per week!



Wow, thats crazy, I pay about 1k month for an 80 seater for both.


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## mhlee (Mar 12, 2013)

Here in California, if you can afford the up front costs, you'll see negligible electricity bills if you go solar. According to my very good friend who went solar and, even during the summer, with a 2500 sq. ft. or so home, AC, and lots of other electricity use, he pays less than $20 a month. 

With our warm winter, I wonder if he's making money right now. Bastard.


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## schanop (Mar 12, 2013)

kalaeb said:


> Von blewitt said:
> 
> 
> > My electricity bill for my small 30 seat restaurant is $3,700 for 3 months! Gas is $180 per week!
> ...



Welcome to Australia. Some houeses get charge in the order of thousands for quaterly bill .. It's crazy down here.


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## WildBoar (Mar 12, 2013)

How much did he pay for the solar? Don't see how you can't factor that into the equation. Sure, $20/ mo now for bills, but what did the upfront costs average out to per month for 20 years? You really need to look at the full picture.


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## franzb69 (Mar 13, 2013)

> How much did he pay for the solar? Don't see how you can't factor that into the equation. Sure, $20/ mo now for bills, but what did the upfront costs average out to per month for 20 years? You really need to look at the full picture.



i've calculated the costs here locally and for how long before you actually see profits.... from the prices i got from here, you're only gonna make money for pretty much after 30 years. and that's if the power companies actually pay you back. out here, they wouldn't. so you have to include that as well. 

yeah so the upfront costs are quite large. but if you don't consume as much power. it may work out well for you.

but from an emergency power stand point, solar sounds like a good idea. whenever a super typhoon hits my country, the power lines get cut and restoration takes a 5-10 days. and when that happens, you start getting pretty antsy for your basic needs such as refrigeration, water and gas.


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## DSChief (Mar 13, 2013)

using rough numbers , after an California instant rebate & Fed Tax credits, my 4 KW grid spec'd out @ 21K and change. Dividing by
the difference between my before & after bills. my break-even point is a bit over 7 yrs. after that I'm net positive.


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## Salty dog (Mar 13, 2013)

My restaurant's energy bill is about the same as my monthly health insurance premium. I have a 120 seater in Wisconsin where it gets really cold and really hot but I don't complain about the enrgy bill. (Well, kinda)


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