And, I just opened up my very first 300-dollar electric bill. For just a one-month cycle. Yes, last month's bill was paid in full. This shits getting out of hand.

Are your power lines made of mithril?

I'd have been happy for a $300 elec bill the past couple months.
Between this heat & AC problems causing it to run almost constantly, we had a couple in the $600 range, for a sub-2k Sq ft house.

That doesn’t sound right to me.

I live in a 2500 sq foot older home with zero insulation and my highest electric bill ever was around $150 and that’s with AC running at 72 in July 24/7 and basement dehumidifier running nearly constantly too.

At my last house, a 2400 square foot house built in 2005, $300 electric bills were the norm during the hottest part of the summer. Partly due to inadequate insulation, and partly due to huge cathedral ceiling and lots of large floor-to-ceiling west-facing windows that caused the AC to have to work overtime.

Thankfully, my new house that was built in 2020 is not only smaller at 1800 square feet, but is also significantly better insulated and more efficient. My highest bill so far over the past 3 years has been $141, and most months is well under $100.

If you haven't already, you might check with your electric company to see if they have an energy efficiency inspection program. A lot of electric companies are offering programs like that, where a technician comes and inspects the home and makes suggestions for how to reduce your energy use (and therefore lower your bill), which is often accompanied by low cost or free mitigation for stuff like inadequate insulation, poor weather sealing, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
That doesn’t sound right to me.

I live in a 2500 sq foot older home with zero insulation and my highest electric bill ever was around $150 and that’s with AC running at 72 in July 24/7 and basement dehumidifier running nearly constantly too.

Keep in mind, electricity rates vary greatly around the country. So it likely comes primarily down to electricity rates being more expensive in Colorado than Pennsylvania.

Too many things have to do with the cost to either heat or cool a home. Size of the living space is only part of it... of course how well the home is insulated has something to do with it... but on top of this is location... there is a difference between say Colorado and Florida or Maine..... there is of course the efficiency of the system too.

The first time I lived in Houston, I lived in a brand new 2005 house. Now, I live in a house that was brand new when I moved in 2016 and it's 1000 sq ft larger than the '05 house. Energy efficiency improved so much that I'm paying less or the same in the larger 2016 house.

Off the top of my head the differences are:

radiant barrier in attic

higher SEER heat pump

linear compressor on refrigerator (i.e. more efficient)

energy star dishwasher, washing machine, and electric clothes dryer

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

Christ.

My home is 2497sqft; we keep the two AC units at 72F. Our bill is $20.

God, I love solar panels.

flesheatingvirus, what did it cost to add the solar panels? We're thinking about adding them but the costs here are pretty high.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
God, I love solar panels.

House we just bought has them, and they're paid off. It was a selling point for us.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
That doesn’t sound right to me.

I live in a 2500 sq foot older home with zero insulation and my highest electric bill ever was around $150 and that’s with AC running at 72 in July 24/7 and basement dehumidifier running nearly constantly too.

I don't know about you but we burn coal for most of our electricity and thrived handily on natural gas for heat until fracking got shut down and the cost multiplied.

The oil industry is getting the shit kicked out of it, and we pay for it here.

I want NUK-U-LAR. Now.

Solar panels would be sweet but hind-sight is 20/20 and I'm not a millionaire.

Years ago I live in a 3000 foot house built in '53. Electric was pushing 500 a month in the winter, I had no AC at the time. I called the electric and gas co's out to do an eval. Gas co recommended replacing the furnace with a modern, efficient one. Electric recommended added insulation, soffits, and a powered roof vent. I had all that done, and added AC to the mix cause it was HOT in that house in summer! My power bills dropped to about 125 a month total. I paid for the upgrades in about 18 months from energy cost savings. I now live in a 10 year old, 3000 foot house. Furnaces were iffy when I bought the house. I put insulation in the attic, replaced the furnaces and AC units, and current power bills average about 100 a month.

Today it's difficult if not impossible to make enough changes to your home that savings will outpace the cost of fuel thus power bills.

We just added more insulation to the attic, $3K
haven't had it long enough to know if it works but the house seems cooler at the same settings on AC.

Next step would be insulated double pane windows, but that's $25 to $40K depending on the contractor.

Next would be to upgrade a 10 year old 13 seer carrier to a higher seer but again $15K or more.

Solar would be nice but we've had quotes from $40K to SunRuns absurd $122K!

I like the idea of selling and buying a home with solar installed and paid for...

quote:

Originally posted by DoctorSolo:
I want NUK-U-LAR. Now.

Yes!

We just had a nuclear plant go live. It was years behind schedule and millions over budget.

Why? Nobody knew how to put the thing together. Everyone that did had retired, was dead, or both.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Gas co recommended replacing the furnace with a modern, efficient one.
.

I'm sure that's part of the problem. My furnace/AC is at least 25 years old.

Pueblo, Colorado. Right on the edge of the great southwestern desert region. 1479 sq. ft. home built in 1999. Installed new forced air gas furnace and central AC units in 2019.

Paid the electric bill today, $108.64 for the past month of record-breaking high temps (usually over 100F) with high humidity (for our arid climate) and rainfall. We keep the AC set at 78F during the day, open up the windows and enjoy the fresh air overnight.

No complaints here.

78 would not fly with my wife in her late 50s. Hot flash-wise. To tell you the truth I have to layer up because she sets it on 70, and sometimes lower.

My wife has decided we need to keep our mini-splits on the dry cycle... there is no temperature setting when on this and so my office right now is 64 degrees.....

This discussion is pointless w/ the context of the electric rate(s) you, and everyone else is paying.

I have a 3100 sq. ft. home (built in 2006) and I do NOT have AC, though I do have a Whole House Fan, so I'm somewhat relying on 'climate change' for cooling.
Anyway, my last electric bill was $219, but for context I'm currently paying .296/kWh Energy and Delivery combined!

I agree with Rogue. Contact your energy company and see if they have a home energy audit program and get it done asap. They are usually free and can prioritize which improvement will give you your greatest ROI.

$300/mo in a 1000sf house is ridiculous anywhere in the country.