Holy heating bill!

[skippy]

I bought a ceramic electric heater to heat the living room. High is 1500W / 5118 BTU, but the low setting is only 750W / 2559 BTU. Most space heaters are 1500W and those with lows are 900W on low. If I turn the heat down to say 50 in the house and use the heater in our bedroom at 65-70 at night, I should be able to save something VS heating the whole house at night while we're sleeping.

I figure it's worth a shot.

jim,if you don't have one yet,you can use a electric blanket.put the electric heater in the bathroom for nitetime trips for nature calls.

 

[Dave R]

I bought a ceramic electric heater to heat the living room. High is 1500W / 5118 BTU, but the low setting is only 750W / 2559 BTU. Most space heaters are 1500W and those with lows are 900W on low. If I turn the heat down to say 50 in the house and use the heater in our bedroom at 65-70 at night, I should be able to save something VS heating the whole house at night while we're sleeping.

I figure it's worth a shot.

Figure 10 hours per night X 750watts x 30 days (month) equals 225KW multiply that by your electric rate, then decide if it's worth it. Too bad you don't live closer I have a 10-15year old, but never used, space heater here you could have had for the asking.

 

[Sol]

Go out and buy some Insulating Film (Shrink Film or whatever you call it) and put it over all of your windows. I have to do that every year. The stuff works pretty good! My heating bill went from $323 a month in the winter to $267 a month with just doing that with the heat set at the same place.

 

[chittybangbang]

Jim
The things that I would upgrade if you can is install new windows,programmable thermostat,and add insulation in the attic.After last years winter and having the gas bill hit $425.I had no other choice but to upgrade my crappy 40 yr old windows.While the windows were not cheap I know they will pay for themselves over the next few years.

 

[skippy]

Jim
The things that I would upgrade if you can is install new windows,programmable thermostat,and add insulation in the attic.After last years winter and having the gas bill hit $425.I had no other choice but to upgrade my crappy 40 yr old windows.While the windows were not cheap I know they will pay for themselves over the next few years.

all very good suggestions,if you own the property.believe he and vanessa are renting iirc.when i rented,my programmable t-stat went with me,be lost without it.jim,make sure the owner is having regular service checks done on the furnace so your getting the most out of your heating dollar.

 

[samsonitesamsonite]

go with geothermal. pricey on the install but so inexpensive to operate.

 

[kunar]

go with geothermal. pricey on the install but so inexpensive to operate.

i wish more people realized that.....

 

[Bent Bolt]

When we build a new house someday, I'd like like to install geo-thermal and some solar panels as well.

Mind you solar panels don't work so well covered with snow and only 8 hours of daylight in the wintertime.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Vanessa and I rent a double wide.

When I was married before, I owned a new home that was geo-thermal. Didn't know anything about it until I bought a house with it. I think the builder said they were an extra $3,000 to install. That house was very efficient. The house was all electric and I just looked at a check book register and saw that I paid an electric bill of $233.64 on 01/25/05. That's cheap for a (2) story (4) bedroom all electric house in the winter.

Dave, my electric bill displays KWH (kilowatt hours) used. Would the 225KW be 225KWH?

My bill doesn't show the rate, but dividing my last kilowatt hours used and bill amount due, it looked like it was around $0.12 per kilowatt hour.

If that's right, does that meen the heater is going to up my bill by $27 for using the 225KW's?

 

[LearjetMinako]

I stay warm by running my PS3 more often. The system is a natural heat producer. Since my little room is 12x12, and with a powerhouse PC, PS3, Sound System. It does stay warm here: even w/o heat. Cooling is another problem.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I actually notice when I have the laptop in the bedroom it seems a lot warmer. This laptop blows out a lot of warm air.

 

[Ozwynn]

the LCD gives off alot of heat too. Get a waterbed. I set our kingsize to 95* and it keeps the master bedroom and master bath really warm. I have to close the heat vents in our room. keep enough blankets on it during the day and it doesn't cost alot to run either. thinking about an insert for the fireplace in the basement.......... around $90 a cord around here for fire wood ................ figure 1.5 cords a month...........

 

[Thumper113]

OMG! DAYUM!

And here I was upset that winter is here cause I paid my utility bill yesterday for $171.24, that's gas, electric, water, & sewage, combined, in a 4 bedroom house. Dammit Jim, sorry to hear that, it seems sooooooo high just for the heat. I guess I shouldn't bitch about it anymore.

 

[michowski]

You could always park your ranger in the house and just let your truck run with the heat blasting . Worth a shot.

 

[Pt_Ranger_V8]

I burn wood

otherwise, my baseboard register heat would run me about $300 or so a month - and that's on natural gas...