house electric bill

[VitaMan]

Reports from energy companies such as Reliant show the average house in Houston will pay around $ 400 this month.....less money for hobbying

[tbone2u]

Are you saying we should wait until winter to hobby?

[Fizley]

@$400 a month your on the cusp of being a good candidate for Solar Systems. If a solar system cost $20k to install and your bill is $4800 a year ($400x12) the recovery time would be a little more than 4 years.

I installed a solar system on my house two years ago. I scrimped on HVAC for years, bearing temps of 80 degrees in the house and still having $600 bills.

Im a little different as I live in California and have the most expensive utility company in the world. Once that system was installed I haven't had a PGE bill inexcess of $23 (minimum Charge) and I keep the house at 76 at all times.

[cabletex7]

Originally Posted by Fizley

. . . and I keep the house at 76 at all times.

Damn, that's hot.

[Russ38]

Originally Posted by cabletex7

Damn, that's hot.

No doubt, but could be the humidity factor in Cali compared to here.....maybe the OP should invest in some blown in attic insulation....not that expensive and makes a world of difference....

[DEAR_JOHN]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

Reports from energy companies such as Reliant show the average house in Houston will pay around $ 400 this month.....less money for hobbying

There are cheaper companies than Reliant.


www.powertochoose.org

[PeterPipeHer]

Sheeeesh $400!! I’m at $250 lol

[Dorian Gray]

If you know how to invest in the right upgrades & keep up your maintenance....


Yeah. it's an older bill but still

[CurvyKatie]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

If you know how to invest in the right upgrades & keep up your maintenance....


Yeah. it's an older bill but still

Please share your secrets sir

[DEAR_JOHN]

Originally Posted by CurvyKatie

Please share your secrets sir

1. Minimize anything electric that heats and cools. (clothes dryer, air conditioner, water heater) and you're off to a good start. Don't keep an extra freezer in the hot garage, which makes the freezer work twice as much to cool. Try to keep your freezer inside an air conditioned area.


2. You can do your own balanced billing, just start in January and pay around the same a month through the next January. You will need your prior years billing for the year and divide by 12. Some companies like Reliant advertise this as some sort of big deal. Say your bill is averaged out to be $200 a month, however your January bill is only $80, so as you pay $200, you're up $120 through January, and by the time you get to June, you have a bank already built up.


3. Forget this green stuff. You get your power from the closest power plant, not some wind farm in west Texas. For example if you live in Greenspoint, you get your power from T.H.Wharton power plant located on 249 and Beltway 8. Or if you live in Sugarland, you get your power from Brazos Valley or W.A. Parish located in Fort Bend County.


Lastly, smart meters are highly accurate. and 90% of the time if something is wrong with the meter, it slows down the meter, not speeds it up. The meter may sometimes get a loss of communication error which is the main reason they get changed.


Hope this helps.

[Guest090819-3]

If utility prices are an issue...

[DEAR_JOHN]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

If utility prices are an issue...

This should work.

[O'Mike]

Originally Posted by CurvyKatie

Please share your secrets sir

DEAR_JOHN made a outstanding post, and I would like to add a few.


First you have power vampires all around your house you don't know about. That old coffee pot you keep plugged in all the time may be sucking a lot of energy when not in use, same with the toaster oven, TVs in unused bedrooms, etc.
Get something like these and use them.
https://www.amazon.com/Oviitech-Grou...gateway&sr=8-4


Another thing is air leakage. A lot of homes were not built to tighter standards that most are now. We used to say a house needs to breathe, not now. A cheap easy way to cut out conditioned air loss is weatherstripping. Make sure your doors and windows are sealed properly. Those cheap foam gaskets that you can buy for your exterior wall outlets are worth the effort.
https://www.amazon.com/Tuuliv-Outlet...NsaWNrPXRydWU=


A good HVAC unit with a fresh air vent is a must if you can afford it.


If you want to spend a few bucks, thermal cameras are inexpensive now days. There are even phones that have them built in. If not on yours, you can add them pretty cheap.
Something like this for $200 is what I am talking about.
https://www.flir.com/products/flir-o...yABEgLwOfD_BwE
You might be able to split the cost with some family members and go walk around your home and see where your dollars are leaking out. As a bonus, they also can detect termite infestations in your walls as their colonies emit heat.


Seal that attic door!


Make sure the area around the dryer vent is sealed (clean out that fire hazard while you are looking at it.)


If you want to, take down your AC registers and seal the gap between the sheetrock and the box, you can use the dishwasher to clean the registers if you want while the caulk dries.


Replace those recessed can lights with LEDs, they cheap and easy to do. Those usually have a gasket on them that solves air leakage in that fixture. Generally replace any incandescent or florescent bulb you can with LEDs.


Lots of easy cheap things you can do that adds to your efficiency. A few dollars a month over a year adds up.


I am sure others have plenty of good ideas also.








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[Slitlikr]

Get a wood ladder, rubber boots and welding gloves.
Pull the wires going in the top of the meter box and connect them to the ones below.


What could go wrong?

[ZantannaParella]

^^^ all I read was get wood! Sounds like a party. Lol

Mine stays around 175 in the hot months and I am comfortable. 72-74
Might try a window unit for the rooms most used