It’s freakin’ cold outside, have you noticed? Of course you have … have you noticed your heat bill lately, coincidentally? Likely a good bit different than previous months, I’d bet. I know we got our December gas bill and immediately turned the thermostat down a few degrees. THAT bill was a cold dose of reality! I’ve heard stories of folks around the New River Valley with heating bills hundreds of dollars higher than they’ve been in the past! Seems like everything – oil, natural gas, and electric – seems to be going up in price.
How are you combating it? Any tips or tricks you want to share with the rest of us that might save a few shekels? There’s no cost to leave a comment below for everyone to benefit!
Thanks to FoxyPar for the image
We have gas heat which doesn’t seem to get as high in the winter as our electricity bill in the summer (we have electric A/C). With AEPs rates going up 24% last month, I am really afraid to see our bill this summer…we usually keep it around 80 during the summer, and still see 100+ bills…I am expecting it to be around 130-140 this summer with the increases…it doesn’t make sense to me to have a 24 percent increase in cost, when the cost of oil (and other fuels) have dropped through the floor over the past three months.
We have gas heat which doesn’t seem to get as high in the winter as our electricity bill in the summer (we have electric A/C). With AEPs rates going up 24% last month, I am really afraid to see our bill this summer…we usually keep it around 80 during the summer, and still see 100+ bills…I am expecting it to be around 130-140 this summer with the increases…it doesn’t make sense to me to have a 24 percent increase in cost, when the cost of oil (and other fuels) have dropped through the floor over the past three months.
We do the monthly budget payment plan available through AEP (we have an electric heat pump). They bill us based on our average monthly use over the last year. While this doesn’t actually save us any money, it at least keeps us from being surprised by big bills in the winter!
We don’t have a programmable thermostat, so we just adjust the temperature down when we’re going to bed at night or when we’re not going to be home.
Our January gas bill was only $55, which was $5 less than the December bill.
Last fall we insulated our attic several feet deep with fiberglass that we blew in ourselves. Also, we have an energy star furnace and a 1,000 sq. ft. house.
We only turn the furnace on in the AM for a couple of hours, and then again in the evening for awhile. 65 is the temp we agree is comfortable for us. We pick up a fair amount of heat from the sun during the day.
We wear long underwear, and occasionally use an electric radiator-type heater in our home office. Our electric bill was $43 last month, and I figure the Jan bill will be about $52. Life is good!
Our January gas bill was only $55, which was $5 less than the December bill.
Last fall we insulated our attic several feet deep with fiberglass that we blew in ourselves. Also, we have an energy star furnace and a 1,000 sq. ft. house.
We only turn the furnace on in the AM for a couple of hours, and then again in the evening for awhile. 65 is the temp we agree is comfortable for us. We pick up a fair amount of heat from the sun during the day.
We wear long underwear, and occasionally use an electric radiator-type heater in our home office. Our electric bill was $43 last month, and I figure the Jan bill will be about $52. Life is good!
We do the monthly budget payment plan available through AEP (we have an electric heat pump). They bill us based on our average monthly use over the last year. While this doesn’t actually save us any money, it at least keeps us from being surprised by big bills in the winter!
We don’t have a programmable thermostat, so we just adjust the temperature down when we’re going to bed at night or when we’re not going to be home.
A digital thermostat can certainly make a big difference. I had clients a few years ago who had one installed, in conjunction with extra insulation in the attic, and it made a HUGE difference in their heating and cooling bills. Their home was much the same as yours – a Dutch Colonial with multiple levels – and they said the improvement was nearly instantaneous. The savings weren’t far behind, either … he might still read the blog and could correct me, but I think he told me they saved on average 30-35% on their heating and cooling bill.
Excellent idea.
We invested in a digital thermostat and have it set to be in the 60s when we are at work and lower at night while we are asleep.
We have a split foyer home and have also added a cheesy shower rod with a heavy black curtain at the bottom of the stairs to the basement (living area) to keep the heat down there from rising and having a vicious cycle of it being frigid in the basement and too hot upstairs.
A digital thermostat can certainly make a big difference. I had clients a few years ago who had one installed, in conjunction with extra insulation in the attic, and it made a HUGE difference in their heating and cooling bills. Their home was much the same as yours – a Dutch Colonial with multiple levels – and they said the improvement was nearly instantaneous. The savings weren’t far behind, either … he might still read the blog and could correct me, but I think he told me they saved on average 30-35% on their heating and cooling bill.
Excellent idea.
We invested in a digital thermostat and have it set to be in the 60s when we are at work and lower at night while we are asleep.
We have a split foyer home and have also added a cheesy shower rod with a heavy black curtain at the bottom of the stairs to the basement (living area) to keep the heat down there from rising and having a vicious cycle of it being frigid in the basement and too hot upstairs.