I think our utility companies think we have money trees blooming in the back yard! We just got our electric bill for February: $452!!
I suppose I wouldn’t be so shocked if we had the heat turned to 80 degrees and had all the windows open. But with the thermostat normally set for 65 (okay, every once in a while we splurge and turn it up to 67) during the day and 60 at night, I was still shocked. Granted, this year was colder in our neck of the woods than last year by 10 degrees, but holy cow. I can’t even imagine what the bill would have been if we had the heat pump running upstairs (we have a dual-zone system, with gas heat downstairs and a heat pump in the attic): we keep the upstairs rooms warm with radiant heater panels and leave that energy hog off the entire winter. Otherwise we’d have to declare bankruptcy!
So, past the sticker shock, what’s one to do? We’ve done most of the basic stuff, like replacing our lights with compact fluorescent bulbs and programmable thermostats, and so on. But in the short term, there are a few other things that should help:
- I’m going to finish covering the garage with radiant barrier material, which reflects heat inward during the winter and outward during the summer. I’m also going to look into putting radiant barrier material in the attic, too; if I could, I’d put it all around the house, and it drives me nuts that this isn’t a standard/code practice (for some great info on radiant barriers, check out Horizon Energy Systems).
- I need to find something to block the cold air coming in from the bloody fireplace in the living room (ironic, isn’t it?), and do the same for the outlets.
- I think I’m going to make radiant barrier panels to put up in our existing traditional skylights, which are a major source of heat loss in the winter and gain in the summer. We have two in the living room and one in the master bathroom. If I had things to do over, I would’ve skipped those and gotten tubular skylights instead.
- I’m going to look into installing a timer on the hot water heater. We really only need hot water in the early morning when my wife and I take a shower, then again in the evening when the boys take a shower and we run the dishwasher. The rest of the day it’s keeping that water hot for nothing (and I already have it wrapped in a radiant barrier cover). I’m also going to get a quote this spring on a solar hot water system.
- Windows. Our windows suck, but replacing them isn’t an option: it’s just too expensive. They don’t leak, but the effect of convection results in a flow of cold air in the winter and more heat gain in the summer (although the winter’s the worst). I haven’t come to grips with this one yet, but at least the windows upstairs that we don’t normally look out of need something, even if some sort of semi-transparent insulation like bubble-wrap!
For us, I think those are the biggest problems. We’ve got fairly new appliances (particularly the refrigerator, which is brand new), so they’re reasonably energy efficient. But this sort of thing is one more reason why I’d really love to build an earthship – just think of all the other things we could do with all the money we’re spending on utilities!! Yikes!
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#1 by Robin on February 10th, 2009 - 5:28 pm
I feel your pain my newest bill was $407.87 Do I pay it or feed my kids? A friend was telling me he had a box installed by his meter and the box has something to do with controlling the serge when things like the AC or fridge kick in. When he gets his next bill he is going to let me know how it worked. Pricey by $450.00 materials and install but worth it if it works. We have even considered buying that ebook that tells you how to build your own windmill or solar panel for less than 200.00 and trying to run things like the dryer and water heater off it. I don’t know what else to do!!
#2 by Michael R. Hicks on February 10th, 2009 - 8:11 pm
Interesting! If you find out the name of that gadget, let me know, would you?
As for the windmill or solar panel gambit, I don’t know. I bought one of those books, and while it might help, the core problem is that conventional home designs are horribly inefficient in terms of heating and cooling. That’s one reason I like the earthship concept so much, but there are many ways new (or remodeled) homes could be built to drastically improve their efficiency and cut down on costs. You might be able to cut your bills some with a solar/wind installation, but there are other costs – inverters, batteries, etc. – that will likely come into play, too.
The first thing I’d consider doing is looking at “direct solar” energy in the form of a solar water heater, and radiant barrier material for your attic. That’s what I’m aiming for this year. And make sure you’ve replaced all your lights with compact fluorescents – I figure I saved several hundred dollars the first year just by doing that!
#3 by John on June 29th, 2009 - 4:30 pm
You can build a solar panel for a lot less than 200, and you dont have to buy any book. Just ask someone who installs them….The gadget that you are speaking of is the power save, and they do work. As for bills try 715.00 on for size when mine adv. 250-300. and I am being told I can do nothing about it…. The first time it happened they were guesstimating the usage. Now they are saying that it must have been a power surge and I can do nothing about it….Oh yeah I have to replace the breaker box, and the A/C unit.