Electric Bill For July
08-05-2011, 11:06 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
Originally Posted by zipit
I don't want to know what mine is. I am keeping it at 85 and it's running almost constantly. I can't wait for this heat wave to be over.
I dread seeing my water bill as well. I am watering the minimum that I can and make sure my foundation is protected.
I dread seeing my water bill as well. I am watering the minimum that I can and make sure my foundation is protected.
The soil there is such that it dries very quickly. Most (nearly all) homes are built on slab foundations. It is more important to keep the ground around the foundations moisturized than it is your landscaping! Because if you don't, the ground cracks, the slab cracks, then the walls separate, and then all "stuff" breaks loose. "Foundation problems" is a dreaded word on real estate flyers/contracts and can sound the death toll for a house sale.
I remember when we first lived in TX. My ex, on hearing this about houses, was out spraying the house itself with water one day. I was horrified and yelled at him....."stop making the bricks colder/wetter than the air lest you cause them to crack or break and the mortar to separate!!" Double engineering major had never thought of it that way. Went back to "watering the foundation" only right quick! Do not "wash" the outside of your house in the heat.
Jan in VA
08-05-2011, 11:13 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by zipit
Originally Posted by gotthebug
Ours was $341 We dont have AC, we have an evaporative cooler (works well for us in this dry climate) but we have a pool that we run 24/7. Summer is worse for us than winter for the utility bills. :(
Trying to conserve as much as possible.
Because of all the conservation in Las Vegas...NV energy wants to raise the rates by 24% :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:
It won't be that much, but there will definitely be an increase (thiefs) :evil: :evil: :evil:
08-05-2011, 11:36 AM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Merced, CA
Posts: 4,188
Originally Posted by tsp3400
I'll take your 250 and raise you $100 more...crazy thing is my house is only 1600 square feet. but 3 kids in and out all day and central air and hot tub and garage with ceiling fans...phew DTE here love's me.
Over the last few years, my late DH and I have tried a lot of things to keep the power bills down. We put up split bamboo shades on the South and West sides of the house. We also have lots of deciduous trees (drops their leaves in fall) to shade the house during the hot summer. I've made drapes with poly quilt batting inside the front of drapes and muslin backing. On the East side bedroom with sliding doors, I've put bubble wrap double taped to the non moving door and foil over that. The bedroom does have a tiny wall air conditioner but it's never been needed for some years. A tall, revolving fan in there is all I need to keep comfy at night. I open the drapes and blinds in the cool of the early morning and shut them during hot sunlight. And my power bills are very low, usually from 29 dollars to a height of 88 in summer. And I live in the hot, central valley of California.
If you possibly can, check out farm advisors for trees to shade the house during the hottest time of the day. Trees come in every shape and form and growing speed you can imagine.
This would entail checking different areas of the house every hour or so and marking it on many pictures of the house itself. That's one way my late DH, a Landscape Architect, did his preliminary work in this harsh climate. You can easily see where the shade comes and goes and at what hours of the day, especially the hotter hours.
08-05-2011, 12:01 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Farmington Minnesota
Posts: 645
ours was $182 and we shut it completely off during the work day and leave the ceiling fan on for the dog....it stays cool for him as long as I leave all the back blinds/curtains shut to keep the sun out. I'll be kind of glad when fall comes.....and winter....(really did I just say winter? !!) I get to sew more 'cuz I'm in the house more, that's the only reason !!
08-05-2011, 12:06 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Mead, WA
Posts: 598
Originally Posted by plainpat
Our elec bill for this month of hades heat came today.It's $144 & I can't complain.We're careful with elec,but the AC has been a life saver...still is,with today/tomor to be hazy,hot & humid.
DD in Fl has had summer elec bills for over $300.....whew.
DD in Fl has had summer elec bills for over $300.....whew.
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