Energy Prices

[ChildofLight]

Received notice from my energy biller that contract ending in February will go from about .09 cents to .16 cents, almost doubling. That means tightening up energy usage though not sure how other than line drying clothes in winter out in cold or in house. I’m cold natured so thermostat set on 73 during day when home and down to 68 at night. So far been more mild winter days than very cold, but next weekend it’s supposed to be a cold one in time for Christmas.

 

[Tall Timbers]

In the winter we've got the thermostats in both the Alaska house and the Wyoming house at 60 deg F. Almost double the price is an insane price increase.

 

[one_happy_meg]

So our house has oil heat, and our fireplace is unfortunately propane. The oil heat is up to $4.89/gal. We’re on a plan with the oil provider where we pay a set amount year round. I wonder how much that will go up.

We have an opportunity to install a woodburning stove (neighbor upgraded theirs and is giving us the old one). I wanted to do it before this winter but we had already paid for a full tank of propane and own the tank outright.

Our old house had a wood burning stove with blower. We can all sleep downstairs just fine in the below freezing nights.

For now we keep our house set at 70. It may go down to 68 permanently if prices continue to rise.

 

[mphsmom]

It took us $1000 to fill up our 200 gallon oil tank (so much for paying our mortgage). We keep our heat at 60 degrees F. We also got a letter saying our energy bill is going to increase "a high amount" starting January 1st going until June 1st. It's ridiculous. We only use about $50/month in electricity, but our last bill was almost $300 because of the stupid delivery charges, and now that is going to go up. I don't know how they are getting away with doing this.

 

[TrustinHim]

We have an opportunity to install a woodburning stove

Be sure to have a qualified installer check your chimney and through the wall connector ( get double wall stainless) and learn how to use a woodstove correctly. Adjusting the draft as the stove reaches full operating temp.. so you don't have a runaway stove. (Dangerously overheated.) The heat is very comforting when the mercury is rattling in the bottom of the thermometer.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Received notice from my energy biller that contract ending in February will go from about .09 cents to .16 cents, almost doubling. That means tightening up energy usage though not sure how other than line drying clothes in winter out in cold or in house. I’m cold natured so thermostat set on 73 during day when home and down to 68 at night. So far been more mild winter days than very cold, but next weekend it’s supposed to be a cold one in time for Christmas.

Plastic insulation inside and out of windows/window frames and doors (door frames separately LOL) makes a huge difference. If you have both storm and front/back doors, insulate both if possible (make sure they all still close, latch, and lock properly) Adding thermal drapes and draft snakes helps a lot, too. If an attached garage, insulating the exterior (people and car) garage door(s) with bulb wrap, loosely balled up plastic bags, or special garage door insulation helps. Draft snake and plastic insulation of interior garage door helps, too. If the garage is under the house, add insulation to the garage ceiling/under the floor above it. Carpeting or room-sized/large rug, especially with a wool or special thermal pad, on the floor in the room(s) above the garage helps a lot.

Switching to LED and energy-efficient incandescent as bulbs burned out cut electric usage a bunch, too. Made a huge difference in the number of bulbs gone through in outdoor light fixtures, so those paid for themselves really fast.

Using electric outlet plugs or insulator covers and electric switch insulating covers helps. Insulating interior walls is a major undertaking, but it helps with draftiness and makes the house quieter. Replacing old double pane window with triple pane, especially one with nitrogen gas layer, helps, but I'd still use plastic to insulate inside and out.

Adding insulation to the attic helps, but be careful not to get too much, as this can affect air-flow and create mold/mildew/moisture problems.

Adding moisture to the house via whole-house humidifier makes it feel warmer and is more comfortable, even at the same temperature. Plants and individual room humidifiers help.

Electric oil-filled radiator-looking radiant heaters are a lot cheaper to run than anything with a fan and a lot quieter. If on a heat-proof surface like concrete or a special mat, some can be safely left on all the time (far away from curtains, furniture, other combustibles). This can help when a specific room needs additional heat, either all the time or temporarily, especially if the primary heating system is very expensive to run.

If you have floor vents, using the add-on air flow directors can help direct heat to where people are, but nearby windows are more likely to have condensation or frost, which can lead to moisture, mold, or mildew issues, especially if sealed with plastic. These add-ons are also a toe-stubbing, tripping, and step-on/breaking/small pieces/pieces falling into ductwork hazard, especially to seniors, disabled, and small children. I, personally, don't like them, but others do.

Reduce heat and close doors to unused rooms. Be very careful if there are water pipes in the walls or floors, or it's a bathroom, laundry, kitchen, etc. so pipes don't freeze and burst.

Close the dryer door, even when not in use. Ditto the dishwasher door, especially if by an exterior wall. Keep kitchen cabinet doors closed, except maybe the one under the sink (depending on what you have to do to keep pipes from freezing).

Insulating tape on water pipes (follow directions on package and anything from your water/utility company)

Some utilities offer free home energy audits. Most are trying to sell upgrades, so shop around before agreeing to purchase anything. Usually, but not always, utility prices and financing for upgrades are better than other places, but more limited choices. Some utilities do a free or cheap furnace/heating/cooling inspection. Some do cheap tune-ups at the beginning of the seasons. Same caution as above.

Change your furnace filters, whole-house humidifier pad, etc. on time (follow manufacturer and utility instructions and recommendations). I prefer using the thinner one-month furnace filters and changing more often because less resistance for the furnace and a new, pristine filter more often. Nothing wrong with changing more often, especially if the air is extra polluted (fires, pollen, pollution, etc.). People burning wood, as well as wildfires, house fires, and seasonally increased industrial output can increase air pollution. Temperature inversions can exacerbate effects of pollution.

Your hot water heater may need to be turned up if the water coming into the house is very cold (as in, seasonally much colder than other times of the year). Not a way to reduce energy, but helpful if you like really hot showers or everyone showers in a short period of time A hot water heater timer or on-demand water heater can help reduce energy costs. Some places, electricity, water, gas, oil, etc. is/are priced differently at different times of the day or night. If so, time laundry and anything else to take advantage of savings.

NOT engineering, etc. advice . . .

 

[Leigh]

@Ghoti Ichthus, excellent advice. Thank you! I need to get one of those door snakes because I can see sunlight coming in the gap under our front door. At least I could put a towel there, but always forget.

We have the tankless water heater that you mention. Although we never run out of hot water, which is great, it takes awhile for water to heat up and much water is wasted in the process, which is bad since our water bills are quite high in Columbia. There are many complaints about the problem, but nobody has been able to do anything about it. (We were hit with a $1200 bill once and it turned into a year-long fiasco.)

 

[Andy C]

Plastic insulation inside and out of windows/window frames and doors (door frames separately LOL) makes a huge difference. If you have both storm and front/back doors, insulate both if possible (make sure they all still close, latch, and lock properly) Adding thermal drapes and draft snakes helps a lot, too. If an attached garage, insulating the exterior (people and car) garage door(s) with bulb wrap, loosely balled up plastic bags, or special garage door insulation helps. Draft snake and plastic insulation of interior garage door helps, too. If the garage is under the house, add insulation to the garage ceiling/under the floor above it. Carpeting or room-sized/large rug, especially with a wool or special thermal pad, on the floor in the room(s) above the garage helps a lot.

Switching to LED and energy-efficient incandescent as bulbs burned out cut electric usage a bunch, too. Made a huge difference in the number of bulbs gone through in outdoor light fixtures, so those paid for themselves really fast.

Using electric outlet plugs or insulator covers and electric switch insulating covers helps. Insulating interior walls is a major undertaking, but it helps with draftiness and makes the house quieter. Replacing old double pane window with triple pane, especially one with nitrogen gas layer, helps, but I'd still use plastic to insulate inside and out.

Adding insulation to the attic helps, but be careful not to get too much, as this can affect air-flow and create mold/mildew/moisture problems.

Adding moisture to the house via whole-house humidifier makes it feel warmer and is more comfortable, even at the same temperature. Plants and individual room humidifiers help.

Electric oil-filled radiator-looking radiant heaters are a lot cheaper to run than anything with a fan and a lot quieter. If on a heat-proof surface like concrete or a special mat, some can be safely left on all the time (far away from curtains, furniture, other combustibles). This can help when a specific room needs additional heat, either all the time or temporarily, especially if the primary heating system is very expensive to run.

If you have floor vents, using the add-on air flow directors can help direct heat to where people are, but nearby windows are more likely to have condensation or frost, which can lead to moisture, mold, or mildew issues, especially if sealed with plastic. These add-ons are also a toe-stubbing, tripping, and step-on/breaking/small pieces/pieces falling into ductwork hazard, especially to seniors, disabled, and small children. I, personally, don't like them, but others do.

Reduce heat and close doors to unused rooms. Be very careful if there are water pipes in the walls or floors, or it's a bathroom, laundry, kitchen, etc. so pipes don't freeze and burst.

Close the dryer door, even when not in use. Ditto the dishwasher door, especially if by an exterior wall. Keep kitchen cabinet doors closed, except maybe the one under the sink (depending on what you have to do to keep pipes from freezing).

Insulating tape on water pipes (follow directions on package and anything from your water/utility company)

Some utilities offer free home energy audits. Most are trying to sell upgrades, so shop around before agreeing to purchase anything. Usually, but not always, utility prices and financing for upgrades are better than other places, but more limited choices. Some utilities do a free or cheap furnace/heating/cooling inspection. Some do cheap tune-ups at the beginning of the seasons. Same caution as above.

Change your furnace filters, whole-house humidifier pad, etc. on time (follow manufacturer and utility instructions and recommendations). I prefer using the thinner one-month furnace filters and changing more often because less resistance for the furnace and a new, pristine filter more often. Nothing wrong with changing more often, especially if the air is extra polluted (fires, pollen, pollution, etc.). People burning wood, as well as wildfires, house fires, and seasonally increased industrial output can increase air pollution. Temperature inversions can exacerbate effects of pollution.

Your hot water heater may need to be turned up if the water coming into the house is very cold (as in, seasonally much colder than other times of the year). Not a way to reduce energy, but helpful if you like really hot showers or everyone showers in a short period of time A hot water heater timer or on-demand water heater can help reduce energy costs. Some places, electricity, water, gas, oil, etc. is/are priced differently at different times of the day or night. If so, time laundry and anything else to take advantage of savings.

NOT engineering, etc. advice . . .

I have noticed over the years, you are quite the handy person for home repairs, or at least knowledgeable about what needs to be done. How did you get so knowledgeable? Me, I spent 29 years in the Marines learning all kinds of skills, none of which can be used in my world now. Im the reason home repair companies make so much money….

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I have noticed over the years, you are quite the handy person for home repairs, or at least knowledgeable about what needs to be done. How did you get so knowledgeable? Me, I spent 29 years in the Marines learning all kinds of skills, none of which can be used in my world now. Im the reason home repair companies make so much money….

Lots of things contributed . . .

I think it all started when I was a kid. Dad's a musician and had a concert to play, and the next day was a younger sibling's birthday. I knew he would be tired and not in the mood for trying to assemble a bicycle when he got home (just in time for Perry Mason that started at 10:30 pm), so I did it (without permission). It was fun, and it felt good to actually contribute at a meaningful level. After that, Mom and Dad had me put together all the toys, etc. From there, it was natural to figure out how stuff worked and how to fix it, especially since Dad had to be very careful with his hands and ears. We had no power tools or yard equipment when I grew up, except the lawn mower, which I wasn't allowed to use because I'm a girl. I got yelled at for cutting the yard once with the old reel lawn mower because that wasn't a chore girls do (neither was taking out the garbage) That was another "it-had-to-be-done-and-Dad-couldn't-so-I-did-it" times

I took shop classes after being kicked out of home ec in junior high Electricity and metals Two of my favorite classes This was when girls had to take home ec (home ick) and boys had to take shop, but my experience led to good changes

In the military, I was a paratrooper and in very small units, where we often had to just make stuff go/work/.etc. because no support, "unauthorized modification, repair, etc.," or it would take too long to get the right item(s) or the right support. A lot of time when we needed something, we needed it right then and there, and safety and/or mission said we couldn't wait. If one is going to break, take apart, or otherwise destroy something, one needs to know how it's put together or works, or figure it out on-the-spot

And home ownership in multiple places with different problems/challenges/chores and many DITY moves. My former husband and I did a lot of stuff together that took two pairs of hands. He and I had the same MOS in the Army, plus he had been an Electrician's Mate in the Navy (Snipe) And we both spent a lot of time gone, sometimes together and sometimes separately, so both of us had to be able to do anything and everything, since it was often unknown when the other would return (way before consumer cell phones). Our point of contact most stations was the Veterinarian due to boarding pets

Now that I'm older, I let others do some things that I know how to do, but am no longer physically capable of doing. But I can still share what I know I do still fix a lot of stuff, though

 

[GHoe]

Got this email Jan 8th 2023,

Dear Customer,

There’s no easy way to put this: January bills are likely to be higher than usual. An unprecedented cold snap across the nation in part has caused natural gas market prices in the West to more than double between December and January – much higher than expected. As a result, SoCalGas residential customers can expect the typical January bill likely to be more than double the typical bill last January, assuming the same amount of natural gas is used.

Many SoCalGas employees are your neighbors and community members, and we are here to help you best manage your energy consumption, while balancing usage and comfort. To help keep monthly bills as low as possible, we offer tips, tools, and programs designed to assist you in finding what works best for your home or business.

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The question is will the price go back asap ? Will I get another email next month and then again in March saying the process will remain the same forever ? Wouldn't be surprised but hoping it's just for this particular situation.. One nice thing about So. Cal is its only heater weather for about 2-3 months. Bad part is it A.C. weather for about 6 months. #pickyourpoison