If you know how to invest in the right upgrades & keep up your maintenance....
Yeah. it's an older bill but still
Originally Posted by Dorian Gray
That's a bill for February usage. My February bill looks like that too.
My July bill was around $225. I keep my air on 68. I used to use the program to raise the thermostat during the day but when it's as hot as it's been recently it takes forever for it to catch up. I can't sleep hot.
Radiant barriers, plenty of attic and wall insulation and attic ventilation along with good windows are all good investments.
Check the doors. More leakage occurs around a poorly sealed door. New weatherstripping is easy to install. If you aren't all that handy go to your local hardware(not a big box) and ask them to show you how.
Anything that is plugged in and operating generates heat.
I've switched to all LED bulbs where possible and while the diode itself doesn't generate heat I've noticed that the circuitry in the base of the bulb does. It's still less than an incandescent bulb and of course the power draw is less.
I have a plasma TV and that fucker puts off some heat. My amplifier for my sound system does too. I have a quality convection toaster oven that I use more than my big oven. It heats up less space, takes less time to get to temp and cools down quicker. All those little things add up.
I heard this morning that wholesale electric prices jumped 36000% yesterday due to sudden increased demand and lack of standby generating capabilities. Of course, that's a short term spike that the power companies have to pay for excess but there are some companies like Griddy, or something like that, who are selling at direct wholesale prices to the consumer. I wonder how that spike affected consumer pricing yesterday...