Marietta power bill too high for 1bedroom apt? (apartments, condo)

[ckelli]

I live in a 620sqf apartment. We have to have Marietta Power. Last time I lived alone in a 1 bed room apartment I paid around 50 dollar/month. I was careless with the air & always left my computer going. That was second floor & three years ago.

Now, I'm alone again - top floor, valuted ceilings. I'm told that this may have a reason to why my bill is so high. I paid about 130 this month / 1,158kwh.

& that is always having it on 78 degrees.
Cutting my computer off at night/during day at work.
All lights off.
Tv.

I'm SUPER watching myself & still paying more than I think I should.


Is it just the rates, top floor vaulted ceilings or is there a problem?


I don't mind, I can afford -- but I don't want to be paying that much if I shouldn't be (esp for a 1 bedroom). Going to talk to my neighbor to see what his average is .. but thought I'd get some ideas from you guys.

[LahdeeDahdee]

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I lived at Woodpointe apartments in Marietta on the first floor and my bill was a little over 100 dollars a month. I really couldn't understand it. One month I went away for two and a half weeks and my bill was still over 100 dollars. I think it's definitely rigged some kind of way. When I moved into my HOUSE my bill was 54 dollars. Something is definitely up with that.

[LahdeeDahdee]

Oh, check your Direct Messages--top of your screen, right side.

[ckelli]

woodpointe- I think I looked at those.. hmm.. I'll keep eyes open for your message. Why leaving such a good deal?

[atlantagreg30127]

On the top floor in the summer you're getting heat from the apartment building's attic space, as well as the fact heat rises from the apartments below you as well. Even with your thermostat at 78, it might not be able to *easily* cool the place down under those conditions (and adding a vaulted ceiling to the mix). On a better note, in the Winter it might help, having your neighbor's heat under you rising (some).

Keep in mind too, that many apartments don't exactly have the best quality windows and A/C units, either.

Oh, about turning off the computer and TV: Many people don't know that even when modern electronics are turned "off", they are still taking in a trickle-charge of electricity and in some cases it can be as high as 25% of what they normally use when powered on. It adds up. Power experts suggest plugging everything into surge protector strips, and when you turn your stuff off, turn off the STRIP as well. This cuts off ALL power, and you save a lot. Now, in the case of DVD players and satellite boxes, this can erase their memory and you have to reset them each time you turn them back on, so some new power strips actually have two outlets on them that don't turn off when you turn the whole strip off - allowing you to plug stuff like that in to save their memory settings, while still turning off the other stuff plugged into it.

[pgirl07]

I do know that the utlities are more expensive here than other cities. However still, but power bill has never been more than $70 and my apt is about the same size as yours (I have GA Power). I turn off my air every time I leave the house. I'm not sure how much a computer really affects your bill. $130 does sound like a bit much...I'd be angry. Sorry.

[pellur]

My condo is 1200 sft. We hardly turn on the AC (we have ceiling fans) and we also have w/d. Even with all these our GA power bill last month was $47.00. When we moved in to this condo last year, for three months my power bill was $7.00. ....Those were the good days. LOL