1 more?Please ~ Elec. Bills in a 3 Bdrm Apt? (Austin: apartments, construction)

[redrockglass]

Oh please if I may ask one more question? Would anyway be able to tell me about what to expect for utility bills in a 3 bdrm apt. if we keep the temp set at 75 all day? Is it easier to cool a ground floor apt. or it doesnt' really matter?

Thanks!

[kiheisun]

I was wondering the same thing. I heard the electric bills can run pretty high.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

I was shocked to see one month bill from STREAM ENERGY for a one bedroom apartment where the heat is kept down, and no one is even there all day:


$103.13 for the month of Novemember

[centralaustinite]

It completely depends on the age of the building, quality of construction, efficiency of the unit, how often the AC filter is changed, type of window, and the orientation of the unit (western exposures get quite warm) and yes, a lower or middle floor is easier to cool then the top floor but again, much depends on the insulation.

Our issue is the high bill in August when it is hottest and the AC runs the longest. Heat is usually not an issue. I didn't even have the heat on in much of November and it was my lowest bill of the year for both electric and natural gas. December was usually cold and my bills were higher, but July-August-September is when bills are high not winter.

Otherwise, ask about utility costs when you look at apartments, Austin Energy may be able to tell you the average energy use of a unit in a complex. Don't know if other providers will.

Look for solar screens on the windows and compact florescent bulbs in the fixtures, and AC filters provided in the office, that will tell that management is concerned with energy efficiency.

[jessicabradshaw]

when it comes to apartments its a shot in the dark. too many variables, just as centralaustinite mentioned. from talking to a client who i helped get into a house, she changed electric bills 3 times in one year thinking that would help the electric bill costs, but it wasnt until the 3rd company and only 2 months in that she actually saw costs reduced. At this point she'll just deal with it until closing date. my guess it is just the apartment and it's efficiency all around.

[tickledpink]

During the summer don't be surprised if your bill is near 200 dollars a month or even a little over that.

My boyfriend lives a 3 bedroom and they had bills ranging from 180-220 during the summer months. Now that winter is here, it's just over 100 dollars. Their heater is gas, though, so it doesn't get put into the electric bill.