does a $300+ heating bill to heat a 700sqft apartment seem high? (home, utilities)

[snoylekim]

Yes, that would aggravate things .. forgot about the furnace filter .. that should be checked twice a year for efficiency and other reasons, and is 'low hanging fruit' . If the ll won't put in a programmable thermo, at least have the existing one checked .. From your end, a 'door snake' under exterior doors, and even on the windowsills might help..drafts are your enemy ( there's also the 3M windowseal around the windows) .. Years ago, we hung a blanket as a curtain between the the living room and entry foyer/hallway, and that made a big difference in managing a drafty entryway ..

[eevee]

well, I looked over our most recent gas bill a bit closer, and it looks like if we sign up for the budget billing plan, we'll only need to pay about $130 for this month and the following month. so that will thankfully save us almost $200! $130 still sounds a bit high for such a small place though, but I'll take it for now, at least until I find a new place (lesson learned: demand to see a gas bill from previous tenants and ask for an estimate!)

I have no clue where the big discrepancy is between the budget billing amount and our actual bill for this month (I'm not even sure how the gas company comes up w/ the budget amount). anyways, I'll be keeping the thermostat around 55, which I hope will be high enough to keep any pipes from bursting, but won't jack up our bill too much

thanks for all the advice (gotta get some saran wrap I guess, or head to HD soon)

[old_cold]

I have no clue where the big discrepancy is between the budget billing amount and our actual bill for this month (I'm not even sure how the gas company comes up w/ the budget amount).

The budget plan isn't cheaper. It just averages out the bills so you pay approximately the same during the heaviest and lighter usage months.
Do be aware, if there is a shortage at the end because your usage is more than the figures used to calculate the budget, you will be billed for it.

[MannheimMadman]

I think the worst I've ever had it was $150 in a 981 sq/ft apartment. But yeah, I'm the thermostat nazi around here 64 @ night, 68 during the day. Touch my thermostat, and you've got another thing coming!

[Chicago60614]

I have a 1,000 square foot place, and the most I've ever spent in the dead of winter was $108.

I keep it at 63 at night, 60 during the day, and 67-69 when I'm home.

Luckly I like candles, and lighting a bunch of those while you're lounging around actually helps much more than you'd think. I just throw 10 of them all around the living room and it spikes the temp.

[MannheimMadman]

^^^Why do do I envision a twisted scene from a stalker movie. when you mention lighting all kinds of candles everywhere?

[lincolnparker]

Nice, mines 85 all day long. never got a $300 utility

Originally Posted by ManheimMadman

I think the worst I've ever had it was $150 in a 981 sq/ft apartment. But yeah, I'm the thermostat nazi around here 64 @ night, 68 during the day. Touch my thermostat, and you've got another thing coming!

[chicagocubs]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

We run ours at 74 degrees and its not expensive at all. We dont have an overly large place and all, but...

Anyways, youre in NC? Whats your A/C bill?

Basically, my bills are only for 12 hours a day, except for on the weekends as I shut off the unit either at night (summer) or during the day (winter).

My A/C bill is, at worst, $100.00/month. I keep it on 80 degrees, and, again, shut it off overnight (I am allergic to the mold spores that it produces). It is usually very cool overnight, in the 60's and the dew point (at night) is usually in the very low 60's. So, I keep the windows open overnight.

In the winter, my heating bill, keeping the temps no higher than 70 (and shutting it off during the day) usually runs around $100.00/month, too.

My house is about 1650 sq feet, on a slab, (no basements here), frame. Newer, built in 1989, so, fairly well insulated. My furnace is gas and the A/C unit is new, only 3 years old.

[knitgirl]

Did you say that you live in an attached coach house? Check with Peoples Gas that the meter is for just your unit. I have heard of people in townhouses having screwed up meters who have been paying for their neighbors heat. I own and live in a 3 unit and I KNOW our gas metering is wacky, so I pay the gas bill for the tenants. The first year we owned the building the then tenants cranked their heat and we ended up having a $1500 bill for 3 months. Turned out a window had been so poorly installed by the previous owner that it had fallen out and the tenants put it back in upside down. They might as well have just left the window open all winter.

[MSchemist80]

Check the doors too I've been out with a caulk gun and installed vinyl door bottoms with brass trim on all the exterior doors. Some old doors warp and get very drafty.