Home heating/Duke Energy (Mason: utility costs, bills, budget)

[Linda Pratt]

Originally Posted by bruce abel

Your figures are way too high and you should call Duke.

I agree! HuskerDu, your house may not be as insulated as well as you think! My 2000 square foot home runs $350 tops in the coldest months (haven't hit it yet this season.)

Give Duke a break! If you think their rates are high, you need to compare their rates to other gas rates in Ohio. You'll be glad you live here.

[spot1181]

We live in an 1865 3300sf redwood sided two story, a propane and an oil furnace, a cellar and a basement. This winter we decided not to use the furnaces. We use electric space heaters, electric blankets and long underwear. The temp never has dropped below 40 degrees. Mainly use the heaters for shower time and thawing out the pipes in the cellar. The last two Duke bills were $150 and $234. Wardway came to fill up the propane tank and left disgusted when the gauge was still on 80% after two months. The oil tank is still on 75% after four years. The wood fireplace takes a little chill off in the evenings. I guess we are a little hardy since we have outdoor jobs. I feel sorry for the poor office workers who are stuck in those hot buildings, then it gets really cold to them when they are exposed to the elements. We also use no AC in the summer, Duke bills under $100. But we still prefer cold over hot, more comfy. Here's a tip, get a couple of cats, they make great little heaters under the covers. Sleep tight, Spot

[jersey_too_expensive]

We live in a Tudor Revival/Cottage style house, approx 1700 sq ft. Our furnace is nearly 38 years old and we estimate about 40% of our energy costs are going straight up the chimney.

Our last bill (gas & electric combined) was $437.

We have all-new Pella windows, but could use a couple of new doors.

Some things to consider:

1) Review your bill carefully -- especially if it is estimated (no one was home at time of reading). Learn how to read your meters and faithfully keep track of the numbers on the same day every month. I've caught Duke significantly overestimating our numbers on more than one occasion.

2) Air sealing: learn about the "stack" effect and how it works inside your home. You'll realize the most benefits by strengthening your home's thermal envelope by sealing attic air leaks (open/dropped soffits, plumbing/electrical/masonry chases, and the joints where the drywall meets the ceiling. Closing off this thermal envelope (if your attic is an unconditioned space) is key before adding any extra insulation. Most types of insulation -- fiberglass, rockwool, cellulose -- DO NOT STOP AIR. In fact, it passes right through them (you can see this when you find blackened parts of insulation in your attic around the areas I mentioned earlier). This shows that the insulation is FILTERING the air -- but not blocking it off. Exception to this rule is rigid foam or blown-in/expanding foam insulation.

3) REPLACE your thermostat(s) with a programmable model -- it will save you money. Our cycles on just before we wake up, cools off while we're in the shower, cools down further during the day, warms up before we get back from work, and then cools down to 62 when we got to sleep. I got it at Home Depot and the installation is easy -- no need to even shut off the power (only 24 volts here).

4) Once you've created a solid thermal envelope in the attic -- completely separating from transfer of heat/cold from the living space below -- then you're ready for more insulation if necessary.

5) Now you can take your time to seal the leaks on lower levels of the home. Even little things like insulated pads/gasket-like material that sit under your electrical connection coverplates (light switches, outlets, cable jacks, etc.) do a great job.

6) Contact Duke Energy for a free home energy audit. I think they just started doing this this year -- we're on the waiting list. If you can't wait, there are at least (2) local companies who will provide you with extensive test results, best options to pursue, and sometimes the offer of them helping you themselves.

But DO CHECK YOUR BILL!

[woxyroxme]

Originally Posted by HuskerDu

the government really needs to regulate this in some way.

The government is the problem here, they required that Duke have a stockpile in advance of the winter months, forcing Duke to purchace natural gas while prices were at their peak in the summer months, those costs will just be passed on to us despite the drop in energy costs now. I saw a news story on TV about how we should expect high prices because of this, damn those all-knowing government central planners, is there anything they can't screw up?

[restorationconsultant]

One thing I always recomend people do if they have a forced air system is to seal and insulate your heat ducts, especially if they are running through a cold basement or crawlspace. You'd be amazed how much heat you lose before it even starts coming out your registers if the ducts arent insulated. Just be sure you use the shiny aluminum backed tape not duct tape. They also make a joint sealer for ductwork that you can buy in a tube to seal your ducts and plenum.

[gman5431]

I will not give Duke a break. My last bill, $256 and i keep my temp between 50-60 and my house is obviously cold.

G Rizzle

[Linda Pratt]

Originally Posted by gman5431

I will not give Duke a break. My last bill, $256 and i keep my temp between 50-60 and my house is obviously cold.

G Rizzle

So it's Duke fault your house isn't energy efficient?
If you don't like Duke's rate, you can either update to an electric heat pump or go with another gas supplier; Apples to Apples Price Comparison Charts
The cheapest is Volunteer Energy Services, Inc. with a rate of $1.03680 per hundred cubic feet, but that rate varies monthly.

Here, I've listed other comparable rates. As you can see, Duke is not the highest.
Vectren Energy rate is$1.06208 per hundred cubic feet
Columbia Gas of Ohio’s (CGO) rate is $1.11776 per hundred cubic feet
Duke's rate is $1.1225 per hundred cubic feet
Dominion East Ohio's Rate is $2.33 per hundred cubic feet

[gman5431]

Do you work for Duke or something? This crap sucks. Bottom line.

G Rizzle

[woxyroxme]

I just got my bill for Dec 1 - Dec. 31 and it was only $163. My secret is that when no one is home we keep the furnace off, it doesn't take long to get the temp from 55° to 68° when we return.

[gman5431]

Originally Posted by woxyroxme

I just got my bill for Dec 1 - Dec. 31 and it was only $163. My secret is that when no one is home we keep the furnace off, it doesn't take long to get the temp from 55° to 68° when we return.

Thats a good idea but i would be scared of the pipes freezing.

G Rizzle