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I don't think the heat is electric.... I'm pretty sure it's just the thermostat. Another poster mentioned that it only uses electric when it's pulling heat to reach the setting. I keep mine on a low setting, anyway, because I don't like it too hot.
Are you sure it's electric HEAT you are talking about or just the electricity the thermostat itself uses?
Electric heat is pretty rare on Long Island (anybody: correct me if I am mistaken about this). I have heard electric heat is common in other areas of the country though.
Usually heat in houses and apartment buildings on Long Island are oil or gas.
The only LEGAL way a tenant is responsible to pay their own is if they have their own separate oil or gas burner and hot water heater.
No its not that rare. In additions and accessory apartments, its common to use electric baseboard because its cheap to install.
It is rare however to have the entire home to be electric heat.
Guess I'm rare then. I have no oil or gas. I have electric baseboard heat, an electric waterheater, electric stove and dryer. My bills, though I have the lowered rate, are insane. They weren't too bad until they added that 'exessive supply charge' which was calculated on how much electric you use. Compared to the average house, I'm an energy hog! My supply charge is usually more than 2/3 of my total bill amount. So a bill that was $70 is now $220. This is one of the reasons I'm so interested in getting off the island.
Guess I'm rare then. I have no oil or gas. I have electric baseboard heat, an electric waterheater, electric stove and dryer. My bills, though I have the lowered rate, are insane. They weren't too bad until they added that 'exessive supply charge' which was calculated on how much electric you use. Compared to the average house, I'm an energy hog! My supply charge is usually more than 2/3 of my total bill amount. So a bill that was $70 is now $220. This is one of the reasons I'm so interested in getting off the island.
Sorry LIAlleycat, but it's not the Island that's the problem, it's the fact that you are using electric for everything! I know someone in Queens with the same situation and their ConEd bill is ridiculous. You need to get oil or gas heat installed (which might not be a viable solution depending on cost).
Sorry LIAlleycat, but it's not the Island that's the problem, it's the fact that you are using electric for everything! I know someone in Queens with the same situation and their ConEd bill is ridiculous. You need to get oil or gas heat installed (which might not be a viable solution depending on cost).
I mostly leave the heat on 50 during the day and heat with a pellet stove when I am home which keeps it around a toasty 70. Still my bills are outrageous for a single person. And without a basement, installing another heating system will be very expensive and I'm barely making it now. Nah, LI doesn't want middle class singles here, so I will leave.
Guess I'm rare then. I have no oil or gas. I have electric baseboard heat, an electric waterheater, electric stove and dryer. My bills, though I have the lowered rate, are insane. They weren't too bad until they added that 'exessive supply charge' which was calculated on how much electric you use. Compared to the average house, I'm an energy hog! My supply charge is usually more than 2/3 of my total bill amount. So a bill that was $70 is now $220. This is one of the reasons I'm so interested in getting off the island.
I bet the reason everything is electric in your home is because it is a converted vacation home and at one time probably didn't have heat because it was just used as a beach cottage in the summer like many homes in your area. Actually, my grandparents had a summer home in Rocky Point and a full-time home in Nassau County. In their time, that was common for the middle class. Now the younger generation of the middle class can barely keep what used to be a summer cottage full time. Our standard of living has been declining for some time now.
I bet the reason everything is electric in your home is because it is a converted vacation home and at one time probably didn't have heat because it was just used as a beach cottage in the summer like many homes in your area. Actually, my grandparents had a summer home in Rocky Point and a full-time home in Nassau County. In their time, that was common for the middle class. Now the younger generation of the middle class can barely keep what used to be a summer cottage full time. Our standard of living has been declining for some time now.
Actually my home isn't a converted cottage - but was a cheaply built home used as an income property by someone. They never lived in it and didn't care. Back in the 70's electric wasn't so expensive to keep someone from renting the house either and was probably the cheapest way to go. However, your statement is correct for many of the other all electric homes here. I still have two cottages around the corner from me that have no heat at all - they are just summer homes. Though I haven't seen anyone at them in the past two years.
I feel your pain about the lack of opportunity here for the middle class. That is why I am planning my escape. Any day now...............
I've been on the "budgeted billing" with LIPA since we moved into our new apartment in August. I have a 2BR apartment and they budgeted me at $77/mo. Well, my usage has been less than that and they averaged my usage at around $50/mo so they're going to change my budgeted billing to reflect the $50/mo.
Of course, I'm glad my bill is going to be less (and am going to find ways to get it even lower!) but what I'm wondering is, with winter coming upon us, is my usage going to go higher? The thermostat in our apartment is electric.... does that mean I'm using electricity alll the time the heat is on? Or is it just when I adjust the thermostat when I go out, come home, go to bed? (I turn it down to 60 when I go out, 70 when I come home, and 60-65 when I go to bed, depending on the weather)
Please forgive me for not having a clue here..... At our old apartment, we didn't pay electric and didn't control the heat and when I lived in NYC, I never really paid attention to this type of thing and my Con Ed bill was maybe $30/month.
You're home might be gas heat with an electric thermostat which means your Keyspan(National Grid)might be your service for that.Also in the summer your electric might go up if you have central air connected to the thermostat.
There was a period of time on LI where all electric housing was the fad. Most of the homes are located on the North Shore of Suffolk. Why? simple, LILCO was touting Shorham and were saying there would be no reason to meter electricity anymore. It was going to be a flat yearly rate, period.
Oppppps.
There was a period of time on LI where all electric housing was the fad. Most of the homes are located on the North Shore of Suffolk. Why? simple, LILCO was touting Shorham and were saying there would be no reason to meter electricity anymore. It was going to be a flat yearly rate, period.
Oppppps.
Kb, these were the same geniuses that didn't realize that a workable emergency exit plan for Long Islanders was impossible until AFTER spending all the money on creating Shoreham and billing it to the rate payers and tax payers!
Too bad that the powers that be ruined Nikola Tesla once they found out about his invention that could gather electricity for FREE for each household ...
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I know someone in Queens with the same situation and their ConEd bill is ridiculous. You need to get oil or gas heat installed (which might not be a viable solution depending on cost).
Lowered standard of living for the middle class
