What are you heating bills (Fargo, Grand Forks: apartment, house, purchasing)

[parrotheadmomma]

I'm trying to get a feel for what the heating bill is going to be like out there. Of course you need to let me know

what kind of heat, electric or oil-
new or old house-
what your thermostat is set at-
how cold was it outside-

[kerplunk]

Depending on your house size and insulation, I think you could expect to pay anywhere from (average) $100-200/month in heating costs (during November/December/January/February) per month.

[parrotheadmomma]

Your kidding me right???? Your pulling my leg or something LOL!

[Fischer_girl]

Okay. My husband and I lived in Fargo for the past four years. We had electric heat..but NOT the crappy central kind. With the floor baseboard heaters. There were times when it hit -55 with the wind. We lived in a three level apartment on the second floor...and we never ever ever EVER turned on our heat! We faced the south. Our electric bill was about $25/month. And we were never cold in our apartment.

[AndersonRM]

Originally Posted by parrotheadmomma

Your kidding me right???? Your pulling my leg or something LOL!

Too high or too low?

Near Minot ND I have a geothermal system and last year I spent about $810. And that's for all electricity. I had two months that my bill was over $100. I have a separate meter for my heating system so I know just what my heating costs me each month. In 2008 I spent $265 for heating and A/C!

My heating/A/C in the summer, May to Sept averaged less that $10/mo. With a couple months being $5 to $6. I have 6 water wells behind the house that liquid from the furnace/AC circulates through and this serves the same function as a normal heat exchanger out behind your house. Only much more efficient.

[MikeyToo]

Wife and I will be moving back to North Dakota in 3 weeks. Where we will be living (Lake Metigoshe - 10 miles north of Bottineau), electric rates are low. During winter we pay 3.1 cents per kilowatt hour and it goes up to 7 cents during the summer months. Electric rates here in California are very high!! I believe the reason the electric rates are so low in ND is because of the coal fired power plants and there close proximity to the coal sources. Also, wind energy is another imerging source of power. Rugby, ND is getting a wind farm just north of town a few miles that will be able to produce about 150 Megawatts, enough to power about 44,000 homes.
Good luck on your move from Maryland....

[parrotheadmomma]

To answer AndersonRM, ND rates are looowwwwww!!!!!!! I just about busted a gut when I read what MikeyToo said about only paying 3.1 kWh. I pay 11.82 cents per kWh!!!! Can you even believe that. It just makes me sick how the cost of living is so different. That's almost 4 times what North Dokotans pay!!!

I can't remember what my gas bill was last month. If I can find that I'll post it so we can compare. My heat is through the gas co. not electric.

[magiccity]

Depending on the home will dictate your heating bills. 2x4 construction, you can count on $60-$80 per month average for heating. 2x6 consctruction could be as low as $35-$60 per month average. Other factors will be attic insulation, siding insulation, siding material, and windows. Older homes have 4" of attic insulation when it should be 12-18". Nobody ever checks but gladly pays the monthly heating bill. Keep this in mind when purchasing a home.

[kerplunk]

Wow, I am getting ripped off then. I live in a three bedroom, corner apartment in Grand Forks and our electricity bill last month was $240. This includes approximately $40 in regular electricity use and $200 in heating, alone.

[DaninEGF]

Here is our summary

5 yr old home....ranch 1700 sq ft with full finished basement and extra insulation when built. we have natural gas from XCEL. Now for us....keeping a temp of 70F during this past winter (we have small kids)....and this past winter was the coldest overall since 1996.

Avg gas bill winter months average 190 to 220/month.

Electric bills (non heat) varies greatly too but we have two extra heaters and de-humidifier, and electric garage heater....so our electric bill runs high probably. But ours average in the winter 150-170/mo... in the summer with A/C and keeping it at 75F it runs closer to 250..

Dan