Average cost of utilities (Arlington, Fairfax: how much, townhome, heat pump)

[Martaluna]

How much should we expect to pay for utilities for a townhome or SFH in NOVA up to 2000 SF and built in 80's or 90's?
Would SFH costs are always higher even if the size is the same?

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Martaluna

How much should we expect to pay for utilities for a townhome or SFH in NOVA up to 2000 SF and built in 80's or 90's?
Would SFH costs are always higher even if the size is the same?

It really depends on your individual utility usage. I like it cold, so my heating expenses are generally low, but I pay a lot more in the summer.

And I don't know any reason why town home utilities would be any lower than a SFH if the SF, age of house, and number of people is equivalent.

[22003yo]

It would depend on your homes setup is it a heat pump, or AC/furnace, and the efficiency/age of the system.

2200 SF SFH, built in the 70s. I pay $150 during the summer for electricity, $5 - $15 for gas. In the winter I pay $75 for electricity and about $100 - $140 for gas. Water is about $100 per quarter. Windows and AC/Furnace are 2 years old (18 seer).

I would imagine a TH would be slightly less since you're sharing walls with your neighbors heated homes on 2 sides instead of the outdoors.

[acgood]

for our TH about the size and age you describe, it runs about 150/month for gas+electric (split varies as described by 22003yo) and water+sewer 120 or so per quarter. I agree TH may be a bit more insulated with shared wall(s) and fewer windows - but also not that efficient if three levels like ours (e.g., lower level notably cooler than top level year-round)

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by acgood

for our TH about the size and age you describe, it runs about 150/month for gas+electric (split varies as described by 22003yo) and water+sewer 120 or so per quarter. I agree TH may be a bit more insulated with shared wall(s) and fewer windows - but also not that efficient if three levels like ours (e.g., lower level notably cooler than top level year-round)

But many (most?) area SFHs are also 3 levels, at least those inside the beltway would be. There are very few ranches and those almost always have basements. There are a few houses with two stories and no basement, in neighborhoods where there were water problems (e.g., underground springs, I hear) that prevented some from digging basements when the house was built. Older SFHs also may have exterior walls that cannot be insulated (brick exterior and plaster interior without space between for insulation) so that adds to their inefficiency.

I agree with others that THs would generally cost less to heat and cool, and I would say substantially less, if they are matched on all other features with a SFH (e.g., age, levels, quality of windows, total square feet), because of the shared walls and smaller window space.

The water & sewer bill would be MUCH higher if you buy a SFH in Arlington and water your grass and garden in the summer. Fairfax Co. and maybe some others have a fairer and more logical system that does not charge you sewer fees on the extra summer water usage, but Arlington does -- it treats you as if you are flushing your toilet with all that water.

[pragmatic12]

The number of people who will live in house is also important to consider, since that will effect the usage - cooking, hot water usage, local heaters or window coolers etc.

[Fallout Zone]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

But many (most?) area SFHs are also 3 levels, at least those inside the beltway would be. There are very few ranches and those almost always have basements. There are a few houses with two stories and no basement, in neighborhoods where there were water problems (e.g., underground springs, I hear) that prevented some from digging basements when the house was built. Older SFHs also may have exterior walls that cannot be insulated (brick exterior and plaster interior without space between for insulation) so that adds to their inefficiency.

I agree with others that THs would generally cost less to heat and cool, and I would say substantially less, if they are matched on all other features with a SFH (e.g., age, levels, quality of windows, total square feet), because of the shared walls and smaller window space.

The water & sewer bill would be MUCH higher if you buy a SFH in Arlington and water your grass and garden in the summer. Fairfax Co. and maybe some others have a fairer and more logical system that does not charge you sewer fees on the extra summer water usage, but Arlington does -- it treats you as if you are flushing your toilet with all that water.

I think that most houses inside of the Beltway are two (livable) stories, since most were built in the 70s or prior. Cape Cods, Colonials, Ramblers.

Also, Fairfax Co. does a similar thing to Arlington for water, and maybe worse. Not only do they charge sewer rates based on water usage (whether it is going in the sewer or not), but they take your baseline water usage in the winter quarter and then charge you an even higher rate on the amount you use in summer above and beyond the baseline. Every time my wife turns on the hose for our gardens I just see $$ flowing out.