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One thing overlooked, could you possibly have been caught in between billing cycles? I know sometimes online data doesn't match up to "in real time" billing or whatever. Or maybe you forgot to pay last month? Either way you should investigate.
I'm guessing you have electric heat? I used to do that to but I've since kept it on always but at a lower temperature. If you turn it off at night and then on again in the morning the heat strips will kick in. Heat strips = major $$ to operate. By useage was higher turning if off and then on again then just leaving it on a set temp, say 66F.
If you do want to turn it down, turn it up by 1 degree, wait for it to warm up, then turn it up again, etc. Otherwise the heat strips will kick in (you should have an indicator on your thermostat) and that'll cost 'ya.
Interesting..this could have contributed, but doesn't explain why someone in my complex had a similarly large bill.
I'm out of the house from 8 to 7 p.m. The heat is only on for five hours, so there isn't constant turning on and off.
Is keeping the heat on a low setting more efficient than having in on for 5 hours?
One thing overlooked, could you possibly have been caught in between billing cycles? I know sometimes online data doesn't match up to "in real time" billing or whatever. Or maybe you forgot to pay last month? Either way you should investigate.
Nope..I payed last month and the billing cycle is normal...4 days shorts because of the holidays, I guess.
What kind of heat does your apartment have? I once lived in a complex that had heat pumps. I was told this.... When it's really cold, as in the 20s and 30s we had in January, heat pumps are hugely inefficient because they can't pump heat out of the ground and must turn on their backup heating device. My thermostat had a red light that indicated when this was happening. Whenever I saw that light on, I knew my bill was skyrocketing and so I would lower the thermostat until the red light went off and only slowly increase the temp.
I have no idea if this is an accurate explanation.... but your situation reminded me of it so I figured I'd throw it out for consideration!
What kind of heat does your apartment have? I once lived in a complex that had heat pumps. I was told this.... When it's really cold, as in the 20s and 30s we had in January, heat pumps are hugely inefficient because they can't pump heat out of the ground and must turn on their backup heating device. My thermostat had a red light that indicated when this was happening. Whenever I saw that light on, I knew my bill was skyrocketing and so I would lower the thermostat until the red light went off and only slowly increase the temp.
I have no idea if this is an accurate explanation.... but your situation reminded me of it so I figured I'd throw it out for consideration!
This is also possible. I'm not sure exactly what type of heat it is. I believe it is outside, so it could be a heat pump thing.
What I do know is that I do not appear to be an isolated case, so Progress either screwed up reading the entire complex or the insulation and heating method is so inefficient, that I (we) get screwed over.
I did have heating problems a coupel of weeks ago - in that the heat didn't work for a night. This probably also contributed.
I'm going to give Progress a call tonight and then talk to management to see if this has happened to everyone.
heat pumps are hugely inefficient because they can't pump heat out of the ground and must turn on their backup heating device.
Umm...heat pumps aren't the same as geothermal heat. Heat pumps use your a/c unit but run the process in reverse. They don't ever get their heat from the ground.
Umm...heat pumps aren't the same as geothermal heat. Heat pumps use your a/c unit but run the process in reverse. They don't ever get their heat from the ground.
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