Average Utilities (apartments, rent, houses)

[CharlieD]

Hello, I was wondering if a few people could tell me the average cost they pay for utilities in the summer and the winter. I'm planning on moving there soon and would like to get an idea of what I'll be paying. Oh, I've also seen apartments advertised that have oil heating. Can anyone tell me what that is and if its more or less expensive than gas heat? Thanks for all your help!

[GermanSpy]

Oil heat just means your heating system is fueled by heating oil. At the moment, a gallon of heating oil will cost you about 3 dollars. Throughout an average winter living in an average home I'd say you'll use about 650 gallons of heating oil throughout the cold season.

Depending how well insulated your place is, I would say you probably will start heating late October throughout April. But this is all just an estimate since nobody ever knows what the weather will be like.

If you live in an apartment you'll probably use less oil since you'll have a smaller space to heat. Heating is definitely a factor to be taken into consideration when renting though.

Heating with gas is currently the cheaper alternative. You'll pay about two thirds of the oil charges to heat with gas.

[professorsenator]

There are numerous heating oil companies in the area. You can choose an oil company (they all promise a low price and good service, of course--YMMV) and they will drive a truck to your home once a month or so and fill up your heating oil tank (usually in the basement). Your home or apartment will probably have an exterior fill cap that allows them to fill you up without them entering the house or you having to be there. The oil company will leave a bill for you (or send you a bill) to pay after they've filled up your tank. Think of it as sorta like having gasoline delivered to a big tank in your house. Obviously, you never let your tank go completely dry--it would be darn cold since your heater would be non-functional!

Heating oil is not heavy, thick oil (i.e. it is not like motor oil). It's like diesel fuel. It is flammable (of course) but it is not nearly as combustible as gasoline. Thus, it's much safer to handle. Older houses tend to have oil heat. Newer homes are more likely to have natural gas, though this depends very much upon where you live. More remote, rural places do not have natural gas.

As for average expense: this is just too variable to say without more information. How big is the home? How well insulated? What temperature do you keep the thermostat? Frankly, you really won't know until you live there (or look at the previous resident's bill for a ball-park estimate).

[LemominRI]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

Hello, I was wondering if a few people could tell me the average cost they pay for utilities in the summer and the winter. I'm planning on moving there soon and would like to get an idea of what I'll be paying. Oh, I've also seen apartments advertised that have oil heating. Can anyone tell me what that is and if its more or less expensive than gas heat? Thanks for all your help!

I currently use oil to heat the average is about610 a month that is for hot water also the electric is about 160av if you use gas the av is 350-400 a month I have two sisters who both use gas try to have heat in cluded it is too expensive ontop of rent or mortgage

[Rnrboy]

My gas bill runs me about $140 in the winter. In the summer the AC is about $100.

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by LemominRI

I currently use oil to heat the average is about610 a month that is for hot water also the electric is about 160av if you use gas the av is 350-400 a month I have two sisters who both use gas try to have heat in cluded it is too expensive ontop of rent or mortgage

It depends on what you keep your temperature at and how large the house is. We have a 3100 sq ft home and keep the temp at 64 daytime and 58 nighttime, using three programable heat thermostats. We live in NW Rhode Island where temp normally reach 5-15 degrees each night. Our use averages 200 gal a month Dec-March. Two more fill ups (200 gal each) keep us warm during the rest of the year. We can use our heat as early as Sept and as late as May. We turn off our water heater after our A.M. showers and just allow the furnace to warm our water. This saves about 1-2 gal a day. We average about $115 for electricity a month. Slightly higher with summer A.C.

Oil and gas prices fluctuate and while this year oil is more expensive, next year gas can be the more expensive heating fuel.