Cost of Utilities (San Diego: apartment, houses, companies)

[mothball]

This is my first year living in a house (non-apartment) in San Diego. I was just wondering what the average cost of utilities are. I know this has been an especially cold winter, but I feel like my SDG&E bill is pretty excessive. ($244 SDG&E, $70 water) I rent, and I think my 4 bedroom house is poorly insulated. On the other had, it has just been really cold.

What are other people's utilities bills running this winter?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by mothball

This is my first year living in a house (non-apartment) in San Diego. I was just wondering what the average cost of utilities are. I know this has been an especially cold winter, but I feel like my SDG&E bill is pretty excessive. ($244 SDG&E, $70 water) I rent, and I think my 4 bedroom house is poorly insulated. On the other had, it has just been really cold.

What are other people's utilities bills running this winter?

I own a 1000sf 2BR/1BA w/central heat/AC and sprinklers.

Last month's bill (which included the really cold snap) was about 140 SDGE, water bill is always around 90 bucks (I have a large yard and lawn). Usually SDGE runs about 60- 80/mo.

We aren't home during the day so we do not run the heat /AC during the day and turn it down at night. We never have our thermostat above about 70.

Most houses in SD are poorly insulated, with poor windows.

[mothball]

I forgot to mention, we keep our thermostat at 60 degrees if it is even on. Our house has been freezing! We are pretty conservative when it comes to electricity. It seems most of our bill is going to heat our house which doesn't even get warm. (: $244 for one month for a four bedroom one story house just seems high to me.

[Bickie]

When I lived in SD my utility bill was always high. At that time, I was informed that SDGE is one of the most expensive utility companies in the nation.

[kettlepot]

My house is about the size of Sassberto's and last month (with the cold snap) I paid $60, and I kept the thermostat at 62-65 during the day/off at night.

How many people were living in your house? Are you all electric? Or do you have gas water heater/heat/stove/clothes dryer? If you are all electric your bill will be higher. I still remember my $80 bill from 20 years ago for heating an all electric studio apartment for one month.

SDGE might perform an energy audit on your house. Call them up and ask if that is available for you as a renter.