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Old 07-30-2009, 05:01 PM
 
17,466 posts, read 38,882,669 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by On-da-Beach View Post
I'd have the power co. do an energy audit. A thermal scan can find where you're loosing the cool air. Maybe you just need more insulation in the attic. It would seem that your dryer would be gas as well so $444 is excessive. You're right about the extra refrigerator in the garage. It will need to work harder.
I think her bill is about right for keeping that size house that cool. Energy costs these days, especially if you are pushing your AC to the limit in this hot weather.
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Old 07-30-2009, 06:09 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
162 posts, read 675,326 times
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Obviously that isn't the case based on the other responses.
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Old 07-30-2009, 07:32 PM
 
75 posts, read 319,399 times
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We've got 2300 sq ft and we pay about $380 - $400 per month during the summer time. Normally our AC is set at about 79 during the day, and 77 at night. The power bills are always high at this time of year. Looking forward to winter (if you can call it that) when the AC won't have to run 24/7, and we can open the windows for some fresh (not so humid) air.
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Old 07-30-2009, 10:10 PM
 
50 posts, read 149,340 times
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I checked the meter and it's right for sure. I called TECO and will do the energy audit thing but I may even look into hiring someone to make sure everything is sealed tight. Even after all these posts I still don't understand why our bill is so high- it seems we have everything *right* except vaulted ceilings with ceiling fans.
Attic: 3-4 feet of insulation
3 BIG shade trees as well as landscaped bushes around the house
2004 High Efficiency Trane
Thermostat at 78 (80 at night)
Replaced pool pump motor last month (don't think that was the problem though bc I checked our usage for the past 24 hrs and it's still high- like 120+ kwh)
22K gal pool so we run the pump 9-12 hrs on a timer
tinted windows and double pane
125 on water heater (I'll turn it down but there's nothing wrong there bc water bill was only $44 so with 5 people I'm sure that doesn't indicate leaking)
No outside/garage appliances- only *extra* is a deep freeze but it's inside and it's been with us forever.

I did expect around $350 I guess. There's someone home almost all the time. When I checked w/the previous owners bills they did the energy planner and were paying $170 in the winter and $270 average in the summer but there were only 2 people and I don't imagine they were here as much as we are.
I think I'll do the TECO energy planner program. Maybe we'll get some blown in insulation instead too. There's not even a window or door that feels drafty.
Thanks all for the feedback- I really appreciate it!
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Old 07-31-2009, 01:51 AM
 
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
10,757 posts, read 35,345,012 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by On-da-Beach View Post
I'd have the power co. do an energy audit. A thermal scan can find where you're loosing the cool air. Maybe you just need more insulation in the attic. It would seem that your dryer would be gas as well so $444 is excessive. You're right about the extra refrigerator in the garage. It will need to work harder.
I should imagine one of the biggest culprits in loosing cool air would be the sliding doors in the living room, there are three doors instead of the normal two.
Unfortunately when my brother and husband went out to buy a washer and dryer when we moved in, they purchased an electric one which makes no sense, because there is a gas outlet where the dryer goes, the one I have is electric.

I assume but don't know for sure that you ALL are talking about cinderblock built homes? Mine is and its my opinion that the walls are just that, the cinderblock and then a small airspace with some wood stripping to attach the sheetrock to. I gathered this when I put up my own light fixtures in place of some old ones. I used to have my bed with the head against an outside wall and you could feel how cold it was when it was cold outside, I can only assume the same would be true in the summer, the house wouldn't retain the cool as easily.
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Old 07-31-2009, 05:43 AM
 
5,453 posts, read 9,255,531 times
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We have a pool about the same size but we only run the pump for 4 hours................my hubby said that normally you're supposed to run it for 4 hours in the winter and from 6-8 in the summer, but we still run it only for 4 hours and it is very very clean! 9-12 hours is too much.

That average program they have is worth looking into for sure, we haven't had a need for it yet, but had it before and it worked great.

Alex
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Old 07-31-2009, 07:38 AM
 
Location: Levittown
43 posts, read 132,964 times
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Do the new homes builders manage to do upgrades that keep costs down.ANyone have any feeling about particular builders down there? Centex,Ryland etc..
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Old 07-31-2009, 12:07 PM
 
Location: Eastern time zone
4,469 posts, read 7,172,505 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sassyfragger1 View Post
We just bought a house in Valrico and moved from out of state. 2500 sq ft + non-heated pool- high end newer than 5 yrs Trane AC and tons of insulation and yet somehow- some way- we managed to rack up a whoppin $460 electric bill this month with the thermostat set average of 76-78! Our normal usage in the past 4 years in every other place we've lived (with awful old AC units) has been 1400 kwh and this month we used 3800 kwh. Does this have something to do with the humidity? Does it make the AC suck up more energy or something? Does a pool pump use a ton of electricity? We got the AC ducts looked at and the unit cleaned this week (the intake was a bit impacted) but I'm still perplexed. Is there something more I should be doing to keep my bill down? I'm so going to buy a whole ton of CFLs. Any comments on TECO's energy planner program? I planned on $350 but even then I'm amazed that our usage could triple compared to our norm- the only difference here is pool and humidity.
We've kept our bill down a bit by hanging clothes to dry, especially the big energy-suckers like work pants and jeans. You can also keep your blinds closed on the sunny side of the house, and plant trees. And use the the crock pot and make salads instead of cooking dinner in the oven. (If you cook in the oven your AC has to work harder, which is a double loss of money.)
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Old 07-31-2009, 01:54 PM
 
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
10,757 posts, read 35,345,012 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aconite View Post
We've kept our bill down a bit by hanging clothes to dry, especially the big energy-suckers like work pants and jeans. You can also keep your blinds closed on the sunny side of the house, and plant trees. And use the the crock pot and make salads instead of cooking dinner in the oven. (If you cook in the oven your AC has to work harder, which is a double loss of money.)
I love using my crock pot and I can do almost anything in it.

I also agree with blinds, I remember in Texas I lived in a home where my bedroom got hit first thing in the morning with blinding sun. I finally game up and put foil in the windows with curtains over top, you see that alot in Texas because the sun is so hot.

You can get pleated blinds that have a reflective fabric on the outside which is what I eventually got.

I also like your idea of hang drying your clothes. I mean its better for the clothes anyway.
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Old 07-31-2009, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,251,777 times
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Last year I started to dry clothes on an indoor line device, and found stuff dried pretty fast - not sure how much it saved $$$-wise.

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