Heating/Cooling Utility Costs in Colorado Springs (Fountain, Fort Carson: sales, 2015)

[Too Hot in Phoenix]

Can anyone tell me how to find out what the average heating and cooling costs are (for approx 2000 sq ft house)?

I tried do a search of the other posts but didn't come up with anything for Colorado Springs.

Thanks.
Kristi

[Mike from back east]

All utilities in Colorado Springs and close-in areas are provided by one firm, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), see: Colorado Springs Utilities You should be able to get rate data there. Their monthly bills for us include water, sewer, natural gas and electric.

We've a 3800 sq ft home, ranch style, fully finished basement. This is a new home, we took possession in Nov 2005. Both levels have 9-foot ceilings and two rooms are even higher. We have two heating systems, two gas fireplaces, gas water heater, gas cooktop, two electric ovens, and one A/C system. We run four outside lights each night. We heat at 69-70 degrees and cool at 75 degrees. There are two occupants, we shower each day and average one load of laundry per day. The downstairs heating system hardly ever runs in the winter, it was set at 66 degrees and we only turned it up when we were busy down there. The lawn has a sprinkler system and it runs for two hours a day for many days from late April to early October.

Our bills for 2007 were: Jan $299; Feb $238; Mar $202; Apr $177; May $155; Jun $186, Jul $227, Aug $162, Sep $206, Oct $177, Nov $227, Dec $281. Yearly total: $2540.00. Monthly Avg: $212.00.

Our bills for 2008 were: Jan $291; Feb $277; Mar $221; Apr $201; May $184; Jun $192; Jul $196, Aug $150, Sep $177, Oct $162, Nov $216, Dec $256. Yearly total: $2524.00. Monthly Avg: $210.00.

Our bills for 2009 were: Jan $265; Feb $244; Mar $218; Apr $197; May $185; Jun $224; Jul $233, Aug $214, Sep $192, Oct $215, Nov $264, Dec $299. Yearly total: $2752.00. Monthly Avg: $229.00.

Our bills for 2010 were: Jan $292; Feb $270; Mar $211; Apr $181; May $240; Jun $238; Jul $265, Aug $202, Sep $300, Oct $220, Nov $241, Dec $233. Yearly total: $2894.00. Monthly Avg: $241.00.

Our bills for 2011 were: Jan $282; Feb $254; Mar $195; Apr $206; May $215; Jun $241; Jul $280, Aug $259, Sep $190, Oct $196, Nov $258, Dec $284. Yearly total: $2861.00. Monthly Avg: $238.42.

Our bills for 2012 were: Jan $281; Feb $274; Mar $228; Apr $205; May $263; Jun $314; Jul $352, Aug $278, Sep $241, Oct $180, Nov $285, Dec $288. Yearly total: $3189.50. Monthly Avg: $265.79.

Our bills for 2013 were: Jan $272; Feb $285; Mar $230; Apr $228; May $272; Jun $264; Jul $280, Aug $246, Sep $199, Oct $212, Nov $218, Dec $306. Yearly total: $3012.40. Monthly Avg: $251.03.

Our bills for 2014 were: Jan $288; Feb $291; Mar $239; Apr $201; May $219; Jun $279; Jul $272, Aug $221, Sep $258, Oct $186, Nov $281, Dec $277. Yearly total: $3009.81. Monthly Avg: $250.82.

Our bills for 2015 were: Jan $309; Feb $259; Mar $208; Apr $205; May $203; Jun $214; Jul $244, Aug $265, Sep $315, Oct $179, Nov $265, Dec $263. Yearly total: $2927.27. Monthly Avg: $243.94.

These bills are on a par with what we paid back in Fairfax County, VA for a 2000 sq ft home that was built in 1974 - an all electric home. The home we're in was built by Keller Homes, one of the best local builders. They do a full "green" treatment of each home they build. I believe the industry name for what Keller does is called "Build Green Colorado," and is characterized by superior insulation, tight fitting seals, permanent epoxy on air ducts instead of duct tape that peels off after several years, water heaters that draw combustion air from the outside in a closed system, low-e twin-pane windows, and much more.

For any home in Multiple Listing Service, the listing realtor should have a full year's worth of utility costs to show you, at least that's what we've always seen when we bought or sold homes. There is no charge or obligation if you ask them such questions, they are there to help. (I'm not a realtor, in any way, shape or form.)

For a 2000 sq ft home, with proper insulation, you can expect bills to be at least 1/3 less than ours, maybe only 1/2 of ours. If you build new, get a Build Green home and get a light-colored roof to reflect summer heat back up.

CSU has had great success getting long-term contracts for natural gas (NG) that have minimized any rate increases here. Much of our NG comes from fairly local sources here in the Inter-Mountain West, mostly in CO and WY. The coal for our electric power plants here is also local WY coal, the costs for it aren't subject to the kind of fluctuations seen in the NG marketplace. Our water supply is Rocky Mountain snow-melt, best in the nation, always very cold out of the tap, even in summer, and tastes great.

Actual residential utility rates (as of SEPT 2014) are here.

Comparison link no longer works, trying to get new links.

[klac91]

Don't forget some of us have to use Mountain view electric and aquila gas. Very expensive compared to city utility company.

[Kit624]

What are the average utilities in COS in winter/summer for a house, older such as built around the mid-50s or 60s, and about 1000 square feet (one floor), or a condo of similar size? I'm trying to get an average for water/sewer/trash in city limits and electric/gas for above sized home. Are all the houses gas or are some all electric? Experience with average prices? We tend to keep the average temps aroun 75-78 in summer and 70-75 in Winter.
What is the cheapest internet? Right now we pay for the slowest, which my DH wired to be wireless; it's about $20 a month. We do not purchase TV of any kind (not even basic cable) so that is not an issue.

[Plants]

Kit624: Regarding some houses being all electric - I'm currently looking at ~1000 sq ft houses in COS and I have encountered some that were all-electric. I'm also wondering about the feasibility of heating this way.

[zelavie]

I'm in an apartment that's about 700 sq ft, all electric, with a vaulted ceiling and skylight in the living room. In the summer I pay about $55/month (but I don't run a/c unless I absolutely have to - usually windows open and fans going). In the winter it jumps to $100-150/month, most likely because of the blasted skylight and doors and windows that aren't properly sealed (and, of course, the constant running of the heater).

Hope that helps!

[vjw757]

I will be coming to Fort Carson in early 2014. I'm trying to find out how much money in utilities I will be paying. I have a large family. I'm married with 6 kids. Ill be looking for at least a 4 bedroom house withing 20 minutes from the base if not closer.

[otowi]

It depends a lot on where you live - there are different utility companies. I live in Security and have a different company each for gas, water and electric. My electric bill runs $45/month and water is $35/month and gas varies from winter at over a hundred to summer around $20-30. This is not for a family of 8 by any means and it is a small house and I know most people spend significantly more for water on city water.

[Mike from back east]

VJW: I've merged your post/thread into the main one for this topic.


Use padmapper.com to find rentals, or ppar.com for rentals and sales of homes. Use the map-based search for areas around the base, especially Fountain, and look for school district 8 down that way.

[lurtsman]

Updating to add info.

2500 square foot house with three people. Paid about 270 during January, 240 for February, and expecting significantly less for March. Gas was the largest expense. Water was surprisingly high with about 35 for water and another 35 for waste water. We have soaring ceilings, so the house is a little more expensive to heat. It will be wonderful over the summer though.

Note: Gas, electric, water, and waste water are combined in this figure.

Temp set to 66 over night. Usually 70 during the day.