Electricity Bill (Dayton, Riverside: apartment, lease, house)

[catchshailu]

Hello Guys,
Hope you reply to my query....
We (Me, my wife and 2 year old kid) have moved to Dayton (Riverside area) recently. We are here on a year assignment related to my work. We come from Asian country where it is hot during the whole year. We have taken 1BR on 1 year lease in Amhurst appts. While the rent per month is below than the expected, the first electricity (DP&L company) bill is way high than expected...it's $225 a month for a month of Feb. My wife and 2 year old kid stay at home the whole day while I go to work. Our heater is centralized...the unit is in living room and one vent opens up in our bedroom..... Is this what one usually gets during this time of the year? I was in Pennsylvania 3 year back. Back then, we used to get $100 per month....

Thanks for looking....

[catchshailu]

Hey guys,
Appreciate your reply.....

[willabee]

That seems high. It sounds like you have electric heat? A lot of it depends on how well things are insulated. I live in a 2 story four square that was built in 1910 and I have not insulated it yet. I average around $225 with forced air gas heat in the winter months. As such, I am planning to enroll in Vectren's budget billing plan that averages your usage and levels your bill accordingly. I would pay around $90 per month all year round. I am not sure if DP&L offers similar plans or not should you be stuck with electric hear.

[dayton_ohio]

If you came from a country that's hot all year, do you and your wife keep the temperature in the 70s in your apartment?

Even in a small space, it takes a lot of energy to keep a constant 70+ temperature inside when it is very cold outside. We keep the temperature under 65 in the winter to help control the costs.

As willabee said, it also depends on the level of insulation, the number of windows, the quality of the windows, and even whether your apartment opens to the outdoors or opens to an interior hallway.

If it's an older building, you may also have an inefficient furnace. Electric furnaces also produce a "colder" heat than gas furnaces, which cause some people to raise the temperature to make the room feel warmer.

Also, do you use electricity to heat water? If so, that also would contribute to your electricity usage.

[willabee]

Originally Posted by dayton_ohio

We keep the temperature under 65 in the winter to help control the costs.

We do the same. We dress warm instead of cranking the heat. We keep the thermostat between 64 and 66, but mostly on 64.

[dayton_ohio]

I'd keep it at 60, but my wife insists on something a little warmer

[willabee]

ROFL! same here.

[stdatwmu]

We keep the house at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer - when the A/C is on, and I do try to limit that.

Our electric bill this winter (we have an electric heat pump, no gas) averaged about $215 for Dec-Feb, which were brutally cold.

In the summer, I don't think we ever went above $150 - but that's just off the top of my head.

Roughly 1,500 sq foot house - 3 bed, 2 bath - about 30 years old.

[catchshailu]

Maintenance staff checked this week if there is any problem with the heater....It's very old GE heater....They removed lot of Dirt from it and told me to clean it up monthly...I guess that should reduce my bill to smaller amount.....I have also asked my wife to keep it low during the day....we are slowing getting used to this cold weather....

[dayton_ohio]

Just wait until July and August -- it'll feel just like home!