moving to denver (Louisville: apartments, rent, how much)

[swelborn408]

I am moving to Denver in May or June and have a few questions:
1. In an average summer, how hot does it get?
2. Even on hot days, does the temperature cool down at night? If so, how much?
3. Are most apartments heated with electricity, natural gas, or some other source?
4. Can you give me an idea of how much an energy bill would be for a one bedroom apartment in summer and winter?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by swelborn408

I am moving to Denver in May or June and have a few questions:
1. In an average summer, how hot does it get?
2. Even on hot days, does the temperature cool down at night? If so, how much?
3. Are most apartments heated with electricity, natural gas, or some other source?
4. Can you give me an idea of how much an energy bill would be for a one bedroom apartment in summer and winter?

1. There are always a number of days in the 90s, sometimes into the high 90s. I'd say that at least 50% of summers have a day or two over 100 degrees.
Typical Weather for Louisville, CO - Normal High / Low / Average Temperature for Louisville, CO (http://www.accuweather.com/us/co/louisville/80027/forecast-normals.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&zipChg= 1&metric=0 - broken link)

2. Yes and no. It's generally 25-30 degrees cooler at night.

3. I don't know about apartments. Houses tend to be heated with natural gas.

4. Don't know.

[emgalvin1]

I think most places are heated with natural gas. So you use more gas in the winter and more electricity in the summer. As far as how much your bill would be, that depends largely on how conservation conscious you are. When I lived by myself I tried very hard to make sure I didn't waste money on electricity. I think the average was about $50/mnth. Right now living in a 4br 1900 sq ft house our bill is 200-300/mnth. But everyone else in the house seems to think they need EVERY light on at all times. I'd say you could prob count on no more than $80/mnth.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

OP, if you are moving from the east coast with high humidity, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much the temperatures cool down at night. If you are somewhere in the mountains take a sweater because it really cools down after dark. I remember nights in DC where the temperature and the humidity both were in the high nineties at 11:00.

[denverkid]

Originally Posted by swelborn408

I am moving to Denver in May or June and have a few questions:
1. In an average summer, how hot does it get?
2. Even on hot days, does the temperature cool down at night? If so, how much?
3. Are most apartments heated with electricity, natural gas, or some other source?
4. Can you give me an idea of how much an energy bill would be for a one bedroom apartment in summer and winter?

1. The hottest month in Denver is July which has an average high of 88°. June and August are similar. You can expect a few days in the 60s (Denver can have wacky weather - I've seen it snow in July in Denver before) and a few in the upper 90s or lower 100s. It is however a dry heat, which is much more comfortable than a humid heat.

2. Quite often during the summer Denver gets an afternoon thunderstorm which can drop the late afternoon/early evening into the 70s. Evenings cool down quite a bit in Denver compared to many other areas. The average low during July is 59°. Lows during the summer pretty much stay in the 50s, sometimes in the 60s.

3. Apartment heat depends on your particular building. I've been in apartments with gas, electric, and one with a system of heated water (I'm not sure how the water was heated). Most have been radiant heating, but I've lived in two with forced air. I've noticed that most apartment units included heat in the rent though.

4. Energy bills depend quite a bit on your usage and what is covered in the rent. Evey apartment I've lived in in Denver had heat included in the rent. You'll also find a lot of older apartments don't have any form of air conditioning. I use to live in a unit where heat was included in the rent, there was no AC, and I only paid electric. I paid around $15 per month. I lived in another unit with a ton of glass windows, an electric AC unit, and no good cross breeze. During the summer I could pay up to $125 per month.

[Willy702]

If you are worried about the heat live on the 1st floor with eastern exposure if possible. I did that in Reno which has almost the same summer climate as Denver and rarely did I have to use the AC, just opened the windows at around 10pm and closed them in the morning when I went off to work. When I got home at around 6pm it would be 74-76, which felt fine since it was low 90s outside. Only when it got near 100 did I turn on the AC. Of course in winter its the opposite and your heating needs will increase, but as mentioned heat is often included and even then heat is far more energy efficient than AC.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by swelborn408

1. In an average summer, how hot does it get?

Low 90s.

2. Even on hot days, does the temperature cool down at night? If so, how much?

Yes this is true anywhere in the Southwest. The desert cools down 30 or 40 degrees at night.

3. Are most apartments heated with electricity, natural gas, or some other source?

Probably an equal mix of each.

4. Can you give me an idea of how much an energy bill would be for a one bedroom apartment in summer and winter?

Maybe $60

[Moonwalkr]

I think the low dewpoint in Denver makes temperature drop pretty quickly as soon as the sun sets. Out east, if it's hot during the day, even at midnight it's warm and muggy. Yes it can get hot during the height of the summer, but not as bad as many other places in the southwest and west. I've been in Las Vegas when it's around 110.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by Moonwalkr

I think the low dewpoint in Denver makes temperature drop pretty quickly as soon as the sun sets.

Dry air, lack of cloud cover, and high elevation are the factors that make nighttime temperatures drop.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

Yes this is true anywhere in the Southwest. The desert cools down 30 or 40 degrees at night.

I wish it cooled 40 degrees at night in Vegas. More like 20-25. Same in Phoenix. A 108 degree day in July will have a low in the mid to upper 80s.