300 heat bill and 151.00 water? what am in NY now?

[SmokyMtnPeace]

I think most people would have to argue that 3,000 sq feet isn't a small home in spite of what the OP says. Electric rates have gone up all over the country. American Electric Power in this area, West Virginia, has consistently raised rates the last couple of years. We don't like it, but it's a fact of life like it or not. Everything is going up. The problem here is the cost of coal driving up the costs of electric. More specific, the higher costs due to added federal regulations imposed on all sides. Sounds like TVA have quite a few options as to how they produce their electricity, but I imagine they still have quite a few coal fired plants. Not sure if you have a heat pump. They are overall good units, but most know if it gets below a certain temp...they are less efficient. It will automatically trip to straight electric "emergency" heat, and that will make it run more. Generally speaking though, they are more than adequate for southern weather. It gets colder there, but no where near what it does in most of NY. My husband is from there. Tennessee has cold spurts, but warms up promptly. As my husband describes NY weather, it gets cold well into October and stays that way until mid to late spring. So you can't compare the two. They are entirely different. Most people also have a back up of some sort to supplement their main heat source. Either a fireplace, those can be drafty too though, and some sort of Buck stove. It does help. I see so many people living in way bigger houses than they need, so sometimes they have themselves to blame. It's the beautiful case of the McMansions that so many seem to have to have. As for the water bill, the OP seemed to acknowledge that it included water...sewage..and trash. It may be a little elevated, but not that out of the ordinary then depending on the amount of water you use. The more water you use, the more your sewage will run on top of that. Of course there may be a leak somewhere too. I venture to say it's way cheaper than NY overall. I know my FIL about had a heart attack when they moved to WV on how much cheaper it was to live overall. Tennessee is even less expensive to live than WV. Give me TN any day.

[jimj]

All I can say after reading all of this is we're looking for a house with a big enough lot so we can at least consider ground source heat aka Geothermal. When we built our house in MT we considered all options (except Geothermal, not much was known about it up there at the time) and ended up with electric Cadet heaters (with fan). They are as close to 100% efficient without using baseboard heat as one can get from what we researched and not that expensive to buy or install.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by jimj

All I can say after reading all of this is we're looking for a house with a big enough lot so we can at least consider ground source heat aka Geothermal. When we built our house in MT we considered all options (except Geothermal, not much was known about it up there at the time) and ended up with electric Cadet heaters (with fan). They are as close to 100% efficient without using baseboard heat as one can get from what we researched and not that expensive to buy or install.

Good idea. You know about energy alternatives. Solar panels could be of help. Winters are worse here than ten years ago. Thats a fact. A furnace works better than ANY heat pump.

Oil heat is best in bitter Jan/Feb cold. That said its expensive to install a new furnace. oil is not cheap but it heats in under 25 degree winters. HVAC and compressors do not.

Compressors are not energy or cost efficient and anyone with more than a four room house will need decent heat in this region.

[rccrain]

Originally Posted by dreamofmonterey

Winters are worse here than ten years ago.

Last year was really cold, but this year has been quite mild. Wolf Laurel and Ober Gatlinburg still have 0 slopes open. Sugar Mountain, which has the highest elevation, basically has one measly route from top to bottom.

The 10 day has highs from 45 to 61. Usually we've had a snow or two by now.

[fivekitten]

Funny, I'm in NY, wishing I was back in TN!

I moved from NY to TN 2 years ago, and I wish I moved to TN many years ago! The only reason I'm in NY is because my father passed away and everyone is afraid of the pipes freezing and bursting before we sell the house. So I'm here for a couple months.

This December seems relatively mild, but it's been cold in TN and NY lately from what I read/hear. HOWEVER, as the one poster accurately stated - it is colder months longer in NY than in TN. In TN, winter is a couple months. In NY, it's at least double that. So you're paying the heating bills longer.

But, electric rates are going down here in the Buffalo area. Funny again, cause I just read that in the paper a few hours ago. However, when I moved 2 years ago, TN was 1/2 the rate of NY - doubt it went down that much.

I used to live in a big drafty house in rural southwestern NY and my electric heating bills would easily be $500 and I'd still be wearing four layers.

TN or NY for bills and weather? TN definitely wins by a longshot.

[dreamofmonterey]

TVA heat bills are easily 300-500 in this region now, esp. in january, unless you are in an apartment or very small house.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by dreamofmonterey

TVA heat bills are easily 300-500 in this region now, esp. in january, unless you are in an apartment or very small house.

Not everywhere. Your Miles May Vary. This really is a consumer complaint thread and is now closed.