are peoples utility bills alot more this year? (Johnson City, Kingsport: appliances, house)

[kittyranger]

I was just wondering due to crazy winter weather. I am thinking of moving in tri city area and wondering avg monthly bill. I am going to have a 1500 sqf home .i was told utilities are cheap and heat usually made by electricity there. Someone told me my winter bill would be probable no more than $150 a month and in summer and fall and spring less than 100. is this correct/

[mbmouse]

All depends on what you have in your house that uses electricity besides the heat. We have had almost $300 winter bills for that size house. But we have a lot of computers a second fridge in the garage and other such things that I know are the reason for them being so high. Our average is right around $180.
Hope that helps.

[rccrain]

If its a newer, well insulated home, with reasonable appliances, that is an accurate assessment. But if you've got energy leaks, plasma tvs, and 1990's appliances, you could hit that 300 maximum range.

My bill has been $70-140 for 1100 feet heated.

[jabogitlu]

I live in a 1930s bungalow, generally okay but holes in places, got the plasma, and the 1990s appliances. My last two bills have been over $300. Oh, and I don't use gas heat.

That's just 3-4 months in the winter, though. Usually the electric bill is around $80. This year hasn't really been any worse than any other year, seems like, despite the extra cold and 15 extra inches of snow!

[Tony1790]

I live in a drafty old double wide and my highest bill has been $139 at the height of the cold snap, I use a programmable thermostat and keep the heat down to a reasonable level. This is with 1260 sqft, big screen tv, computers, and a heat pump.

My sister on the other hand lives in a 3000 sqft home with high ceilings and likes to keep it warm as she gets a chill (burns me up, too hot). Her bill runs $700-$900 per month, I've heard other people say their electric was over $600 a month at times.

So just depends on what you do and if you want to save some money on the electric, I like a moderate temp 68 give or take, some get cold if below 75 degrees, you just have to pay the price that's all.

Good luck

Tony

[mbmouse]

Energy tip pf the day. (): Turn your water heater temp down as low as you can stand it and double insulate it. It is one of the biggest energy hogs in the house. Or you could even up date it if it is over 5 or 6 years old, a few hundred on a new water heater can save you double that over a year in electric bills. I have had several electricians tell me this over the years: turn off the breaker to your water heater every day before you leave for work, turn it back on when you get home and wait one hour before taking a shower, laundry, dishwasher, etc. as it takes less energy to heat the water in the tank from room temp to thermostat temp than to maintain that temp 24 hours a day.

[PacersFan]

Interesting info mbmouse....I have been wondering about our water heater....is is not insulated and is in the unfinished basement where it is about 55F in the winter....ugh. That cannot be helping our electric bill (which nearly gave me a heart attack last month.............)

[rccrain]

Yep, good info. Don't stop at insulating the water heater. The insulation for the hot water pipe should be insulated as far as you possibly can. The insulation for those copper pipes is so cheap that it probably pays you back in a month or two. A bonus is that it also decreases the time for your water to "turn hot".

[Nightowl4]

What is the electric rate there per KWH? It averages about 16 cents per KWH in Pasadena, CA where the city has their own water and power plants.

[rccrain]

JCPB (Johnson City)
ELECTRIC RATES Effective Monday, March 01, 2010 - RESIDENTIAL - RS (Rate 122)
CUSTOMER CHARGE $8.01
ALL KILOWATT HOURS 8.594 CENTS PER KWH
*Total cents per kWh 8.007 (includes FCA)

BTES (Bristol)
Residential Electric Rates
The base customer charge for residential customers is $6.42 per month plus the charge for electricity.
The energy charge is 7.449 cents (7.149 cents plus 0.3 cents environmental charge) per kilowatt-hour for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours per month. Additional kilowatt-hours per month are 7.704 cents (8.004 cents plus 0.3 cents environmental charge).
The minimum monthly bill is $10.77.

Kingsport (APCO)
MONTHLY RATE (Tariff Code 015)
Service Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7.30 per customer
Energy Charge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.873 cents per KWH


The monthly charge for 1,500 kilowatt hours in the greater Tri-Cities would be as follows:

•About $115 for Kingsport Power, up from about $93.89 in December and $98.32 in November. Kingsport Power serves the greater Kingsport area including eastern Hawkins County and part of middle Sullivan County.
•$146.05 for the Johnson City Power Board, which serves Colonial Heights and part of south Kingsport.
•$156.49 for Bristol Virginia Utilities.
•$132.40 for Bristol Tennessee Essential Services.
•$142.08 for Holston Electric Cooperative, which serves most of Hawkins County.
•And an Oct. 28 implemented interim rate of $136.45 for Appalachian Power in Scott County and other service areas of far Southwest Virginia. That is a number Webb predicted would decrease some before the Virginia Corporation Commission makes it permanent.