[MomMom]

I guess the question about electricity being cheap in LV depends upon what other area of the country you're comparing it to.

My sister in the NYC metro area pays more for her usage than I do here in LV, plus she has to pay for home oil heating as well. She's on the budget plan with LIPA and pays $400 every month, winter and summer, and gets nothing back as an "overage" at the end of the year. And she has a smallish, 1300 sq ft. house with energy guzzling in-wall air conditioner units.

My highest bill last summer for one month was $284.00, keeping the thermostat on 72 during the day and 78 at night for a 2700 sq ft home.

My rental homes (one is 2414 sq ft, and one is 2236 sq ft) the highest monthly usage (for only one month, then they were lower) ran approximately $340.00 for the 2414 footer and $298.00 for the 2236 footer.

[sorryville]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Funny story related to your credit card trick...when we left for Cayman, no snow yet for this winter...so snow brush/scraper was never put in the car we parked at the airport. We had heard it snowed pretty hard back home (to our secret delight!) so, on the plane trip back, I keep thinking what the heck will I use to get the snow off the windshield?

Sure enough, we get back and the car is covered with about six inches...but what I thought about on the plane worked just perfectly...the fins (flippers) that I used for snorkeling while down there worked perfectly for removing the snow!

LOL, nice! I'll be sure to remember that if I ever happen to snorkel and ski, or get caught in a blizzard on the same day!

[tiger08]

Originally Posted by AAPoolServiceLV

Ive seen older homes and auto repair shops that use swamp coolers. I think it works well until it gets to the point where its 115+ and its really not cooling that well anymore.

I have a 2 stage evap cooler in my house that even on a hot 110 degree day, will keep my house in the low 70's. Evaporative cooling is becoming more popular, especially as electric rates keep rising. The trick to having a cool house is to buy the best type of evap cooler you can get, and keep it properly maintained. We only had to use our a/c for two weeks last year when the humidity went up really high.

[roger6087]

Originally Posted by KevK

I have always noticed all the bright signs and lights there and some of them are on even in the daytime! I know these things have to use a TON of electricity so is electricity really cheap there? I guess that they get most of it for free from the Hoover dam?

Let me start off by saying nothing is free, Hoover dam does produce electricity but not nearly enough to power the Las Vegas strip. Besides most of that power goes to California. Power rates are in two basic catagories, residential and comerical. Residential rates are about 10.5 cents per kwh and comericial rates are around 6 to 8 cents per kwh in Las Vegas.

For more information on comercial rates check out this site.

http://www.nevadapower.com/services/...p_com_rate.pdf

[SLCPUNK]

How are the HOAs with solar panels out there? Do they allow them for your home?

[jpk]

Originally Posted by SLCPUNK

How are the HOAs with solar panels out there? Do they allow them for your home?

My HOA CC&Rs specifically prohibits solar panels. I would have to petition the "architectural committee" for a waiver to install them, if I actually wanted solar. Presumably I could convince the HOA board that they would go in a place that would not be visible from the street or to neighbors to get the waiver.

Check the CC&Rs, they may vary.

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by SLCPUNK

How are the HOAs with solar panels out there? Do they allow them for your home?

Sounds like you (and they) will catch heat if you install them!

[cjski21]

Originally Posted by Matt121779

Neon is an efficient form of lighting. Even better is the new LED technology that is replacing some of it. But to suggest that the casinos get free electricity is different. They pay just like everyone else.

Not true entirely, many of the casinos are now generating their own power. The Venetian and Wynn and alot of the larger properties actually have power plants on property. Go up Koval and look right across from the Venetian's employee garage, there is the Venetian's power station. Also, Adelson is considering covering the Sands center roof with solar cells.

[jfkIII]

So "the juice" in Vegas was really about the electricity????

[cjski21]

Sure was!!!