Cost of bills in Plattsburgh, New York (Albany, Guilderland: how much, buying a home)

[Mwebs002]

Looking into buying a home in Plattsburgh, in the Beekmantown school district. The home has electric heat. I was looking for information on the average cost of electric bills for people who live outside of the cheap city electric rates. Thanks!

[ss20ts]

Avoid electric heat like the plague unless you want 2 jobs paying for it! Seven years ago I lived in a townhosue in Guilderland (down near Albany) with electric heat. $600-$700 a month winter heating bills were the norm and I was NOT warm! And Albany is much warmer than Plattsburgh. Winter isn't as long either.

[plattsburgher]

who live outside the city limits do not have electric heat as their main heat supply because it comes from a different provider and is very expensive. You have many alternatives however and can always use electric heat as a backup or in addition to....................wood furnace, gas, fuel oil, propane, even huge woodstoves that are properly vented and have been installed professionally will work fine. Now that people are using more pellets and their are alternatives, I would never rely solely on electric. Also, be smart about tree placement and solar energy (naturally). We have an abundance of sunny days!!!! You might be surprised how much heat you can generate from opening curtains on the sunny side and keeping that heat in...........I have experimented and also have planted fast growing trees to blow wind and it has made a huge difference in my bills................If you want the nice lifestyle and freedom and nature and people (and gorgeous SUMMERS/FALLS) it is soooooo worth it!

[Mwebs002]

Apparently the people who owned the home previously had a monitor heater installed, although they took it with them. Any idea where we may find one in the area and how much they cost? Thanks for the advice!

[plattsburgher]

would be Hulbert Brothers on Cornelia Street. I don't have their phone number but there is a man there whose name is Charlie K and his wife was my daughter's teacher and he is a great person. All of the guys that work there have been there forever and will help you as much as possible. None of them are working there part time or whatever. They work there and take their customers very seriously. I cannot think of anyone else I would refer you to right now other than them. There are other very honest places, but this place has been a family business and established forever...................Tell them your entire situation and I know they will help you very much and be glad to do so. That is their reputation. If you google their name, you will get additional info regarding this company...........Good luck.

[johntedder]

New York State has the third highest residential electric rates in the United States; only Connecticut and Hawaii have higher rates. New York is 19.48 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), Connecticut is 20.24, and Hawaii is 36.94 cents per kWh.

The average retail price of electricity for the entire country in September 2008 was 10.31 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Rates in New York State are almost twice the national average.

Tedder's Random Notes

[plattsburgher]

For some reason the electric rates are just the opposite of the rest of the state.......................the electric rates are the cheapest in the nation. It has to do with the contract signed a long time ago.........People who live in the city itself do very well with electric bills.....However outside the city limits in other school districts, it is indeed brutal. Not entirely sure why, but Pburgh city electric rates are very cheap...................FYI.............

[Njrover0216]

I would recommend calling the local electrical supplier. If you give them the address they should be able to give you an average heat bill there.