Your electric bill (Phoenix: HOA, big house, buyer)

[HX_Guy]

Here is our history for real accurate year long usage...

House is 1884 sq ft, 1 level, and faces east. We do have a pool and run the pump for 8 hours at night. The only thing that runs on gas is the water heater. Last month's gas bill was $20.17.

Keep in mind we work from home so the A/C is always on and set at 77 and we have two computers that are on 24/7 + lamps/lights on.


06/12/2008 29 - 1861 $251.29
05/14/2008 30 - 1671 $224.44
04/14/2008 32 - 1405 $162.89
03/13/2008 30 - 1298 $154.40
02/12/2008 31 - 1374 $153.57
01/12/2008 32 - 1413 $154.52
12/11/2007 33 - 1418 $161.91
11/08/2007 28 - 1591 $188.34
10/11/2007 29 - 2100 $288.06
09/12/2007 30 - 2115 $282.40
08/13/2007 32 - 3270 $401.58
07/12/2007 30 - 3199 $395.83
06/12/2007 29 - 2185 $259.45
05/14/2007 32 - 2013 $231.30
04/12/2007 30 - 1737 $188.67
03/13/2007 29 - 1325 $137.86
02/12/2007 33 - 1070 $118.45
01/10/2007 30 - 990 $109.46

As I've mentioned before...you can see how much APS has upped their rated in the last year. This year, our June bill is $251.29 for 1861 kilowatt hours while last year's was only $8 more yet we used 324 kWh less. We are much more conscious about using the dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and pool pump at night now then we were then.

[locoenlacabeza]

No worries. Your perogative, you pay the bill lol!
But shouldn't we be comfortable in our own homes?

[locoenlacabeza]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Here is our history for real accurate year long usage...

House is 1884 sq ft, 1 level, and faces east. We do have a pool and run the pump for 8 hours at night. The only thing that runs on gas is the water heater. Last month's gas bill was $20.17.

Keep in mind we work from home so the A/C is always on and set at 77 and we have two computers that are on 24/7 + lamps/lights on.


06/12/2008 29 - 1861 $251.29
05/14/2008 30 - 1671 $224.44
04/14/2008 32 - 1405 $162.89
03/13/2008 30 - 1298 $154.40
02/12/2008 31 - 1374 $153.57
01/12/2008 32 - 1413 $154.52
12/11/2007 33 - 1418 $161.91
11/08/2007 28 - 1591 $188.34
10/11/2007 29 - 2100 $288.06
09/12/2007 30 - 2115 $282.40
08/13/2007 32 - 3270 $401.58
07/12/2007 30 - 3199 $395.83
06/12/2007 29 - 2185 $259.45
05/14/2007 32 - 2013 $231.30
04/12/2007 30 - 1737 $188.67
03/13/2007 29 - 1325 $137.86
02/12/2007 33 - 1070 $118.45
01/10/2007 30 - 990 $109.46

Thanks for this info, most accuarately describes my home except no gas and Im sure you don't have 5 kids lol!

[ibarrio]

What does you electric bill run per month? $100-120 range during the winter (no need to run the heater much). 380ish during the summer.

How many sq ft is your house? 1700 sq ft with vaulted ceilings

what kind of exposure do you have (East/west or north/south)?
East/West (Back yard facing the East)

what temp do you set your thermostat at? 80 during the day (unless someone is home or the weekends). All other times it is set in the 70-73 range. We also have two ceiling fans and a portable indoor master cool. I like it ice cold.

do you have a pool? No

is your house all electric or do you have natural gas as well? 100% electric

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

Yeah, but my electric bill will cost less because I also have gas, that's why I added my gas bill to show my total use.

Absolutely. One has to look at the total energy cost of maintaining the house to make a fair comparison. Gas hardly costs pennies anymore.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Absolutely. One has to look at the total energy cost of maintaining the house to make a fair comparison. Gas hardly costs pennies anymore.

That's for sure!!

[Ria Rhodes]

I'm in central AZ. 1250 SF house with all electric. March 08 - $58, April 08 - $67, May 08 - $71. My June 08 - through mid-September bill will vary by 55% - 65% more based on last years electric bill statements. My a/c is on a digital thermostat set between 80 to 83, 24/7 during the summer months. I do one wash a week, and one dishwasher run a week. Clothes dry on outside line - it's Arizona. If that sounds wasteful, so be it. I bicycle sometimes and my car averages 24 -30 mpg town/highway. I admit I chuckle to myself at all the gotta have more (house/vehicle/RV/waistline) schlubs whose "bigger is better" mindset helped fuel the American dream (nightmare). The comeuppance gives me a happy feeling - I admit it. Suffer idiots suffer.

[locoenlacabeza]

Originally Posted by Ria Rhodes

I'm in central AZ. 1250 SF house with all electric. March - $58, April - $67, May - $71. June - through mid-September bill will vary by 55% - 65% more based on last years electric bills.
My a/c on thermostat set between 80 to 83 24/7 during summer months. I do just one wash a week, and one dishwasher run a week. Clothes dry on outside line - it's Arizona. If that sounds wasteful, so be it. I bicycle sometimes and my car averages 24 -30 mpg town/highway. I admit I chuckle to myself at all the big (house/vehicle/RV/waistline) schlubs whose bigger is better mindset helped fuel a large part of the American dream (nightmare).

I laugh at the thought of having a 1250 sq ft house with my self, dh and 5 kids. I'd have to stack the kids on top of one another just to sleep. There is no way that I could only do one wash a week or even one dishwash per week. Would also be interesting to see what temp you set your AC at if you actually lived in 115 degree heat- funny how you make that comparison, when your average temps may be 95-99 degrees compared to ours at triple digits from here until at least sept. Lets talk apples to apples.
Its a great fantasy though....But then again so is growing out my armpit hairs and braiding them.

[aiwei]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

we have two computers that are on 24/7

I learned from my husband that if you put your computer on stand-by after work is done, it uses a lot less electricity. 2nd benefit is its heat output becomes negligible and the room stays cooler.

I used to leave my system on 24/7 and the area under my desk was always hot. Now it stays cool while on stand-by.

AND...

I do have another question about which way a house faces. I heard a house faces N/S requires less a/c usage. True? What if a house has N/S exposure (say, the front door faces south) and is long and skinny, so one long side actually faces west. Would it still need less AC, compare to the same house facing 90 degrees to the east or west?

[omle]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

Not true. Many homes (even newer ones) and apts have gas. Lots of people prefer gas stoves.

If you love to cook you really miss a gas stove. I still have not figured out how to make a good fried egg with my electric stove. Always rubbery. Yech. Plus with gas you can really fry some good chicken. Impossible with electric. And, yes, I realize this sounds very spoiled! I appreciate what I have....just telling it like it is for us cooks.