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Old 08-31-2013, 01:39 PM
 
15 posts, read 29,185 times
Reputation: 12

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We moved from Minnesota a couple of months ago. We were used to large heating bills in the winter of $200+ for electric/gas. The water bill back in MN was about $40/month. We got our first couple of bills down here and it blew me away!

Last month it was $330 for the electric bill and the water bill was ~$200. I can't believe the water bill, I could shower with bottled water for that price!! Now we just received our electric bill for this month and it's $363! That's a lot of money for 30 days of electricity!

We keep our thermostat at 78 but I don't think it's calibrated because the thermometer on my alarm clock says 74-75. I started wondering, is this the norm for the Dunedin/Clearwater area or is there something in my house sucking more energy than it should?

I also noticed that on my bill I'm paying $45 this month for "Municipal" fees and taxes? $8 for "Gross Receipts Tax"? $8 for "Customer Charge"? That's $61 this month just for fees and taxes!
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Old 08-31-2013, 02:08 PM
 
2,763 posts, read 5,756,365 times
Reputation: 2791
How big is your house? Pool? Lots of electronics? How old is the AC? How thick is your insulation?

These are all things that affect your bill.
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Old 08-31-2013, 02:52 PM
 
2,729 posts, read 5,201,532 times
Reputation: 2357
Your water seems high. How much gallon it says that you used? How big is your family? We can easily tell with that, if it makes sense. Do you have a sprinkler on drinking water or reclaimed?
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Old 08-31-2013, 03:27 PM
 
30,425 posts, read 21,234,977 times
Reputation: 11968
That water bill seems insane. Mine was only $16 this month. The power bill can i understand with this nasty hot weather.
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Old 08-31-2013, 03:59 PM
 
323 posts, read 684,669 times
Reputation: 277
Is the floor warm anywhere? You might have a leak, with simultaneously high water and electric bills - if they can't be attributed to abnormal usage obviously. A friend of mine had the same situation, but she also noticed a portion of tile floor in her home that seemed warm to the touch. Turns out, she was leaking hot water, which caused her water heater to run constantly - hence the high electric and water bills. I agree that your water bill seems really insane unless you've got teenagers taking 45 minute showers every day or something... Check your meter before you go to bed and then again when you wake up -obviously without running any water in between. It should be the same or you've got a problem.
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:09 PM
 
Location: North of South, South of North
8,704 posts, read 10,897,466 times
Reputation: 5150
Quote:
Originally Posted by ijabit View Post
We moved from Minnesota a couple of months ago. We were used to large heating bills in the winter of $200+ for electric/gas. The water bill back in MN was about $40/month. We got our first couple of bills down here and it blew me away!

Last month it was $330 for the electric bill and the water bill was ~$200. I can't believe the water bill, I could shower with bottled water for that price!! Now we just received our electric bill for this month and it's $363! That's a lot of money for 30 days of electricity!

We keep our thermostat at 78 but I don't think it's calibrated because the thermometer on my alarm clock says 74-75. I started wondering, is this the norm for the Dunedin/Clearwater area or is there something in my house sucking more energy than it should?

I also noticed that on my bill I'm paying $45 this month for "Municipal" fees and taxes? $8 for "Gross Receipts Tax"? $8 for "Customer Charge"? That's $61 this month just for fees and taxes!
Just be lucky you do not live in a hot summer weather climate. Our >2,500 sq ft 4 bed, 3 bath pool house with OLD AC unit, LOTS of electronics running, freezer in garage, additional fridge outside and someone always home and our electric is in the $200's in summer and $100's in winter. I'm very happy with that, as it cost WAY WAY more to heat up north. Much cheaper here overall.

Our water/sewer bill is expensive also. $125/mo.
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:30 PM
 
2,763 posts, read 5,756,365 times
Reputation: 2791
I'm not sure what electric service you use but TECO will do a power assessment as well if you call them to find out where you are bleeding electricity.
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:37 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,424,754 times
Reputation: 14611
Quote:
Originally Posted by PriusH8r View Post
Just be lucky you do not live in a hot summer weather climate.
This area is considered by most normal people as having a hot/humid climate during the summer months.
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:49 PM
 
30,425 posts, read 21,234,977 times
Reputation: 11968
Quote:
Originally Posted by BucFan View Post
This area is considered by most normal people as having a hot/humid climate during the summer months.
It's just so cold here in the summer.
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:52 PM
 
Location: Wake County, NC
2,983 posts, read 4,621,945 times
Reputation: 3529
Quote:
Originally Posted by BucFan View Post
This area is considered by most normal people as having a hot/humid climate during the summer months.
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