Ouch!!!

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Already doing that. We have 3 programmable thermostats. I think our problem must be the high coastal humidity. Probably makes the systems work harder, and the high rate per KWH that we are forced to pay. It's highway robbery!!!

What if you got a dehumidifier to help out your airconditioner? That might be helpful.

Here's something that talks about how a dehumidifier can help your airconditioner. You might want to check more throughly into it.

http://www.sylvane.com/dehumidifiers.html

[Marilyn]

Just had to post one more time.....

Diana, I will definitely check on the dehumidifier and see what our AC guy thinks about it. This may be why you can get by with your thermostat set at 78. Your air is dryer and feels cooler. We haven't tried it so far because when you live in this high humidity for so long, you are affected more by dry climates. When we go skiing for example in the mountains where the air is dry, my nose dries up and bleeds, our lips crack and bleed, and I've even had the skin on my sides get dry and sore. Our bodies are climatized to where we live, but will ask and see what he thinks.

Also, I visited with a customer today who lives in Bay City, Texas. He is paying over $0.20 per KWH for his power. His bill last month was over $600, and he lives in a new, energy efficient home with new energy efficient appliances. He did discover that there was a problem with one of his A/C units and has had it repaired, so hopefully next month his usage will be lower. He also contacted his electric company and negotiated a fixed rate for the next 3 years of $0.165 for his power. So I don't have the highest rates around, and ....there is a nuclear power plant at Bay City. Not sure that is the source of their power though. I think the power from the nuclear plant goes to Houston.

[Tink]

That's just awful Marilyn! I can't imagine paying that much for electricity.
I balk that ours is over $100. lol

[katcarasella]

Oh my goodness Marilyn, that is outrageous..
I have a very small house so mine never goes above $100.00 per month.

[Marilyn]

Just checked humidity and temperatures at various locations to compare, just for grins, and since we are comparing rates and such:

Now it is 6:15 a.m.......

My location: 90% humidity, 75 deg

Wichita, KS: 83% humidity, 68 deg

Frankfort, IN: 75% humidity, 70 deg

Chicago, IL: 81% humidity, 73 deg

New York, NY: 66% humidity, 73 deg

Trying to determine if humidity is a factor. Will try to check again this afternoon when it's warmer. Interesting.....

[Janet]

Walked outside today and my glasses steamed up...it's going to be so hot!!!


http://weather.msn.com/hourly.aspx?w...ly&weap=0#day0

[Tiramisu]

Our last bill was $355 and it will be higher this month. I heard that all the remote electronics use a fair amount of power because they are constantly reading the remote control. We don't manage electricity usage very well. We have talked about it - does that count? I turn the temp up on workdays and way down when home. I leave a radio or TV on for the doggies. Hubby and I both take two showers per day. We're all electric (2100sf) with a heat pump system (3yo), double insulation. Our frig is 22yo. One water heater is 22yo and one is new last year. We use ceiling fans in most rooms. We have an extra full size frig, a counter top frig, a 7yo freezer, and a 20yo freezer in the garage.

Things to cut:
TV/Radio for doggies
1 daily shower
sleep warmer
turn computers off
unplug or turn off extra clocks, VCRs, DVD players, printers
sale a freezer
sale extra refrigerator

[HALEY]

Our electric bill was 120 this month, but i have a small house, so that is high for us.
we do need to cut back on things to, i do turn the a/c up when we go to work and back down again when we get home, i have two dehumidifiers in the basement, but it's been so dry there not running alot. and Mike is a good one for leaving lights on all the time, have to run after him and shut them off. i have to leave the a.c comfortable at night cause Micah gets heat rashes.. and we do use our ceiling fans alot when i'm cooking, my kitchen heats up really fast.
I did change all the light bulbs to those energy ones, and i got a new fridge last year and just got a new stove, so that should save some money there.
I did get my Grandmoters almost new washer and dryer a really nice set. so well see what the bill is next month.. with gas prices so high, have to save on something. and it's getting hotter in pa now, so Mike is going to have to start cooking on the grill again, can't stand to heat up the oven when its so hot...

[Marilyn]

Sandy, selling a freezer is probably a good idea. We used to have a freezer in the garage and got rid of it a few years ago before the rates got so high. Now we have an upright in the laundry room inside the house. Can you imagine what it must cost to keep the internal temperature freezing in a hot humid garage. We figured it was not worth having.

I'm seriously considering convincing hubby to buy an older home in a neighborhood where we can get the rural electric power and lower taxes. (Don't know if I mentioned, but our property taxes are over $7,000 per year.) We have been talking about it the last couple of days, and he has a client who is wanting to build a home who may like ours. Hubby is going to show ours to him tomorrow and if he likes it tell him what we will sell it for and see what happens. It probably won't happen, but if it does, we may be making a quick move to a rental. Maybe we'll just store everything and live in the RV....NOT!!

I really like our home and would hate to leave it and move, but just don't know if it's worth what it is costing. AHHHHHHH!!!! Tough decisions.

[Marilyn]

I just told hubby I don't want to move. He said okay. He'll quote an outrageous price and see what happens. Hey, I'm married to a home builder. Our house is always for sale.

[judy]

I think that's a good idea Marilyn. Wait it out and get a feeling for other houses first.

[judy]

I think that's a good idea Marilyn. Wait it out and get a feeling for other houses first.

[judy]

Should I post it again?

[DianaB]

Marilyn, I wish that I could come up with something that would help.

If you have the high ceilings you won't want to run your ceiling fans because it will bring all the heat up there down and your airconditioner will have to work harder. I was told that with my peaked living room ceiling but I keep the temperature high enough that sometimes having the breeze on you feels good.

Also, do you have your thermostat set to change while you're at work? That would probably help a lot with your bills. Have a higher temperature set for when you leave and have it come on right before you get home so it's nice and cool.

[Tiramisu]

Hubby says the freezers pull about the same power in garage or house BECAUSE in the house they create hot air that the A/C has to cool.

We have high ceilings in our den, but put ceiling fans in with a longer pole/rod, so that they hang lower.. One of our neighbors lowered their ceiling (put in a dummy ceiling with insulation) and he said their bill dropped alot. Hubby and I are talking about dropping our ceiling.