Insane Electric Rate Increase $508.68/1522 kWh
- Thread starter gathermewool
- Start date
I'm a bald, old guy. I can't even wash my hair in 90 seconds...
Now a 20+ minute shower in a 5x9 foot shower, with 6 showerheads, yeah, that's nice. Like God intended.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I hadn’t thought of that. My wife uses them every time, but I don’t.
I did just test the sensor on max dry and the lowest heat setting and the clothes were very slightly damp when it ended. Another 20 min and the large load of various clothes were dry. I then ran a load on manual 1:20 lowest setting and the clothes were dry.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I am an engineer. You seem to make it out to be some sort of slur.
The calculation is not simple and your glass challenge is kind of ridiculous. If it were easy you would have made a rough estimate to prove your point.The thread is a simple rant about high energy costs. I simply provided some data and my logic. I don’t plan to apply the scientific method to my basement RH concerns. I mean, I’m the one overthinking this?
As a point of reference: my basement has been ATTACH]
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I think some people are assuming way more energy being consumed by the dehumidifiers than is actually true. I had a relatively warm, damp January. Over the last two days, however, the basement dehumidifier had been off. The moistest part of the basement is
Also, most people need to humidify because they like higher temps. Even on the wettest cold day, raising the temp way above outside ambient drastically lowers RH.
Finally, I don’t mind a bit of added heat in the basement, no matter how little it actually is. Until I can prove otherwise, a dehumidifier lowering the actual moisture content seems more efficient than only raising the temp of the space.
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
You guys would be proud. My son showered today and I heard the water turn off as he lathered up. My brain couldn’t comprehend what was going on.
Well, my wife said he got out of the shower the other day with soap in his hair. He was trying to conserve water.
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
After a long day out in the cold, I like to stand in the shower and turn up the heat until my skin burns. Man, nothing better.
Every other day: < 5 min of water. 2 min is probably my average. I rinse, turn off the water, lather, turn on and rinse, turn off and get out.
Now, life is made better by doing the things we enjoy. I rarely enjoy a long shower. I enjoy other things that cost money. moral of the story: spend as efficiently as you can on the things you like, spend as little on the things that don’t.
stage of interest so I’ll leave it to others…I read that you can clean the sensor with rubbing alcohol to get rid of the dryer sheet buildup. Now where that sensor is will be the big question.
It should be visible if you stick your head inside the drum. Usually on the front panel. Use a mirror to make it easier.
Being Rvers, campers, and boaters - wife and I can be really frugal. Like 5 gallons for two for a weekend doing " sink/ washcloth" clean ups.
At home we mostly stick to 7-10 min showers with a 1.85 head - We have a shutoff valve on eth head for lathering and both use it.
It's not free, I pay for 2 pumps, 2 filters, softening, and calcite filtration - but it's cheap relaxation for a bit of time.
She likes showers on max hot, but cant stand a 101 degree jacuzzi... ?
Just shopped for a new 3 year electric deal here in D-FW, 11.3¢ kWh. Before you commit to anything, be sure to check on the "Power To Choose" web site, enter in your Zip code, then check the option "Plans without a minimum usage fee/credit and plans without tiered pricing". All prices include the energy and the Oncor delivery fee. If you're willing to go 3 months at a time you can get it for 9¢ kWh. This replaces my old 9.5¢ kWh contract that expires this month. BTW the "big guys" like TXU and Reliant are some of the most expensive.
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Recently went through this here in CT.
The 2 providers (i.e. its their lines the electricity comes over) warned that the cost they pay for generation is going to double, and they will pass it directly onto their customers. They claim they make no profit on generation cost, but not sure how much I really believe that.
I hopped onto the "energy marketplace" and was somewhat able to head it off at the pass. My generation cost went from 10.something to 12.something cents per kwh, far better than the 10.something to 24.something that the providers were expecting. Locked in for 3 years, but there is no termination fee allowed in CT if I decide to change earlier than that, so Im good for a while if need be.
There are a few cities that are still price "regulated" by the state, and their costs are FAR lower than everyone else's. Just further proof that the push to de-regulate (which happened almost 20 years ago, IIRC) made everything worse for people that still live in this crappy state.
It almost has me thinking about solar, but that still seems to be a losing proposition, especially if I dont plan on staying here for 8+ years.
The 2 providers (i.e. its their lines the electricity comes over) warned that the cost they pay for generation is going to double, and they will pass it directly onto their customers. They claim they make no profit on generation cost, but not sure how much I really believe that.
I hopped onto the "energy marketplace" and was somewhat able to head it off at the pass. My generation cost went from 10.something to 12.something cents per kwh, far better than the 10.something to 24.something that the providers were expecting. Locked in for 3 years, but there is no termination fee allowed in CT if I decide to change earlier than that, so Im good for a while if need be.
There are a few cities that are still price "regulated" by the state, and their costs are FAR lower than everyone else's. Just further proof that the push to de-regulate (which happened almost 20 years ago, IIRC) made everything worse for people that still live in this crappy state.
It almost has me thinking about solar, but that still seems to be a losing proposition, especially if I dont plan on staying here for 8+ years.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I apologize for forgetting this thread. My smart plugs came in an here are some weekly consumption averages:
Entertainment Center (TV, modem, router, speakers, sub, PS5): 16.0KWH/7 days
Main Fridge: 4.52 kWh/7 days
Downstairs Fridge: 2.48 kWh/7 days
Chest Freezer: 4.30 kWh/7 days
These aren’t the cause of my high bill.
Also, being more frugal last month resulted in a $350 bill, even though the average temp was lower.
Entertainment Center (TV, modem, router, speakers, sub, PS5): 16.0KWH/7 days
Main Fridge: 4.52 kWh/7 days
Downstairs Fridge: 2.48 kWh/7 days
Chest Freezer: 4.30 kWh/7 days
These aren’t the cause of my high bill.
Also, being more frugal last month resulted in a $350 bill, even though the average temp was lower.
!!!!!
Might want to implement even more frugality plans.
I think my electric bill is ballpark $60 to $125 per month. I'd say a fair average is around $90. This month it's quite high at $122 and mostly due to an electric space heater on a room that is particularly cold.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Let’s compare apples to apples. How old and big is your home, what is the average monthly temp, what source of heat do you use (do you also pay for gas/oil), etc. Simply stating that yours is lower isn‘t helpful.
For instance, we kept the old condo at much higher temps (60s gas furnace) and our bill was much lower. Well, condos don’t lose much heat on either side due to those spaces being heated by neighbors and the space is much smaller. So, gas, smaller, adjoining neighbors isn’t nearly the same compared to now, in a raised ranch.
Now, that doesn’t mean I’m not looking to upgrade things to reduce my energy bills, but you must not have read my posts (and the responses from others) if you think being MORE frugal is even possible. That’s honestly an absurd take.
Nah, just turn everything off for a month, you’ll be fine. That’s what the environmentalists want anyways.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I forgot to include kWh in my last post for context.
Jan bill:
$508.68
1522 kWh
39F ave temp
Feb bill:
1266 kWh
$340.49
35F ave temp
March bill (read on 3/28/23 for some reason):
1017 kWh
$274.54
40F ave temp
I also had the home energy audit, which found that part of my attic insulation is inadequate, though the insulation above my main bedroom and over the living room is fine. The house was also shown to be tight by the air test. Funny enough, the guy was initially disappointed, because the test showed almost ideal at first, but not quite. As we walked around to find leaks I noticed the curtains near the garage door fluttering. My wife had left just before they started and the door was cracked. Shut it and the test was SAT.
So, the immediate solutions are to add insulation and update things like the old hot water heater. I‘ll need to look into installing a heat pump, but I see no immediate need for that, considering my window AC units aren’t terribly inefficient and the rebates for updated appliances and additions don’t expire for 12 months.
Jan bill:
$508.68
1522 kWh
39F ave temp
Feb bill:
1266 kWh
$340.49
35F ave temp
March bill (read on 3/28/23 for some reason):
1017 kWh
$274.54
40F ave temp
I also had the home energy audit, which found that part of my attic insulation is inadequate, though the insulation above my main bedroom and over the living room is fine. The house was also shown to be tight by the air test. Funny enough, the guy was initially disappointed, because the test showed almost ideal at first, but not quite. As we walked around to find leaks I noticed the curtains near the garage door fluttering.
My wife had left just before they started and the door was cracked. Shut it and the test was SAT.So, the immediate solutions are to add insulation and update things like the old hot water heater. I‘ll need to look into installing a heat pump, but I see no immediate need for that, considering my window AC units aren’t terribly inefficient and the rebates for updated appliances and additions don’t expire for 12 months.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Lol. I think keeping my house at 50-55F through out the past couple of months would be considered pretty green, don’t you?
My parents visited this last weekend and I was in shorts and a t-shirt with the thermostat at 68-72F. They just moved from FL, so them being cold is to be expected
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