I know this thread is a bit old but have you considered framing and insulating the basement?
Insane Electric Rate Increase $508.68/1522 kWh
- Thread starter gathermewool
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Currently the basement is half finished but used only for storage. The space is unconditioned, except for two dehumidifiers (long basement with a narrow path through the midpoint where the laundry room is. The laundry room is between the finished and unfinished part.
The unfaced fiberglass batt insulation is actually on the bottom of the floor joists for the above space (our main bedroom) to minimize heat loss to the basement/floor, where the temps can get down to 50F in the winter. The sil is also insulated. There’s admittedly only some benefit in the summer since we keep the room temp around the same temp or slightly lower than the basement gets. It’s not enough to really worry about the heat rising.
Ground level is at the floor level of the first floor on two sides and the basement and garage open out to ground level on the other two sides. This helps somewhat regulate temps being partially underground.
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One thing I did do is add like 50 insulation supports between the joists. The batts were sagging in a lot of places and even fell down at the ends, resulting in maybe ten total feet of literally zero insulation. I actually ran out and had to buy more. The garage is similarly insulated and I’ll need to shore up those batts as well. I bet I’ll go through 50 more.
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I‘m also replacing two old 10K window AC units with much more efficient inverter U-shaped 12k units for the main open living space. One 10K unit would keep it around 80 and lower humidity to comfortable levels with a fan on warm days, but even both 10K units would struggle on hot days when we had family or friends over. I would also have to get the units running on max early in the morning to compensate for later. I’m hoping these units pay for themselves before they die in half a decade or so.
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I also continue to work on other solutions, such as heat-blocking film for the south and especially west-facing windows (East is shaded by trees). I’m also going to try and minimize AC losses to the basement. I used black tape to cover the grate (above the wood stove) and plan to install a door to the basement (all we have is a baby gate now). Next will be hanging a large thermal curtain(s) between the living room and the rest of the upstairs. This opening is a huge 10’ wide. This will mainly help in the winter, but also keep the AC in where it’s most needed. The leakage around will obviously not be zero, so the other side will also be fine.
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Finally, longer term will be solar (our roof is due sooner than later), a whole-house heat pump solution (new window units are stop-gaps), additional attic insulation before winter, and a hybrid water heater (current one is old and likely inefficient).
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Well the june rate increase for Ohio is here.. thank you data centers and EV's
"Challenging energy market with demand higher than supply"
My supply price just increased about 80% from 5c/kwh to 9c/kwh
Due to how its billed my previous delivered kwh price was around 15-17cents "all in" (divide bill $$$ by kwh to compare)
so now above 21c/kwh delivered. or aprox 33-35% increase overall.
because there are fees, service charges, and taxes that went up too
Can we get about 10gigawatt of nukes back in ohio for these Datacenters..
@OVERKILL Can you help my memory? What is the rate that Ontario nuclear gets paid for their energy? IIRC around 5cents/kwh in CAD?
"Challenging energy market with demand higher than supply"
My supply price just increased about 80% from 5c/kwh to 9c/kwh
Due to how its billed my previous delivered kwh price was around 15-17cents "all in" (divide bill $$$ by kwh to compare)
so now above 21c/kwh delivered. or aprox 33-35% increase overall.
because there are fees, service charges, and taxes that went up too
Can we get about 10gigawatt of nukes back in ohio for these Datacenters..
@OVERKILL Can you help my memory? What is the rate that Ontario nuclear gets paid for their energy? IIRC around 5cents/kwh in CAD?
I would be ecstatic if I got a $260 electric bill. We sit in the dark,don't use ac and our bill is still $600 minimum.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
Just went to summer rates here in Kansas City. Peak power rate is 14¢ and 13¢ off peak. I am going to have my 3rd month in a row of a electric bill under $40 with fees and taxes. It's been cool here and it is forecast to be below to much below temps through about the 18th of June.
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The deregulation in IL bills supply and delivery separately. With deregulation it was expected to lower the price but those darn utilities figured out how to increase the price.
oh, well.
What are you running? and how many kwh/month? Seems like in your location, your own solar off grid system would work very well and pay off in 2-3 years at those prices... Must be a few good installers in your area.
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- Apr 13, 2025
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And I see no end to it.
I just had Georgia Power cut off my service to a 2nd home. I'm self installing solar even though the bastards try to make it illegal to get out of their game.
I was being billed $100.00 a month for ONE LED PATIO LIGHT that only came on at dusk and off at Dawn.
(EVERYTHING ELSE was off at the panel)
screw that.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
OPEX for Darlington, at full capacity is less than 4 cents per kWh. They currently get paid around 10 cents due to the ongoing refurbishments. Bruce gets paid around 8.6 cents right now, which is also funding their 12 billion dollar refurbishment. The rate will go back down once the refurbishments are done.
My all-in price in Ontario is around $0.14/kWh CDN, including delivery and taxes, but that DOES contain the carving out of 80% of the wind and solar contracts from our bills via the RCS (Renewable Cost Shift), so we are just paying for nuclear/hydro/gas really.
Is it still $9/month? Mine is $11 and change.
I lived in Germany in '92 and '93. The company was generaous enough to provide me with a single family house with bodenheizung. I recall the tankraum that held 6000 liters of heating oil.
A little different spin:
IF I invested $30000 my electric bill would average about $-5 after the interest.
and I wouldnt be supporting the heavy pollution of the Chinese solar industry.
You don't switch billing companies; you switch generating companies. The bill is broken down into three compoments: generation, transmission and distribution. Generation is the smallest component.
Great to see that your system is performing well. We get a lot less sun here in SE PA. That being said it is hot and sunny here today. We've been running 5 tons of A/C since 11 AM. I fully depleted the battery on the PHEV earlier this afternoon so it is recharging but here is how the day is looking so far.
We looked into solar.not worth it here here unless a new build
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I can't see how solar is ever worth it if you have to pay $35k - 50k for installation on top of materials..
DIY runs around $600 per kilowatt. (or has that changes drastically?)
It seems DIY install is the only way you come out ahead with solar.
Just an opinion of course. That comment could get me shot by solar installers.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Some people like Jeff got access to deals like NEM/NEM2 that pay generously for the electricity fed back into the grid, in his case it's at 37 cents per kWh.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Since solar is an offset to electric charges is part of this thread, thought to share my electric bill.
We purchased the home and were required to assume a $47k USD solar loan, that is at a two percent interest rate. Our bill averages $12 USD per month, but that low bill comes with a $47 thousand dollar liability. If the solar fails tomorrow, we still owe $47k USD and then have a normal electric bill. Of note, the solar company went out of business, so no warranty, but I still am on the hook for $47k USD.
We purchased the home and were required to assume a $47k USD solar loan, that is at a two percent interest rate. Our bill averages $12 USD per month, but that low bill comes with a $47 thousand dollar liability. If the solar fails tomorrow, we still owe $47k USD and then have a normal electric bill. Of note, the solar company went out of business, so no warranty, but I still am on the hook for $47k USD.
I cannot imagine paying that much per kWh. That is more than 3x the rate here in Northern Utah.
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