Electric Usage Challenge

**savvy_sniper** · 02-03-2012, 05:58 PM

Very mild winter; so we haven't used the heat much. Heck, we have the windows and doors open and it's 75 degrees IN the house. The last electric bill was $100 for 33 days. The gas bill was under $40.

**gmarie** · 02-04-2012, 08:57 AM

hahah well reading the meter is rather easy! I started a notebook and will be checking it at 8 am every morning!

**cmu** · 02-04-2012, 09:05 AM

2/3 - 25kwh

Whoo Hooo!!!

**madhen** · 02-04-2012, 01:22 PM

1/28 - 38.72 kW
1/29 - 46.58 kW
1/30 - 33.11 kW
1/31 - 34.68 kW
2/1 - 45.58 kW

**SheKat** · 02-04-2012, 06:00 PM

I have to start being more vigialent again, only 4 in so far in Feb and two of those I have been over my goal of 15Kw, we have had to run the dryer a couple of times, due to the backload of laundry thanks to all the rain. But the sun is shinning at the moment so we will be back using the line.

**gmarie** · 02-05-2012, 08:15 AM

2/5= 50

Definitely some room for improvement!!

**cmu** · 02-05-2012, 09:48 AM

2/4 42kwh

Average MTD 38.73kwh/day

**gmarie** · 02-06-2012, 10:20 AM

2/6/12= 30 KWH
was not home from 10:30 am -midnight on sun, heat off except for one baseboard, no space heater at all, 4 showers (2 late sun and 2 monday morning)

**NikoSan999** · 02-06-2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by gmarie

2/6/12= 30 KWH
was not home from 10:30 am -midnight on sun, heat off except for one baseboard, no space heater at all, 4 showers (2 late sun and 2 monday morning)

Not sure if that's a hug or way to go....No one home, no heat...I'm still wondering if it has something to do with a well pump or the water...

**gmarie** · 02-06-2012, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by NikoSan999

Not sure if that's a hug or way to go....No one home, no heat...I'm still wondering if it has something to do with a well pump or the water...

Well, the heat was turned on in one baseboard in our kitchen and was on all day/ night.

The baseboard in our bathroom is also controlled by itself, and the one in the living room has a dial, as does the one in our bedroom.

You don't think it's the heater under the cottage that comes on spontaneously to prevent the pipes from freezing?

I am sitting in the cold/dark with only my laptop on, and I can hear something going on/off under the house!

**gmarie** · 02-06-2012, 07:58 PM

also, our fridge is not energy star and is a little older...

**NikoSan999** · 02-06-2012, 10:50 PM

If you can hear something going on and off UNDER the house and that's where the heat thing is then I would presume that's your issue. I'm not an electrician by any means but it would sure make sense.

Is it coming back on quickly after it goes off? I don't know what state you're in so are you in a cold state? If you are it's a wonder it just doesn't stay on. Can it be turned down...is there a control?

I'm picturing the cottage almost as being off the ground...or is there an open crawl space? A large opening for the crawl space for the cold to creep in?

The trailer we're moving into soon has an ancient fridge. At a time it was the only thing in it that was on/running. Period. Not even a hot water heater, it had to be taken out. The electric bill was less than $12 and the base price was $8.95 even if nothing was on/running...just for the privilege of having electric ( sore point with me...have I said I hate the electric co). It was also ice cold.

Any chance of having the freebie most electric companies do of the energy check? That might tell you. The house we're leaving is like 2900 sq ft and 30 a day is what we use or more, BUT we're in Florida so our summer usage is like your cold now. But this is 2900 sq ft.

**gmarie** · 02-06-2012, 11:21 PM

Yes we are in a cold state but are having a mild winter.

I was told that it was a heater under the cottage to prevent the pipes from freezing. As far as I know, we have no control over it but I will ask the handyman! But then again I doubt he would approve of us shutting it off lol.

We aren't great at remembering to unplug the laptop & shut the TV off at the power switch so plan to start doing that consistently.

Thanks for your input!

**gmarie** · 02-07-2012, 08:02 AM

2/7 = 29 kwh

**bent** · 02-07-2012, 05:04 PM

I love like minded peeps. am sending out ds to get the power reading and dd to get the water usage. well from jan 16 to today I've used 171 kwh's. if my math is correct that works out to be a little over 8 kwh for the 21 days.
i try to average about 9-11 kwh per day but have not kept a daily total for the last wk or so.
to help combat phantom power drains as I call them I gave up my microwave when the last one died (1100 watts), I have two refrigerators (one is mine a 21 cbft energy star) one the apt provides it's engery star also and only a few yrs old, a small chest freezer also energy star, I cook with gas, I keep the windows open to let in sunlight to heat the living area during the day, use the oven to heat the two main rooms in the house the kitchen and l/r. I also have all my electronics on surge protectors that I turn off at night, I keep my dryer unplugged and hang clothes outside weather permitting adn around the house when it doesn't, I turn off the dryer and washer at the fuse box. this winter season I've had the heat on once and we all got sick so I told the kiddo's to start bundling up I wasn't turning it back on until snow was on the ground for 3 days... ds believes me (bless him

).
I also stopped using my power companies budget billing plan where they averaged my useage from the previous yr turns out I was using about $45-50 and paying $80 to offset the higher bills in aug and feb. I can't make any 'improvement' to the apt.
I have a central cooling unit that only gets turned on when the temp is a consistant 100 plus degree for several days.