Help with my gas heat bill.

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
Im trying to figure out how to lower my gas bill for my heat. We keep our t stat usually pretty low during the day when we are not here, usually around 64-65 and leave it there while we are at home....and we stay warm. then at night, we drop it down to about 62-63, only because it gets really hot upstairs. well, we got our bill yesterday and it was almost twice as much as our last bill...I know that it has been exceptionally cold this year, but it still seems a bit odd.

I mean, if Im gonna be paying out the wazoo for gas, then Im gonna crank it up to 67-68 and be comfortable instead of being cold, trying to save money....

just looking for some tips.
 
Ask them about a budget plan. They will average the total use for the year then divide that into 12 payments. If you use more than the average they just bill that amount in but it really doesn't add a lot because they are spreading it out. This does cause the summer bill to be a little more but that's just how it is...
 
Yeah my electric bill with the heat pump was out the roof and I been trying to keep the heat down and everything unplugged and off. So I said fuck it and leave the heat on 68.
 
ah, I don't like that Idea....we can usually get away with have a $25 a month gas bill during the warmer months....I think this bill will be my highest of the year...since its starting to warm up.
Just trying to figure out what the heck is going on.
 
Are you sure you used that much more or the price gouging SOB's just raised the prices again?
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
ah, I don't like that Idea....we can usually get away with have a $25 a month gas bill during the warmer months....I think this bill will be my highest of the year...since its starting to warm up.
Just trying to figure out what the heck is going on.
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ITS BEEN COULD AS all get out, that and you are more than likely paying a higher rate now.....
 
Yeah, I was just looking at the bill and saw "the notice of increase" but still its crazy

Coworker was telling me that he keeps his on 68 all the time and has same gas company as me (only lives a couple miles from me) has an older system and his bill was $60 cheaper....
 
It has not been this cold around in here in over 20 years. This is not normal, and therefore neither is your power/gas bill.
 
drkelly said:
It has not been this cold around in here in over 20 years. This is not normal, and therefore neither is your power/gas bill.
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This... we have an all-electric heat pump and we have it set on 68 in the winter and there have been nights this past month that we have woken up to it being 58-60 in the house. Even as well insulated as our house is, it just can't keep up. If over the next couple months it still is high, then you may have an efficiency problem with your furnace. Look for leaks in your ductwork, gas leaks in piping, etc. Also, look for drafts around your windows. Light a candle and hold it in front of your windows to see if the light flickers and blows around. You can sniff out leaks that way. Also, look at your roof after a frost/snow. If you see areas where the snow/frost has melted prior to the sun hitting it, you are losing heat up your attic and need to insulate there.
 
Our electric heat pump had a hard time keeping up with the cold a few nights. I took a portable electric radiator and stood it over top of one of my floor vents that was nearest the thermostat. Turned it on and let the vent blow over the radiator and warm the air. This heated the area up quite nicely and got the air around the thermostat warm enough to shut off. Granted the extremities of the house were cooler, but that's the bedrooms and we're under blankets at night all toasty warm anyway.
 
As far as an actual fix...
This conversation will go nowhere w/o some actual numbers.
What is a typical bill? What are you considering bad? How old is your house? What kind of insulation do you have?
Many variables.
The fact is - its been cold. Everybody has been paying a lot.
The only "solution" is to invest in decreasing your costs.. .e.g. insulation, maybe a smarter stat, etc.
But then it is a numbers game to figure if it is actually worthwhile in dollars. Often... it isn't.
 
Leave the thermostate alone. Set it where it is comfortable an leave it. When you turn it down when you are not there, it doesnt take long for the home to cool off. But when you turn it back up, it will take a long while for it to make up that temp change. You would be super supprised how long those heat strips run to get the home back up a few degrees. I am serious set it an leave it alone. ;)
 
Crawler Nut said:
Leave the thermostate alone. Set it where it is comfortable an leave it. When you turn it down when you are not there, it doesnt take long for the home to cool off. But when you turn it back up, it will take a long while for it to make up that temp change. You would be super supprised how long those heat strips run to get the home back up a few degrees. I am serious set it an leave it alone. ;)
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Cherokeekid88 said:
Im trying to figure out how to lower my gas bill for my heat
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somehow I doubt the heat strips are a problem... :D
 
ManglerYJ said:
This... we have an all-electric heat pump and we have it set on 68 in the winter and there have been nights this past month that we have woken up to it being 58-60 in the house. Even as well insulated as our house is, it just can't keep up. If over the next couple months it still is high, then you may have an efficiency problem with your furnace. Look for leaks in your ductwork, gas leaks in piping, etc. Also, look for drafts around your windows. Light a candle and hold it in front of your windows to see if the light flickers and blows around. You can sniff out leaks that way. Also, look at your roof after a frost/snow. If you see areas where the snow/frost has melted prior to the sun hitting it, you are losing heat up your attic and need to insulate there.
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Sounds like your heat strips are not all working. Once below freezing a heat pump efficiency goes down rapidly as the temp continues to fall. It will likely not keep up by its self on very cold nights, but your aux heat should be able to handle the entire load of the house without the heat pump. So no way you should be having a 8-10* drop if everything is working correctly. Iirc design code in NC is 19* so might not hold 68* on a single digit night but 10* drop seems very excessive.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
Im trying to figure out how to lower my gas bill for my heat. We keep our t stat usually pretty low during the day when we are not here, usually around 64-65 and leave it there while we are at home....and we stay warm. then at night, we drop it down to about 62-63, only because it gets really hot upstairs. well, we got our bill yesterday and it was almost twice as much as our last bill...I know that it has been exceptionally cold this year, but it still seems a bit odd.

I mean, if Im gonna be paying out the wazoo for gas, then Im gonna crank it up to 67-68 and be comfortable instead of being cold, trying to save money....

just looking for some tips.
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I agree with set your thermostat and leave it. Ive heard all the stuff about it saves energy if you set it back a few degrees but im not convinced. I tried a programmable stat at my house for several months and did not seem to help. Everything in your home holds heat. So if your house is 68 then all the furniture, floors, walls, etc are all around the same. Once you get them warm they hold the heat and slowy transfer it to the air. If you let them cool off then in order to warm your house back up you have to in turn warm every thing in your home back up not just the air. Not that good at explaining but hope that makes since. It takes more energy to heat a empty house then it does an occupied one because everything in your house gives off heat.
 
We have been talking about this at work, all our power bills took a big jump last month. One guy had a 500 bill on a 2 year old 2900sqft house. Ours was only 270 but the house is 6 months old and we spray foamed it.
 
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Just my .02, but if possible, this summer punch a hole in the roof and install a wood stove. A lot of times you can find free firewood on CL and with just a lil labor to cut, split, and load you can have enough to last all winter. Turn the t-stat low and keep the fire hot.... saves me tons!
 
Lot's of factors
what type home/insolation do you have
how many people
and
Natural gas and LPG rose a good bit this last month across the board
 
Here is my situation.
I am not quite sure on how old our heating system is....I knew at one point but have forgotten.
not sure on the insulation either (I know, shame shame) House is 25 years old. I usually keep the heat on 65-66 when we are at home...a little cool down stairs, but really warm upstairs.
At night, I turn it down to 62-63...this is a comfortable temp for upstairs...niether my wife and I can sleep if its hot.
Then I typically leave it on this temp throughout the day when we are at work. then when I get home...I usually turn it back up to 65-66.

Im thinking of trying to leave it on one temp all the time and see how that works. What I have always heard is...with Gas, you pay for only what you use, but with electric heat, its better to leave it on one temp....anyways...
Im gonna try leaving it on one temp.
My co worker said he leaves his on 68 all the time and his bill was $60 cheaper than mine.
 
$435 bill for combined electric and gas last month. It is a 3,750 sq ft 2 month old home packed full of insulation, but a lot of big windows. We keep the house at 69 degrees. We have a 'dual fuel' heat pump system that burns gas to heat the house once the temperature drops below a set level. We currently have the gas set to turn on at 45 degrees.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
My co worker said he leaves his on 68 all the time and his bill was $60 cheaper than mine.
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I know it is really easy to do, but please stop yourself from comparing to anybody else's heating bill. The only way this is ever valid is if they have the same vintage home, same style, facade, insulation, heating system, living habits, thermostat, etc etc.
the only thing that is a reasonable benchmark is your own history. There are just too many variables otherwise. Hell they might not even be paying the same rate per cubic for for gas.
 
You just bought this house right? Did you ask for powder and gas bills from the past year or two before buying? It would give you an idea of usage and what to expect. granted we've had a few colder than normal days this year.
 
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