Got the new gas bill and I'm dying!!

[GTX]

We opened the gas bill and about croaked!
A 40% increase this year is killing us.
That plus the fact that it's so cold so early this year. It looks like we are going to call and have a new furnace put in this week since ours is fairly old.

So much for expendible cash for the Charger!
Let's see, that was probably my set of 'E' heads. 

[Brock Samson]

n.g. prices to rise tomarrow...

[Todd Wilson]

For some strange reason my gas and elctric bill for due now has been the lowest I have seen in a few years?!?! I dont know whats going on?!



Todd

[Chryco Psycho]

a more efficient firnace will save you money , it just hurts up front

[Todd Wilson]

a more efficient firnace will save you money , it just hurts up front

I put in a new natural gas unit and a heat pump 4 years ago or so. Great setup. I have converted all my bulbs in the house to the energy flourescents and have put weather stripping around the doors and stuff. I'd like to throw in more insulation up top in the future and insulate my floors in the crawl space. I have also put the blanket on the water heater as well.


Todd

[Brock Samson]

i put in double pane windows at a cost of $5K and it helps, but this is sunny california... what i really like is how well they keep the noise out..

[TruckDriver]

I live in a 2 bedroom mobile home. Mine heat bill was $125. for last month and next month is our coldest month

[doechsle]

 I'm glad for once my house is total electric. My Rental is vacant right now and I have not turned the gas on,I just leave the water dripping. I feel for you guys.

[PocketThunder]

My old house was $450 a month last year,  which was the driving factor in us selling and buying down to something smaller and cheaper.  The gas bill was $225 at this smaller place this month    woooo hoooo!!  (strange that i get excited about a $225 gas bill  )

[charger490]

i live in a log cabin and my bill for three months was 400.00 in new york state charger490

[andy74]

my power and gas bills will turn your hair white! i actually went out and bought a new kerosene heater,fire it up during the early evening,and fill it before i go to bed,keeps the house about 78 degrees.i live in a double wide mobile home,and with the baby i dont like it to cold.when i was single id leave the thermostat at 63 or so,and my bills were still over 300 for the winter! not to mention its been as cold as a polar bears left testicle for a week or so!

[4402tuff4u]

Especially all you guys heating with natural gas, for the sake of your family, makesure you have carbon monoxide detectors installed in all living areas. Keep the carbon monoxide detectors low in elevation - outlet height, carbon monoxide is a heavy gas. It travels approximately 2' off the ground. Keep smoke detectors high. Have a safe winter season. 

[andy74]

Especially all you guys heating with natural gas, for the sake of your family, makesure you have carbon monoxide detectors installed in all living areas. Keep the carbon monoxide detectors low in elevation - outlet height, carbon monoxide is a heavy gas. It travels approximately 2' off the ground. Keep smoke detectors high. Have a safe winter season.  

great point 440! i have one in each room,right next to the power outlets,and 3 smoke detectors,never can be to careful-merry christmas

[Charger_Fan]

Especially all you guys heating with natural gas, for the sake of your family, makesure you have carbon monoxide detectors installed in all living areas. Keep the carbon monoxide detectors low in elevation - outlet height, carbon monoxide is a heavy gas. It travels approximately 2' off the ground. Keep smoke detectors high. Have a safe winter season.  

Hmmm...I should probably plug mine in.

[Blown70]

FOR house heating may I suggest GEO THERMAL.... my highest heating bill all of last winter  $100, yes that is correct and I did not even cover any windows.  ON average I paid $75 per month for heat.

Ohh and I do live in the COLD  Fargo, ND 

[PocketThunder]

FOR house heating may I suggest GEO THERMAL.... my highest heating bill all of last winter   $100, yes that is correct and I did not even cover any windows.   ON average I paid $75 per month for heat.

Ohh and I do live in the COLD   Fargo, ND  

What system are you running?  heat pump?  with a pond or well?

[greenpigs]

One of the few benefits of living in an apartment is not having much area to keep warm. I had two older house and it wasn't unusual to have a $220 gas bill in winter.

[Blown70]

FOR house heating may I suggest GEO THERMAL.... my highest heating bill all of last winter   $100, yes that is correct and I did not even cover any windows.   ON average I paid $75 per month for heat.

Ohh and I do live in the COLD   Fargo, ND  

What system are you running?   heat pump?   with a pond or well?

I am using a GEO SOURCE heat pump (sound right?)  And I know the have either 4 or 8(not sure of the #) 150ft. wells.

I do have to replace the main unit now but works GREAT!!!!!!!! for heating and AIR. Keep it 72 contantly, and 70 in the summer for cooling.

BTW total square fee of the main level of rambler is 1500 with a finished basement.

TOm

[Old Moparz]

My boiler runs on propane & that isn't cheap either. I did offset the fuel cost by installing a coal stove a while back, & that has been a huge savings. It cut the gas usage by more than half, & coal hasn't changed much in price since I've been using it. It runs about $165 per ton (2000 pounds) & I use about 2 to 3 tons per season, depending on how much I use the stove. The stove works exactly like a wood pellet stove with a hopper in the back, & an automatic feed. I can get 24 hours out of one load of about 40 pounds.

If I were to have it delivered in bulk it would be less, but I don't have anyplace to store a pile of coal so I've been buying it by the bag, 50 pounds each. I stack some in my basement & leave the rest outside the basement door & bring it in as I need it. The stove burns very efficient & vents through the wall & I save the ash for the gravel driveway. I have yet to find something that works better than coal ash for traction on ice. My driveway is on a hill & stays in the shade, so nonthing ever melts. If it does melt at all, it refreezes at night & nobody can get up the hill.

[derailed]

I did the same thing except with a pellet stove insert in my fire place. I heat the house with oil and I bought 850 gallons of it at $2.06/ gallon back in July. I cant imagine what its up to now. The pellet stove has been great and I use about a bag a day. It heats about half the house. Pellets are around $220/ton here. No problem getting them.

[PocketThunder]

FOR house heating may I suggest GEO THERMAL.... my highest heating bill all of last winter   $100, yes that is correct and I did not even cover any windows.   ON average I paid $75 per month for heat.

Ohh and I do live in the COLD   Fargo, ND  

What system are you running?   heat pump?   with a pond or well?

I am using a GEO SOURCE heat pump (sound right?)   And I know the have either 4 or 8(not sure of the #) 150ft. wells.

I do have to replace the main unit now but works GREAT!!!!!!!! for heating and AIR. Keep it 72 contantly, and 70 in the summer for cooling.

BTW total square fee of the main level of rambler is 1500 with a finished basement.

TOm

www.geothermalheatpump.com 

Got it!  I've been looking into this but the cost of drilling the wells has scared me off, but i keep comming back to it....

[Blown70]

Well I do own one so ask away.  I will say overall I am very happy with it.

yes the wells can be costly.... may I ask who you have had bid it?

The reason I ask a good friend of mine does well drilling..... he maybe could help you out a bit.  DO not QUOTE me on that but, They are out of Freeport MN,

Tom

[BB1]

It was very cold here this month, in the teens, but my gas bill was only $60.00

Heat Pump baby, yeah.   Oh it's a 3 bed room house with basement and heated garage.


In the summer it's $12.00, the house stays at 72 all year.

[451-74Charger]

All Electric, and the Bill is about $70 a month. I work at home, and drop the temp to 69 during the day (open those blinds..the sun DOes heat the house !!)
I have a furnace with scavenger heat pump that is also the A/C. taken 5 years to get it working right, but with the new Stat, and regular maint, it works great