The lights in my new apt got turned on in my name on 02/21, and the billing cycle ended on 03/10, and I have a $51.29 power bill, and I bearly have anything on here, eg. lights, furnace. I read somewhere that there was an unreasonable increase of power cost after the new power meters where installed in this area, so I was wondering if anyone else had this problem. I just cannot bring myself to believe that I created a power bill that high in 17 days.

3/11/2006 9:35:21 AM

my electricity was turned on nov 21....the first month's bill was 292.00 and some change.

i was thinking what the FUCK. but the celings are high. now i hardly use the heat and lights, and it's gone down, but not much. so i'm thinking this place just sucks to heat.

3/11/2006 9:44:43 AM

Post your itemized bill. You probably just paid a fee for getting the power turned on.

3/11/2006 9:46:50 AM

That is the point, I HARDLY have anything on. I live by myself, and I might turn the heat on for 20-30 minutes a day (some days I don't use it at all), and use one lamp with a 60 watt bulb. Other eletronics, TV, XBox, etc., maybe plugged in, but I am not playing or watching them 24/7. I lived in an apt with 4 people before and the bills was 80-100 a month, so this is absurd.

3/11/2006 9:48:14 AM

I did not think of that, but I did pay a $128 deposit, and I do not recall them saying that I owe any connection/transfer fee, but that sounds logical.

3/11/2006 9:49:26 AM

w00t!!!! We have teh 400 ft tall hydro-electric dams!!!!

TVA! TVA!!!!!

3/11/2006 9:54:11 AM

$32+ is still steep for 18 days, in my opinion. But what is that charge for?



[Edited on March 11, 2006 at 10:00 AM. Reason : blah]

3/11/2006 9:59:57 AM

Nah, that's about on par compared to my place, which was just built a few years ago with everything "energy efficient"

3/11/2006 10:10:47 AM

Yeah, but what is the $17 dollar charge for?

3/11/2006 10:24:16 AM

Why don't you call the energy company? They could probably tell you.

3/11/2006 10:33:51 AM

How about they are closed today.

3/11/2006 10:39:51 AM

connection fee.

and 38 bucks aint bad for a 4 person apartment.

a computer costs 10-15 bucks a month in electricity if you leave it on all the time

3/11/2006 11:10:30 AM

Well, I do let my computer, and its speakers stay on 24/7, so maybe I will cut it off while I am at work, and over night, and when I expect to be away from my apt for longer than 2 hours.

3/11/2006 11:46:38 AM

Hey Neon, down turning your computer off and on multiple times a day have an affect on the preformance, and the life of a PC?

3/11/2006 11:58:28 AM

i ran into this too! just moved into my new apt... 14 days of electic service = $47.04
not counting the $17.00 connection fee

seriously, there's no way it can cost a hundred bucks a month to heat this place. i was paying that much for a 1350 sq ft apt before.

3/11/2006 12:12:57 PM

i dont think that sounds that bad. yeah everyone gets charged that 17 connection fee

3/11/2006 6:30:58 PM

most of the apartments in this area (around NC State) don't have good insulation, so you are paying for that through your power bill if you have your thermostat at anything other than "off"

also, i would be really happy to have a power bill that was 100/month, because power is more expensive now due to rising energy costs.

3/11/2006 7:37:21 PM

a few of you guys doesn't seem to have read EVERY post in this thread before replying

3/11/2006 7:52:09 PM

1) depends on what kind of heater you have. You heat your apartment AND your water. Turning down the heat on the water heater by a couple degrees adds up.

2) GAS heaters are fucking expensive electricity wise. They all have fans that draw a lot of current to run. When I lived in a 1 person apartment, the heat bill as over $200 because of the heater.

3) Check for outdoor lights, make sure your amp for your system is always off, don't leave your monitors on 24/7, make sure you run your appliances (washing machine, dish washer) on off peak times.

4) keeping the house at 68 degrees versus 70 has like a $20 difference I believe with older AC units. The newer ones are much better. I got lucky the place I moved into has new stuff so my WORST bill ever in my 2 bedroom 1200st apt has been $170. That was last summer during that heat wave that lasted over a month.

5) Check your windows for cracks or leaks. Check your caulking etc. Check your insulation if you own a house. It all makes a difference.

3/11/2006 8:48:18 PM

Yea, most people's bill has gone up with the new meters, including mine. They say that the new meters are more accurate than the old ones, but who knows...

3/11/2006 10:55:18 PM

yeah the $17 is the connection fee in NC. $32 being high really depends on alot of things. Where you live, the heat system, water heater, insulation, etc. It's hard to compare one apartment to the other because it depends on a number of things. How big is your apartment? square ft? bedrooms? how old?

The deposit is supposed to be in theory double the average bill at that location over the past 12 months, but that could also be lower than that depending on whether anyone has lived there in a while or if it has been on in the apartment's name.

The meter could be increasing the bill, but that's not always the case. Since you just connected in February it's hard to say if that is what did it or not. Some bills have gone up because some of the older meters were older and running slower than they were supposed to be, or that's the argument. The rates went up just a bit a couple months ago but not a whole lot. You can also call and get an average and high and low bill over the past year.

Keep the thermostat on 65 or 68 at the most, above 70 you could be looking at up to a 10% increase for every degree you turn it up. Also when you leave don't turn your thermostat off, turn it down a bit. It'll run up your bill if you turn it off and on. If you do move your thermostat up and down do it a few degrees at a time. Make sure the fan's on automatic as well. Make sure it doesn't have anything like Supplemental Heat on or anything, if it has heat strips that will run it up as well for the heat strips to run.

3/12/2006 2:50:16 AM

50 bucks is NOT bad for electric. it's pretty damn good.

3/12/2006 3:55:42 AM

I guess to many have not read a thing that I have posted in this thread. I LIVE alone. I use the heat about 4-5 times a week, and its ONLY for about 20-30 (just long enough to knock the chill off) and I ONLY use 1 lamp that has a 60 watt bulb. However, I was leaving my computer on 24/7, and that sabout it, other than the frig, cable box, etc. I feel that $32 is steep for 18 days when all I have been doing is what I mentioned above. When I was living in an apt with 4 people, the bill ranged $80-100 for the month, so that is why I think $32 for 18 days is steep.

3/12/2006 8:55:44 AM

you should be able to call and ask what the average bill was for the place prior to your moving in.

secondly turning heat on and off is a HUGE money waster. Its bettter to leave things like A/C and heat on.

3/12/2006 9:14:47 AM

I am sorry that I did not make myself clear enough about turning the heat off and on... I cut it on ONCE a day (usually at night after I get off of work) for 20-30 just to knock the chill off of my apt. After that, I am just suited up with my hoodie, and jogging pants, and 2 pair of socks. i.e., I do not cut my heat off and on multiple times a day.

3/12/2006 11:57:05 AM

you do realize that is the MOST EXPENSIVE way to use heat?

It's cheaper to leave it on all day and night than to turn it on and off repeatedly. Quit being a fucking dumbass about it. I garauntee that's where the money is going. You are eating a few dollars a DAY running the heat like that.

Your computer eats 10-15 a month, each light, run 8 hours a day, uses 3-5 a month.

And who pays for this big screen TV you talked about in tech talk?

[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 12:03 PM. Reason : .]

3/12/2006 12:02:23 PM

yea, i noticed that if I leave the thermostat at one consistent temperature I use a lot less energy. I live by myself too... and my bill is cheap at the current apartment I'm in.
When i lived in a townhouse in driftwood, though, the electricity was always high.. and I called the electric company because I thought it was ridiculous, and they say that most of the places over there use the same amount.
it depends on the place

3/12/2006 12:30:38 PM

TO NEON aka One who makes an ass out of himself:

There is no way possible that anyone here is gonna convince me that turning on the heating ONCE a day for 20-30 minutes is more expensive than leaving your heat on all day AND night... that would be defying logic. Also, I do not have a big screen TV, I have a 30 inch TV, and usually runs about 4-5 hours a day. I have 1 lamp with a 60 watt bulb that I use at night ONLY, (4-5 hours)... when I use the bathroom I use the light in there and I am sure that costs an arm and a leg ... I admitted that I leave my computer on all day, but I will stop that if it costs that much....I really wish that Neon would go back and read this thread more throughly before owning himself again.

3/12/2006 12:42:48 PM

our december electric bill was from dec 13-jan 10th or something like that, during which the whole time none of us were at the apartment, the heat and air wasn't on and it was 45 dollars. The only thing that was on was the refrigerator, so apparantly thats pretty expensive.

3/12/2006 12:43:50 PM

Quote :

"you do realize that is the MOST EXPENSIVE way to use heat? It's cheaper to leave it on all day and night than to turn it on and off repeatedly."

He's absolutely right about this. The reasoning is if you turn it off when you turn it back on your system has to work really hard to get back to the temperature it was at. If you left it on but left it about 60 or so it just would not come on, BUT when you turn it up to use it again it would not have to run so hard to get to the temperature you want it at. Also, what are you keeping the thermostat at? Your computer will eat some but mainly the monitor. The biggest thing is your heat though. The two largest parts of your bill are heat and water heater.

Once again it's hard to compare the other apartment you lived in before if it's not EXACTLY the same. $32 for 17 days means a power bill of about $56 for the month. That's not that high. Where do you live at? How old is the place? Read back over my other post as well or don't bother caling them or that's exactly the things they will tell you. Trust me.

[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 12:58 PM. Reason : .]

3/12/2006 12:53:23 PM

Quote :

"TO NEON aka One who makes an ass out of himself: There is no way possible that anyone here is gonna convince me that turning on the heating ONCE a day for 20-30 minutes is more expensive than leaving your heat on all day AND night... that would be defying logic. Also, I do not have a big screen TV, I have a 30 inch TV, and usually runs about 4-5 hours a day. I have 1 lamp with a 60 watt bulb that I use at night ONLY, (4-5 hours)... when I use the bathroom I use the light in there and I am sure that costs an arm and a leg ... I admitted that I leave my computer on all day, but I will stop that if it costs that much....I really wish that Neon would go back and read this thread more throughly before owning himself again."

after that post i checked your profile because i thought that you were a woman

i was wrong

3/12/2006 2:01:22 PM

So you are saying that leaving the heat on 24/7 cost less that cutting the heat on once a day for 20-30 minutes (and actually, some days I do not turn it on at all)? You can call me a dumbass or what, but I would like to see (e.g. in the form of calculations) how that is true.

3/12/2006 2:10:34 PM

Let's try this again. We're not saying leaving it on like 65 or 70, but on like 55 or 60 so it doesn't run. But, when you turn it up again when you need it it doesn't have to increase the temperature so much to get to the desired temperatures. The reasoning is if you turn it off when you turn it back on your system has to work really hard to get back to the temperature you want, and it's cold. If you left it on but left it about 60 or so it just would not come on, BUT when you turn it up to use it again it would not have to run so hard to get to the temperature you want it at.

3/12/2006 2:24:48 PM

I still do not understand. If you leave it on 60, and turn it up it comes on. If you turn it on from off the system comes on. So how is working harder to heat it to the same temperature that I would want whether or not it is in the on position but not running, or in the off position and you turn it on. Either way, the system has to come on to heat up the place, and I do not see where this extra effort of heater to heat the place is taking place. I could understand if I were doing all day and night this way, yeah what you guys are saying would make much sense, but me only cutting on the heat for 20-30 minutes a day, I really do not undetstand this.


[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 2:34 PM. Reason : blah]

3/12/2006 2:30:59 PM

Quote :

"So you are saying that leaving the heat on 24/7 cost less that cutting the heat on once a day for 20-30 minutes (and actually, some days I do not turn it on at all)? You can call me a dumbass or what, but I would like to see (e.g. in the form of calculations) how that is true."

it is a matter of the temperature in the apartment, what you want, how efficient the heater is

all that determines how long it will run

if you go from 50 -> 70 you are going to kill your bill especially if you have a heat pump

because the strip heaters will engage as aux heat, you put 1 kW in to the aux heater you only get 1 kW out, not like a heat pump when you you put 1 kW in you get 6-10 kW out

that is where all your loss comes from

heat pumps lose all their efficiency when the aux heater engages because you are asking a shitload when you should just realize that maintaining something like 62-65 is cheaper than trying to take the chill off for 20 minutes

[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 2:35 PM. Reason : clarification]

3/12/2006 2:34:23 PM

Well, in that case yeah what you are saying makes sense, but I do not try to maintain a 62-65 degree place, nor does my place ever go below 60 degrees. In fact, at 65 is when I turn my heat (ONCE AND ONLY ONCE) for 20-30 minutes, and I do not even do this everyday. After that, I maintain body heat with clothes, not matter how low the temp in my apt goes, and that usually never drops below 60 here.


[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 2:39 PM. Reason : blah]

3/12/2006 2:36:32 PM

Quote :

"I still do not understand. ..... I really do not undetstand this."

You don't understand because your mother didn't teach you.

Yes, leave the "heat" on 55-60 when you do not need it and you will see a huge improvement on your $34 heating bill

3/12/2006 2:39:05 PM

well what temp are you at when you run the heat

and what temperature do you set the heater to run

3/12/2006 2:40:24 PM

Dude, I do nopt care what you are saying, you or that theory does not make sense, according to the temp range in my apt. My apt never goes below 60 degrees. So, it is not like I am having to heat my apt from 50 --> 70 degrees. I understand the part about leaving it on so it will never come on. Also, if it never comes on, what is the point of having the thermostat set at that temp?

3/12/2006 2:42:16 PM

Usually, it is 62-65 degrees when I cut it on. I set the thermostat on 70. When it heats the apt to that temp, I turn on the system so it will not come back on. Like, I said before, I only do that ONCE a day, if weather permits, and even sometimes then I do not turn it on everyday whether the temp is 62-65 in my apt or not, I just drink beer.

3/12/2006 2:44:44 PM

well then the aux heaters are running because the system thinks that you are trying to go from 62 to 70

and you are throwing your money away

just leave it set at 62-65 and if it turns on fine, if not then that is ok

it is obviously not a problem if you dont even do it that often

shit, it will never get below that ever again because it is march here

[/thread]

[Edited on March 12, 2006 at 2:48 PM. Reason : .]

3/12/2006 2:45:20 PM

You all made this thread into this. You need to read the topic post more carefully. My point of this thread - how in the hell did charge me for so much in 18 days, when I barely turn on anything that uses a lot of eletricity.

3/12/2006 2:48:13 PM

What are 'aux' heaters?

3/12/2006 2:49:41 PM

strip heaters to supplement the heat pump under heavy load or when the temperature drops low enough that the heat pump cant get enough energy out of the air outside to heat the dwelling

3/12/2006 2:55:58 PM

Why would they not come on if you had your heater in the on position, and its thermostat set at 62-65 degrees?

3/12/2006 2:59:47 PM

http://www.sdge.com/forms/heatpumps.pdf

3/12/2006 3:10:01 PM

Quote :

"You need to read the topic post more carefully. My point of this thread - how in the hell did charge me for so much in 18 days, when I barely turn on anything that uses a lot of eletricity."

You're still not getting it. The two largest parts of your bill are heat and water heater. You could leave all the lights on and run all the tvs all month and it still wouldnt add up to those two. They account for at least 60-70% of your bill. And if you're not running your heat efficiently it will be even more.

3/12/2006 3:28:49 PM

Quote :

"You all made this thread into this. You need to read the topic post more carefully. My point of this thread - how in the hell did charge me for so much in 18 days, when I barely turn on anything that uses a lot of eletricity."

No, your arguing with folks who were trying to answer your question made this thread into "this". If you don't believe them, that's fine. They offered suggestions, and then you wanted to make a stink about not understanding.
trying another way > arguing about it

3/12/2006 3:29:38 PM

not to mention you are constantly leaving out shit you leave on and running.

You FORGOT about a 30" CRT television you run 4-5 hours a day? Theres another 5-10 bucks a month right there.

Dude, shit adds up. Your bill is not rediculous, it's normal for someone running electronics and shit, along with normal things like a refrigerator (you do have one of these im guessing, which you also left out, another 10-15 bucks a mont at LEAST), water heater, normal heat (and your apt went below 60 during this winter unless you live underground), on top of computer, tv, lights, and everything else you aren't thinking about.

3/12/2006 3:39:47 PM

Why I say it is ridiculous is that before I moved here I lived with 3 other people, it was WAY more stuff per person at that apt, that it is here, and the bill for the last three months there was 80 dollars/month.

3/12/2006 3:44:23 PM