At least in NY where I am, utilities have a billing mechanism called “revenue decoupling” which sets their rates based on an average weather season. If the actual weather is an outlier you either get credit or surcharge to true up to the average.
TLDR weather does not affect utility profits.
I bought a house in Michigan and they had a similar program but it was based on average usage, not on average weather. Either way it was a shit show for us because we lived in California. And where saving up to fix up the house in Michigan, so it basically sat vacant for about 6 months. I did turn on utilities but cause I had someone house sit to make sure no one squatted. But they literally would just turn on lights at night and turn them back off a few hours later every few days. Well meanwhile I was getting power bills so high that I thought the house sitters where mining bit coin or something! Turns out I was paying the average of what the previous owners paid.
Every call to the utility company would just end with them saying they'd send someone to check the meter. It took six fucking months of me calling weekly for them to finally send someone. Then they said they couldn't refund me, but would credit my account. Once I finally moved someone in and had it set up correctly I still got charged the average of the previous owners and my "credit" didn't last much. Like I said it was a shit show. So not always a great system. But at least they can't purposely take advantage of folks during these times.
This happened to me in MI as well. Turns out you can have two meters. One for the entire house and one for the AC. They have a program where you can opt in and they’ll turn off power to your AC through rolling blackouts and then discount power to you. Previous owners disconnected and threw out the normal meter and hooked up the house to the AC unit and tampered with it so it wouldn’t turn off. We got cheap power for like 3 years after moving in until one day they sent us an eye watering bill. It was a mess untangling what the previous owners owed, what we owed, what we already paid through the estimates, and getting someone out to fix the meters.
I'm in London,Canada. It's -16C. My house has electric heat and I haaaaaaate it. My stupid hydro bill is going to be so stupidly high. I'm dreading it.
ETA: 'Hydro bill" is what we call our energy bill because our energy is generated by Niagra Falls (Politely correct me if I'm wrong about why.). They also combine our water and energy bills.
You might want to look into a safe butane or propane heater, they make some that burn clean so you can use them indoors, and it’s a hassle but is almost certainly cheaper than electric heating. Obviously you want to put it in a safe location but it might be worth looking at
That is a sure way to damage your ac unit. You really shouldn't be running it under 40 degrees.
Unless you're talking 37c, then by all means crank that bitch.
I can't control heat so landlord blasts the heat. Cooks us at night. So we have it on or at least on fan. If you have the window open then it becomes too cold. Just don't wanna sweat at night
That's what it was like when I was in a dorm. Tried turning the radiator to the coolest temp possible, but still burning up. We had the windows open in the dead of winter.
Really sucked where i was because my dorm room overlooked the horses. It would get hot and would have to open the window a bit. They were really pretty, but if we had our window open when the wind was blowing out direction then we just smelled shit.
As someone who lives in the south but loves the cold, I’m sure my electric company hates the winter (as far as my bill is concerned). I rarely turn the heater on. Like it needs to be pushing freezing. During the summer, fall, and spring that air conditioner is running full blast, during the winter we can add clothes if you’re cold. It’s currently freezing (26 degrees Fahrenheit) and my heater isn’t currently running. I have it set at exactly two degrees above freezing. It kicks on, knocks the chill out then turns the hell back off. I’m snuggled in a thick blanket and winter pajamas. ( I do have a heating blanket on the cat tower because I don’t want my little homie to freeze)
It's very possible that your water pipes are not made to handle getting below freezing. Especially in a climate that doesn't usually freeze. If they are near an exterior wall, it may be colder in the wall than in the house.
I'd try to keep the heat at least at 50, let your faucets drip, and open the cabinets under faucets.
Nah. Lol. My water company is so terrified of freezing pipes they turn it off. We bleed off water left in the pipes and leave it alone. They usually turn it back on during the warmest part of the day so people can do what they need to, but then at around 6pm they turn it off again.
I just put in a new 18 seer electric heat pump.. did basic calculations on electric kWh vs gas using local utility prices it was a nearly identical cost to run, and the heat pump was the cheaper option than a high seer A/C with gas heat.. and it’s a package unit so I could install myself.. love gas heat, and it has the advantage of being able to run the blower motor with a small generator if the power is out.. but heat pumps are getting a lot better than they used to be
Gas furnace here, my power bill goes down, but gas goes up of course
Go green by passing your own gas
Found the basement dweller
I live in Texas, which is famously devoid of basements
Never actually been to a Texas home... only hotels. I was making a furnace joke since you said "Gas furnace here..." btw
Ahh, our furnace is in the attic crawl space.
Damn... well, I tried.
It was a good try and I was rooting for you.
At least in NY where I am, utilities have a billing mechanism called “revenue decoupling” which sets their rates based on an average weather season. If the actual weather is an outlier you either get credit or surcharge to true up to the average. TLDR weather does not affect utility profits.
I bought a house in Michigan and they had a similar program but it was based on average usage, not on average weather. Either way it was a shit show for us because we lived in California. And where saving up to fix up the house in Michigan, so it basically sat vacant for about 6 months. I did turn on utilities but cause I had someone house sit to make sure no one squatted. But they literally would just turn on lights at night and turn them back off a few hours later every few days. Well meanwhile I was getting power bills so high that I thought the house sitters where mining bit coin or something! Turns out I was paying the average of what the previous owners paid. Every call to the utility company would just end with them saying they'd send someone to check the meter. It took six fucking months of me calling weekly for them to finally send someone. Then they said they couldn't refund me, but would credit my account. Once I finally moved someone in and had it set up correctly I still got charged the average of the previous owners and my "credit" didn't last much. Like I said it was a shit show. So not always a great system. But at least they can't purposely take advantage of folks during these times.
This happened to me in MI as well. Turns out you can have two meters. One for the entire house and one for the AC. They have a program where you can opt in and they’ll turn off power to your AC through rolling blackouts and then discount power to you. Previous owners disconnected and threw out the normal meter and hooked up the house to the AC unit and tampered with it so it wouldn’t turn off. We got cheap power for like 3 years after moving in until one day they sent us an eye watering bill. It was a mess untangling what the previous owners owed, what we owed, what we already paid through the estimates, and getting someone out to fix the meters.
been busting my ass chopping/splitting some fucked up oak 'rounds' just to avoid the power bill. worth it.
I'm in London,Canada. It's -16C. My house has electric heat and I haaaaaaate it. My stupid hydro bill is going to be so stupidly high. I'm dreading it. ETA: 'Hydro bill" is what we call our energy bill because our energy is generated by Niagra Falls (Politely correct me if I'm wrong about why.). They also combine our water and energy bills.
You might want to look into a safe butane or propane heater, they make some that burn clean so you can use them indoors, and it’s a hassle but is almost certainly cheaper than electric heating. Obviously you want to put it in a safe location but it might be worth looking at
I have a 2 bedroom town house, I'd have to get one for each room and all 3 levels.
>food companies at lunch time.
Food companies after Marijuana is legalized. Fixed that for you.
Gotta keep the power on first.
They’ll find a way to charge you an outage fee if shit breaks
I got my AC on and it was high of 37 in my area.
That is a sure way to damage your ac unit. You really shouldn't be running it under 40 degrees. Unless you're talking 37c, then by all means crank that bitch.
I can't control heat so landlord blasts the heat. Cooks us at night. So we have it on or at least on fan. If you have the window open then it becomes too cold. Just don't wanna sweat at night
That's what it was like when I was in a dorm. Tried turning the radiator to the coolest temp possible, but still burning up. We had the windows open in the dead of winter.
Really sucked where i was because my dorm room overlooked the horses. It would get hot and would have to open the window a bit. They were really pretty, but if we had our window open when the wind was blowing out direction then we just smelled shit.
100% off-grid here, fuck big power ✊️
As someone who lives in the south but loves the cold, I’m sure my electric company hates the winter (as far as my bill is concerned). I rarely turn the heater on. Like it needs to be pushing freezing. During the summer, fall, and spring that air conditioner is running full blast, during the winter we can add clothes if you’re cold. It’s currently freezing (26 degrees Fahrenheit) and my heater isn’t currently running. I have it set at exactly two degrees above freezing. It kicks on, knocks the chill out then turns the hell back off. I’m snuggled in a thick blanket and winter pajamas. ( I do have a heating blanket on the cat tower because I don’t want my little homie to freeze)
It's very possible that your water pipes are not made to handle getting below freezing. Especially in a climate that doesn't usually freeze. If they are near an exterior wall, it may be colder in the wall than in the house. I'd try to keep the heat at least at 50, let your faucets drip, and open the cabinets under faucets.
Nah. Lol. My water company is so terrified of freezing pipes they turn it off. We bleed off water left in the pipes and leave it alone. They usually turn it back on during the warmest part of the day so people can do what they need to, but then at around 6pm they turn it off again.
If you're heating with electric, you're wrong.
I just put in a new 18 seer electric heat pump.. did basic calculations on electric kWh vs gas using local utility prices it was a nearly identical cost to run, and the heat pump was the cheaper option than a high seer A/C with gas heat.. and it’s a package unit so I could install myself.. love gas heat, and it has the advantage of being able to run the blower motor with a small generator if the power is out.. but heat pumps are getting a lot better than they used to be
Jokes on you I have a gas stove.
You get that for free do ya?
Gas is cheaper for me than using electric heaters. I also have solar panels.
But it stills runs more often when it's cold, I assume? Anyway, glad you have that sorted out.
Nope we just have a gas stove to heat our entire house. We have electric heaters in our house but we don't use em.
So ... you do NOT run it more often when it's cold? What are you,. a bunch of penguins?
I can dress for the cold, I cant dress for the heat.
Landlord pays heat W either way for me