Electric Rates

[Brookenstein]

This is probably slightly off topic, so Bill feel free to move to BS if you want.

I know from time to time we have discussions on what our tubs are running us a month to operate and then some of us then inquire to what the actual rates are that people pay....

Anyway, I had a very very high electric bill this month.  I called SoCal Edison to inquire about their level pay plan.  But the lady told me she didn't think I should do it.  Apparently rates are going up again on July 20th and she doesn't think the old $ based avg would come even close to covering it.  Our rates here are based on usage and we are always at the 300% of baseline... she told me that this time last year I paid .18 kwh and as of the 20th I will be paying .49 kwh.

She wasn't concerned by me having a hot tub and actually said my biggest culprit right now is the extra fridge and extra freezer we have sitting in the (hot) garage.

I'm expecting that my August bill that will have the new rate charge on it will cost me over $500/mo.  

Are any other parts of the country experiencing such dramatic increases in rates?  

[Wisoki]

Ahhhh, the joys of living in So Cal! Been there, done that, aint never goin back. 500 bucks a month for electricity! ? ! California isn't that damn pretty.

This is probably slightly off topic, so Bill feel free to move to BS if you want.

I know from time to time we have discussions on what our tubs are running us a month to operate and then some of us then inquire to what the actual rates are that people pay....

Anyway, I had a very very high electric bill this month.  I called SoCal Edison to inquire about their level pay plan.  But the lady told me she didn't think I should do it.  Apparently rates are going up again on July 20th and she doesn't think the old $ based avg would come even close to covering it.  Our rates here are based on usage and we are always at the 300% of baseline... she told me that this time last year I paid .18 kwh and as of the 20th I will be paying .49 kwh.

She wasn't concerned by me having a hot tub and actually said my biggest culprit right now is the extra fridge and extra freezer we have sitting in the (hot) garage.

I'm expecting that my August bill that will have the new rate charge on it will cost me over $500/mo.  

Are any other parts of the country experiencing such dramatic increases in rates?  

[galen]

Well, I think it boils down to California not wanting a new power plant in their state. Its more involved, but basically it was not in my backyard, kind of attitude.

[Cola]

Thing to do to help out.
Wash down the air conditioner condensor coil regularly.  Check for obstructions around the unit.
Replace (or clean) your conditioner filter regularly.
Pull the kick plate off the fridge and vacuum out the condensor coil.
Change all light bulbs to compact flourescent where possible.  Halogen and incandescent are inefficient.
Set the hot tub to run filter cycles between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM (NA for units with small filter pump).
Set your Air condition programmable T-stat to run cool between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM and about 4 or 5 degrees warmer during the day.  I set mine as follows
Wake   7:00 AM     77 deg F
Leave   6:00 PM     76 deg F
Return   8:00 PM    75 deg F
Sleep     9:00 PM    73 deg F  This is the final cool down at night and it allows the unit to pull the humidity out of the house.
Set your PC to hibernate - great feature
Do not run ceiling fans in every room (like my wife likes to do) except at night when people are actually sleeping in that room.
Draw the shades.
Steve

[Brookenstein]

Thanks for the ideas Steve.

We have a new AC unit and programmable thermostat.  I keep it programmed to 82 during the day and to 77 at 6pm when J gets homes.  If I am doing a lot of cleaning or something during the day I will lower the temp to 79.  The house is usually 78 when I wake in the morning.  On the rare days when it is cooler outside, I will open the doors and let the fresh air in until I notice the temp goes up instead of down.

Our tub has a 24 hr circ pump.  I may turn it to summer mode, so its only on 16 hours a day.

We have already switched out the lights where we can.

We don't have any ceiling fans.

I will vacuum the fridges, I'm sure that hasn't been done in the 2 years we've lived here.

[Spatech_tuo]

 my biggest culprit right now is the extra fridge and extra freezer we have sitting in the (hot) garage.

We don't have any ceiling fans.

Get rid of that extra fridge for sure!!!!!!!!!! I'd love a second one in the garage but the practical person inside resists. They're the silent killer.

Ceiling fans make a HUGE difference. Find a way to spring for one and you won't regret it. They're not that hard to install so even if you buy one and pay a handyman it won't be a major cost.

[Brookenstein]

The extra fridge is where we keep the soda and the milk, lol.

As for ceiling fans... our entire house is vaulted ceilings even the bedrooms, kitchen, etc.  We have no attic space to run the wiring.... so we would have to cut into the drywall both in the walls and the ceiling.  Not saying it couldn't be done, but it would be a major PITA to do.

[Spatech_tuo]

The extra fridge is where we keep the soda and the milk, lol.

As for ceiling fans... our entire house is vaulted ceilings even the bedrooms, kitchen, etc.  We have no attic space to run the wiring.... so we would have to cut into the drywall both in the walls and the ceiling.  Not saying it couldn't be done, but it would be a major PITA to do.

Our fridge is always full and we really could use that extra one. The reality is we got a new fridge 2 years ago and put old one in the garage and after 2 months we agreed that it was only holding the same type items you speak of so we agreed to get rid of it. The funny thing is my wife insisted on having that second fridge like everyone else despite my objections (sometimes I think she wants it because of my objections) and I went along very reluctantly but she saw the light herself quickly so I won the battle without having to go to war (of course I refrained from the "I told you so" or she'd have backtracked).

You don't have any overhead lights in those vaulted ceilings that you can convert into a light/fan? I simply took down the chandelier light and put in a fan/light.

[Brookenstein]

We've got one in the living/dining combo (and the kitchen), but they would be directly overhead the dinner table.  Plus I have a really cool light fixtures there.  There are no other overhead lights except in the bathroom.

I never noticed a difference with the extra fridge and freezer before, but it might be worth trying without them and seeing if it made a difference in our bill.

[Gomboman]

Brooke, we installed a Whole House fan last year. It's the best money we've ever spent.  We never have to run the AC  past 7:00 PM. You just open a couple of windows and turn it on when the outside temp becomes lower than the inside temp. The cooler air from outside is drawn inside and is exhausted out the attic vents. It really helps to cool the house by getting rid of the hot air in the attic.    
 
Here's a link:  
http://powerhousetv.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phtv_se_he_bu_000599.hcsp

[Brookenstein]

Gombo,

The last few weeks even after 10 pm it is still warmer outside than inside.  We only have a single story house, so we don't leave windows open at night.  Often times when I get up with one of the kids in the middle of the night I will open them up.  Typically I can cool the house 2-3 degrees before 6 am, but by 7am its more than 78 outside.

We have vaulted ceilings in the house and little to no attic, so I'm not sure how helpful a whole house fan would be.

I finally had the dry rot removed/repaired yesterday and that guy would charge a minimum of $300 to put in a ceiling fan.

[Gomboman]

Brooke,

Just be thankful you have a single story house. They are typically much cooler than a two story house.

Can you disconnet the refrigerator/freezer in the garage for a month to see if that is the culprit? My last electric bill was only $83.

[Brookenstein]

Mine was $342.

My last electric bill was only $83.

[Tatooed_Lady]

We've got a spare freezer in our basement, it's new, small-ish (maybe 11cu ft) and in the coolest area of the house. I doubt it's got much impact on our bill, plus we can buy more frozen goods when they're on sale. (For 3 people you'd THINK ONE fridge/freezer would be enough...but nooooooooooooooo)
My dad installed a whole house fan in the house I grew up in.  It ROCKED. Actually, now that the idea's brought back to light, I should find out how much it'd cost to have one installed.

[jgirvine]

We live in Texas, and believe me its hot.  But that said, I have installed an attic fan (whole house ventilator) in every house we have owned.  I grew up in a house built in 1911, that was the only cooling they had at all.  My bedroom at one time had been a screened room that every one slept in at night.  Once the house got a/c the room was redone to be a regular bedroom.  Attic fans are great here in the spring and fall.  Where it has cooled down in the evening outside, but the house and attic themselves are still hot.  Then we use the attic fan.  Makes a huge difference.  We had our burglar alarm setup so that we can raise all our windows 5 inches and still have the alarm on...that way it is not a safety issue.