How to save money on electricity

[MotorHead]

Electric rates are high because crooked electric and gas companies charge three to four times as more for delivery then supply.

Next time take a look at your bill. Delivery charges will have things like, transmission, transition, CEO needs a new car fees.
If you get a bill for $150, I can guarantee you 80% would be transmission and 20% supply.

We lose power every time the wind blows. That is the cherry on top.

[dickiej]

We're out on the Columbia River....hydro and wind supply all our electricity....the Bonneville Dam can supply 186,000 homes! Our electric bills are ridiculously low compared to when we lived in Massachusetts....

[MotorHead]

Good for you.. I am glad that your electric bill is lower in
"Portland, Vancouver, Longview, Tri-Cities, Revelstoke"

I am in Laconia and I pay ridiculous Eversource rates.

[Woody38]

Yes, electric rates are high. We have a Dyson Heat+cool in all three of our homes. Just recently got the one in Massachusetts and used it twice. Located in the kitchen so the temp was 66 degrees in the family room during breakfast. After using only the Dyson, the temp in the family room was 68, the ceiling is two story there and the dining room was 68 also. Great little heater and will find out if it saves any electric (hopefully).

__________________________________


I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Good for you.. I am glad that your electric bill is lower in
"Portland, Vancouver, Longview, Tri-Cities, Revelstoke"

I am in Laconia and I pay ridiculous Eversource rates.

The best way to offset that is to own Eversource stock or some other electric utility. They are pretty steady and usually pay a substantial dividend. Everyone needs electricity. It's right up there with food, clothing, and shelter.
They do exceptionally well when interest rates are low, like now.
I've owned Eversource since it was Boston Edison, almost 40 years.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

The best way to offset that is to own Eversource stock or some other electric utility. They are pretty steady and usually pay a substantial dividend. Everyone needs electricity. It's right up there with food, clothing, and shelter.
They do exceptionally well when interest rates are low, like now.
I've owned Eversource since it was Boston Edison, almost 40 years.

Hahahaha! Never thought about that!

We pay $260/mth. year-round for our 2,200 ft² home that's all electric with central AC. We've considered changing energy sources, and we really should in terms of overall costs, but the initial outlay and potential issues have prevented us from doing so.

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[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Hahahaha! Never thought about that!

We pay $260/mth. year-round for our 2,200 ft² home that's all electric with central AC. We've considered changing energy sources, and we really should in terms of overall costs, but the initial outlay and potential issues have prevented us from doing so.

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Are you implying your cooling bill is $260/ month in July and August and $260 / month in January and February for heating with Electric heat?
You must have SUPER high efficiency units.

[FlyingScot]

Best way to stick it to your local electric company is to buy solar. You cut their revenue, they are forced to buy your excess juice in the summer, and--ON TOP OF THAT--they pay you cash (in Mass) for your generation through the SMART program.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Are you implying your cooling bill is $260/ month in July and August and $260 / month in January and February for heating with Electric heat?
You must have SUPER high efficiency units.

No, the "budget" system splits our total estimated charges into twelve. Our total electric bill for the year is ~$3,100.

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[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

No, the "budget" system splits our total estimated charges into twelve. Our total electric bill for the year is ~$3,100.

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...and your heating with electric!!?? You have nothing to complain about at that price!! You must have a super energy efficient home!!

Dan

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

...and your heating with electric!!?? You have nothing to complain about at that price!! You must have a super energy efficient home!!

Dan

Honestly, I've only ever had my parents", which was the same size, house to compare with. Their NG + electric, in northern MA, was ~$220/mth. so our electric was high but not high enough to change and lose what we see as electric heat benefits.


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[TiltonBB]

About four years ago I put a Mitsubishi split system in a one bedroom condo in the Weirs Beach area that I built to rent, and eventually sell. It has high ceilings and a loft over the bedroom. I was concerned that the Mitsubishi unit would not be sufficient if there was a stretch of below 0 weather so I also put baseboard electric in the living room, bathroom, and bedroom, each with their own thermostat.

After the first winter I questioned the tenant about how often he used the baseboard heaters and he said "never, I don't even know if they work". I asked about his electric bill and he said the highest monthly bill was in the $90's even during the winter. That is heat, electric hot water, electric washer/dryer and light. It doesn't get much better. It is on the market now and the new owner will be shocked when he sees how low the electric bill is.

[WinnisquamZ]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

About four years ago I put a Mitsubishi split system in a one bedroom condo in the Weirs Beach area that I built to rent, and eventually sell. It has high ceilings and a loft over the bedroom. I was concerned that the Mitsubishi unit would not be sufficient if there was a stretch of below 0 weather so I also put baseboard electric in the living room, bathroom, and bedroom, each with their own thermostat.

After the first winter I questioned the tenant about how often he used the baseboard heaters and he said "never, I don't even know if they work". I asked about his electric bill and he said the highest monthly bill was in the $90's even during the winter. That is heat, electric hot water, electric washer/dryer and light. It doesn't get much better. It is on the market now and the new owner will be shocked when he sees how low the electric bill is.

Agree. Have a four head heat/ac unit. No time during the winter did it not push heat. A plus is the air is not as dry as the baseboard heat. Also, the electric co came out this past spring to replace my meter thinking it was faulty due to the reduced bills


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[8gv]

After 26 years of living in a house with electric resistance baseboard heat and window a/c, we sold and moved to our current home which has propane heat and traditional central a/c.

The house was harder to sell and in my estimation we took a $15k-$20k price hit when selling due to the electric heat.

Last fall I had a Mitsubishi mini split system installed in our cottage.

It is extremely quiet inside and out and cools well.

The extra bonus is it's heating capability.

An electrician friend once told me that using the mini split system to heat was much cheaper than my electric baseboards but I was skeptical.

After seeing my cottage electric bill go down I am a believer!

Had I purchased a similar system for my previous residence the cost would have been recovered at the sale and I would have enjoyed many years of quiet, cheaper, comfort.

"A good idea, when executed sooner, becomes a better idea" is advice I often give.

I wish I had listened to my friend.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by 8gv

After 26 years of living in a house with electric resistance baseboard heat and window a/c, we sold and moved to our current home which has propane heat and traditional central a/c.

The house was harder to sell and in my estimation we took a $15k-$20k price hit when selling due to the electric heat.

Last fall I had a Mitsubishi mini split system installed in our cottage.

It is extremely quiet inside and out and cools well.

The extra bonus is it's heating capability.

An electrician friend once told me that using the mini split system to heat was much cheaper than my electric baseboards but I was skeptical.

After seeing my cottage electric bill go down I am a believer!

Had I purchased a similar system for my previous residence the cost would have been recovered at the sale and I would have enjoyed many years of quiet, cheaper, comfort.

"A good idea, when executed sooner, becomes a better idea" is advice I often give.

I wish I had listened to my friend.

I think your point on resale value with mini splits is so true and often missed when deciding if upfront costs for the units are worth it. Most look for payback in electricity savings only and never factor in resale value. Great point!!

Dan

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by 8gv

After 26 years of living in a house with electric resistance baseboard heat and window a/c, we sold and moved to our current home which has propane heat and traditional central a/c.

The house was harder to sell and in my estimation we took a $15k-$20k price hit when selling due to the electric heat.

Last fall I had a Mitsubishi mini split system installed in our cottage.

It is extremely quiet inside and out and cools well.

The extra bonus is it's heating capability.

An electrician friend once told me that using the mini split system to heat was much cheaper than my electric baseboards but I was skeptical.

After seeing my cottage electric bill go down I am a believer!

Had I purchased a similar system for my previous residence the cost would have been recovered at the sale and I would have enjoyed many years of quiet, cheaper, comfort.

"A good idea, when executed sooner, becomes a better idea" is advice I often give.

I wish I had listened to my friend.

We've been in our home for 13 years and have done nothing for the electric baseboard other than install smart thermostats. If we took a $15k hit in resale, I think it would easily be comparable to what it would have cost to replace/maintain/repair a NG/LP system. My parents paid a couple hundred bucks every year or two for maintenance and something like $10k to replace their furnace. In 13 years, I've spent $600 TOTAL other than electricity. And with very little chance of change, we could get another 20 years for free.

I know electric baseboard isn't the best, but when everything is considered—speed, flexibility, noise, air movement/hot spots, maintenance costs, etc. it's close enough that we've never jumped.


Does anyone know of less expensive monitoring systems? This thread has me thinking of all the little things I have plugged in all the time, like my weed whacker battery charger, 12V chargers, etc.

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[Biggd]

The home I bought 6 years ago in Meredith has oil fired hot water/baseboard heat but I saw remnants of electric baseboard in all the rooms. The house was built in the late 80's when heating bills were high.
I was told by the realtor that the previous owner had to put in a "real" heating system when he went to refinance as electric baseboard heat didn't qualify as a "real" heating system?
Anyway, after I bought the place I replace the boiler and had an electrician come out and look at all the electrical. He found that the wires to the electric baseboards, which were just cut off at the floor, were still live 230V.
I'm still considering adding mini splits for AC and added back up for heat but right now it's pretty cheap to heat with oil.

[fatlazyless]

For a second source of heat, go check out the Rinnai direct vent propane, hot air space heaters ...... maybe $3000, installed by Dead River or Amerigas, plus you get a q-tank and a propane contract.

The Rinnai direct vent propane make excellent quality hot air heat, will go for like 20-years with no service needed, are good looking appliances in beige or white, will make strong hot heat starting in three minutes times, and will turn itself back on when the electricity goes out and then comes back on, an hour later or whenever the power comes back on.

[MotorHead]

I was not going to chime in but now I HAVE TO.

Fours years ago, at the suggestion of the “expert” (expert my A$$) we had Rinnai combi boiler installed.

Does it work – YES
Does it provide heat and hot water – YES and YES
Does it fit in a small closet – YES
Was the instillation a huge hassle – YES
Is it energy efficient – OH YES, YES.
Was it costly – OH YES. You need all kinds of special vents, drains, air flows, switches etc. etc.

Do we like it – NO, I HATE THE DAMN thing. It breaks every 6 months or so.
Last repair was to replace the switch that switches between heat and hot water. Before that some gasket started leaking, the whole thing had to be taken apart and cleaned.

Thankfully, I was able to sue Rinnai and they refunded me every single penny.

Now it is under Eastern propane contract costing me app. $275 a year. Includes yearly cleaning and all labor and parts for the year.
Would I get another one, NO WAY.

Go get a BURNHAM. You can not go wrong with it.
Last one lasted me 35 years with no issues, no service calls.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

I was not going to chime in but now I HAVE TO.

Fours years ago, at the suggestion of the “expert” (expert my A$$) we had Rinnai combi boiler installed.

Does it work – YES
Does it provide heat and hot water – YES and YES
Does it fit in a small closet – YES
Was the instillation a huge hassle – YES
Is it energy efficient – OH YES, YES.
Was it costly – OH YES. You need all kinds of special vents, drains, air flows, switches etc. etc.

Do we like it – NO, I HATE THE DAMN thing. It breaks every 6 months or so.
Last repair was to replace the switch that switches between heat and hot water. Before that some gasket started leaking, the whole thing had to be taken apart and cleaned.

Thankfully, I was able to sue Rinnai and they refunded me every single penny.

Now it is under Eastern propane contract costing me app. $275 a year. Includes yearly cleaning and all labor and parts for the year.
Would I get another one, NO WAY.

Go get a BURNHAM. You can not go wrong with it.
Last one lasted me 35 years with no issues, no service calls.

I've heard that same complaint from friends that have installed those new systems, not just Rinnai but other brands also.
They are more efficient than the old tried and true cast iron boiler but require a lot more service and not as dependable.

[Biggd]

No comparison, a mini split will heat and cool at with much more efficiency.

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

For a second source of heat, go check out the Rinnai direct vent propane, hot air space heaters ...... maybe $3000, installed by Dead River or Amerigas, plus you get a q-tank and a propane contract.

The Rinnai direct vent propane make excellent quality hot air heat, will go for like 20-years with no service needed, are good looking appliances in beige or white, will make strong hot heat starting in three minutes times, and will turn itself back on when the electricity goes out and then comes back on, an hour later or whenever the power comes back on.

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[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

For a second source of heat, go check out the Rinnai direct vent propane, hot air space heaters ...... maybe $3000, installed by Dead River or Amerigas, plus you get a q-tank and a propane contract.

The Rinnai direct vent propane make excellent quality hot air heat, will go for like 20-years with no service needed, are good looking appliances in beige or white, will make strong hot heat starting in three minutes times, and will turn itself back on when the electricity goes out and then comes back on, an hour later or whenever the power comes back on.

It costs more like 7k, when all the bells and whistles are done.
Rinni manual shows, service is NEEDED every two years. That is more like every year.

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Honestly, I've only ever had my parents", which was the same size, house to compare with. Their NG + electric, in northern MA, was ~$220/mth. so our electric was high but not high enough to change and lose what we see as electric heat benefits.


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...what are your average annual charges for the period December through March?

[4 for Boating]

We have had one of the Sense monitors for over 2 years now.
Great product and with the SW tools included does help understand what is really going on with power draw. Also no monthly fees...

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by 4 for Boating

We have had one of the Sense monitors for over 2 years now.
Great product and with the SW tools included does help understand what is really going on with power draw. Also no monthly fees...

I think your response is the only one on topic of using something like a Sense to manage your usage.

I kinda got hooked on monitoring usage when we got Solar down in MA (I didn't want to go over what we produced).

I hope to install Solar in NH some day.

[fatlazyless]

Lowering your home electricity use by lowering the outdoor hot tub down to 102, or turning off the kitchen lights seems to make a small difference in monthly cost but not all that much.

A lot of the monthly bill is baked into the monthly billing recipe and doesn't increase or decease very much depending on the volume of your electricity use. The electric bill has something like nine different categories of different fees that get totaled up.

Isn't this correct ...... ?

Meanwhile ..... my NHEC service is extremely reliable, hardly ever goes out, and when it does due to a big wind or something, it always comes back on in one or two hours. The Electric Co-Op has a service facility with a number of utility trucks on Rt-25 in Meredith ...... that is always ready to get going and go hit that outage repair. The service is very, very reliable.

What comes with the monthly electric bill is electricity reliability and safety ..... absolutely never-ever a destructive power surge, here. The electric service is so reliable that it is amazingly 99.88% reliable and my place still uses the vintage-1950, 60-amp service with two big, fat 30-amp cartridge fuses and glass screw-in plug fuses. Viva ye olde 1950 fuse panel ....... ....... same old electric panel which was used by Elvis and Ann Margaret in Viva Las Vegas ....... now, that's reliability ....... so's you can go Viva Las Electricity while you is hula-hoop'n ...... down on the dock!

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by Biggd

The best way to offset that is to own Eversource stock or some other electric utility. They are pretty steady and usually pay a substantial dividend. Everyone needs electricity. It's right up there with food, clothing, and shelter.
They do exceptionally well when interest rates are low, like now.
I've owned Eversource since it was Boston Edison, almost 40 years.

Yes, good move.

For others out there: Have you ever heard of a Utility that doesn't generate money year and after year?

Yes, they are regulated, but they they are regulated to make money to keep them in business......

[MotorHead]

Rates were much cheaper before the split?
The supply rates stayed pretty steady year after year, transmission rates went thru the roof.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by TheTimeTraveler

Yes, good move.

For others out there: Have you ever heard of a Utility that doesn't generate money year and after year?

Yes, they are regulated, but they they are regulated to make money to keep them in business......

And if you have Eversource and go with one of those other cut rate electric companies they have to pay Eversource to deliver that electricity through their lines. So they still make money on delivery charges.