Power bill

[Gadestroyer74]

You will want closed cell foam when spraying the under side of the roof.. everything in the walls can be open cell. Keep this in mind spend as much money as as you can afford and then spend alittle more. Get a high seer rated hvac and get double or triple pane windows if you can . Why ? Look at the temps and break down in ozone layers. You’re not building for tomorrow your building for the future. The climate is changing and it’s getting hotter. Plan for that now !

 

[Gbr5pb]

How did we old folks live without AC? Until moved into present house never had one. Of course that was 87

 

[Batjack]

How did we old folks live without AC? Until moved into present house never had one. Of course that was 87

My folks (born 1930 / 33, married '50) didn't have AC till '96 when I moved them in here with me (house built 1992) and me and "Daisey" started our "thermostat war" that ended in me buying a new heat pump upstairs and finishing 75% of the basement (100% climate controlled, only difference is instead of 2 extra bedrooms and bath I have garage and storage space). Only thing we share is the 80 gallon water (not hot water) heater.. basically 2 houses in one (4800 sq/ft total) with one being 95% underground. Total electric, my power bill was $217.00 last month and $186.00 in Dec. Thermostat upstairs stays (much to the itty bitty 90 year old's chagrin at 69* and my "cave / bunker" at 63*. Only ever turned the heat on down stairs 3 times since '96 for pre warm ups when predictions were for extended sub 20* with power outages and had to plan on moving "Daisey" into my living room that I could heat with my "little buddy" heater. IF we stay here gonna put in low - E windows (6 hours labor for me), storm doors (2 hours labor), and spray foam the attic (cousin owns inso. company and owes me BIG TIME) which should drop the power bill 20-30%.

 

[ryanh487]

Well, just got July's bill. $365 if it is power usage

 

[DannyW]

I'm embarrassed to say my electric bill is $351 on one of those same rate plans. Before I went to that type of billing, sometimes in the summer it would be $600-700.

 

[Core Lokt]

How did we old folks live without AC? Until moved into present house never had one. Of course that was 87

Go ahead and sell the AC then and be tough

Let us know how that works out especially with the Mrs...

 

[kmaxwell3]

Summer is between 350 to 500
Winter is 300 to 400.
House was built is 2000 and is all electric and two story. So we have two units. I keep the ac on 76 during day and 72 at night normally on the main floor. Upstairs unit stays on 76 all the time. In the winter I keep the heat on 68 and we use our propane fireplace which helps. Get shade about half the day. My wife is a stay at home mom and we home school. So some one is here all day. I need more insulation in my attic up stairs.

 

[BeerThirty]

The real question is: who are these sick people driving around in this heat with their windows DOWN?! I get it if the AC is broke and you need a breeze, but dang man!!

 

[SarahFair]

The real question is: who are these sick people driving around in this heat with their windows DOWN?! I get it if the AC is broke and you need a breeze, but dang man!!

Me, that person is me

 

[specialk]

total electric year round,... 4500sq ft... 2 people.....runs 200-250 yr round.. ...in jan when it was down to the zeros and colder it hit 497.00 had to use the heat strips....'86 built, we replaced all windows and cedar siding with hardy plank in 2010....

 

[sinclair1]

How did we old folks live without AC? Until moved into present house never had one. Of course that was 87

We didn’t have central air but had two window units and none in my room. I had a window fan. We didn’t have cable tv and my parents smoked in the house.

I have gotten soft and couldn’t go without A/C and would probably shoot someone if they smoked in my house

 

[mrs. hornet22]

Growing up we had 2 window units. One we didn't use unless company was there. Had an attic fan in the hall for the bedrooms. I loved that attic fan. I didn't have central air until a few years after H22 and I were married.

 

[Tight Lines]

You will want closed cell foam when spraying the under side of the roof.. everything in the walls can be open cell. Keep this in mind spend as much money as as you can afford and then spend alittle more. Get a high seer rated hvac and get double or triple pane windows if you can . Why ? Look at the temps and break down in ozone layers. You’re not building for tomorrow your building for the future. The climate is changing and it’s getting hotter. Plan for that now !

I would add, electronic thermostats, variable speed fan, and multi-stage compressors if you can swing it. It's all more cost up front, but cheaper in the long run for utilities.

 

[Gbr5pb]

Go ahead and sell the AC then and be tough

Let us know how that works out especially with the Mrs...

Storms last week had power out 3 days! Generator keeps refrigerator freezer lights and tv but not AC. A little warm before midnight and got to hear tree frogs crickets and hoot owls! Really makes you appreciate it when it comes back on

 

[au7126]

2200 sq ft built in 2018. 4 side brick no shade trees. Ga Power is $152 per month last year and same this one.

 

[specialk]

my grannys house had 2 window mounted fans....one in the kitchen blowing in and one in the living room blowing out....keep a breeze moving on hot days.....

 

[Deerhead]

Storms last week had power out 3 days! Generator keeps refrigerator freezer lights and tv but not AC. A little warm before midnight and got to hear tree frogs crickets and hoot owls! Really makes you appreciate it when it comes back on

If we loose power I put a small window unit in my bedroom and connect to my generator. I need...the wife needs to be cool at night to sleep.

 

[K80Shooter]

Mine stays between 135 and 200 year round.

I didn't know what a/c was while growing up and the only fan was in my parents room.

I got married in 1974 and we still didn't have a/c in our rental home. We built our home in 1985 or 86, but didn't install the heat pump till about 1990, the wife and kids helped me install it. It ran real good till 2006 then I let someone else install the new one as I was working in Atlanta at the time.

 

[livinoutdoors]

The real question is: who are these sick people driving around in this heat with their windows DOWN?! I get it if the AC is broke and you need a breeze, but dang man!!

The folks that have to work out in the heat every day and dont wanna have to keep goin back n forth tween temps?

 

[livinoutdoors]

Yall do know folks still work outside doncha?