Saving money on utility bills

[ziggy29]

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Originally Posted by Spanky My local electric utility company is offering a 15% discount if you agreed to let your air-conditioner to cycle off during peak-demand hours. Is that a good deal?

A 15% discount off of what? All electricity used?

Sure, that's a good deal if you don't need A/C when it's hottest outside.

You'd need to figure out how much that is in savings to you and decide if sweltering during the peak is worth it. It wouldn't for me, but your mileage may vary.

The best way we cut utility bills? Move. When we lived in Houston we had a 2200 square foot home (as small as they made 'em where we wanted to live near my work) and electric rates at 16 cents per kWh. Last year we moved to an 1100 sf home in a town which purchases wholesale power and distributes it for about 9 cents. Between a new, more efficient A/C unit, half the space to heat and much cheaper electric rates, our summer electric bills are about 1/3 of what they were in Houston (about $100 per month versus close to $300 on average).

[Zathras]

Spanky,
Depends on the execution of the plan.
We have a similar system. If we allow the energy company to cycle our AC during peak loads as well as our water heater (also electric) we get a discount.
In our case, we never notice the difference as they turn off the AC for 15 minutes every X amount of time. It may be per hour or per few hours. Check out the details.

[Spanky]

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Originally Posted by ziggy29 A 15% discount off of what? All electricity used? Sure, that's a good deal if you don't need A/C when it's hottest outside. You'd need to figure out how much that is in savings to you and decide if sweltering during the peak is worth it. It wouldn't for me, but your mileage may vary. The best way we cut utility bills? Move. When we lived in Houston we had a 2200 square foot home (as small as they made 'em where we wanted to live near my work) and electric rates at 16 cents per kWh. Last year we moved to an 1100 sf home in a town which purchases wholesale power and distributes it for about 9 cents. Between a new, more efficient A/C unit, half the space to heat and much cheaper electric rates, our summer electric bills are about 1/3 of what they were in Houston (about $100 per month versus close to $300 on average).

Yes, 15% off form the electricity bill in the summer months only.

Moving is definitely on my mind since the weather in the Midwest (Minnesota) is less than desirable. It's hard to find a place with desirable climate and yet affordable. Coastal cities in the West, such as San Diego, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco, have very mild climate but are so expensive to live there.

[nphx]

I live in AZ and we installed some split air units in the rooms we use most often. Instantly cool/heat a room to comfort when home - off otherwise (you wont convince me on numbers to keep it on all day) . Hardware on self install is inexpnesive from genieac.com but i would recommend having the freon piping done by a pro - i learned along the way and did some car ac work before.

[theoldwizard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spanky My local electric utility company is offering a 15% discount if you agreed to let your air-conditioner to cycle off during peak-demand hours. Is that a good deal?

It gets my vote. It is only a savings on the electricity on the A/C unit, so its not a huge savings, but every nickel counts. There is some extra wiring, but I don't think I was charged anything additional to install it.

In the 7-8 years I have had it, I can honestly say that I noticed my service was "interrupted" only a couple of times. I had to walk outside and check to see if the red light was on to be 100% certain !

Plus, it is one very, very small way of helping the environment !

[theoldwizard]

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Originally Posted by nphx I live in AZ and we installed some split air units in the rooms we use most often. Instantly cool/heat a room to comfort when home - off otherwise (you wont convince me on numbers to keep it on all day) .

Interesting !

I saw this type of system on "This old House" once. They are a good solution for Northern folks with hot water heat.

Are they common in AZ ? I thought most folks in that region used evap units ?

How is the cost of operation compared to what you had ?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Split air conditioning systems are pretty cool and pretty easy to install. Condenser unit the size of a small suitcase sits outside, small blower unit mounts to the wall inside, drill a 3" hole in the wall to pass the wire/refrigerant lines through, plug everything in and the system self-pressurizes...although some states require a licensed HVAC guy to check for leaks and pressure levels.

Some of them have multiple inside blowers all hung to the same compressor.

Problem with split-airs is that while they're more powerful than a window unit and a lot easier to install than central, they're still pretty expensive. A refurb system with about 12000btu's is around a thousand bucks and a new system with enough kick to cool a small house is closer to 2k.

Really nice option for folks who have central air and need a little 'help' in a hot part of the house or to support a room/area addition.

Also, just for the record, I HATE evaporative (swamp) coolers. I live in the perfect region for one and for low cost, minimal cooling...they're just okay but bring a lot of problems with them. Every house i've looked at that had a swamp cooler installed had mildew and mold issues, rusty ducts, some dry rot. You have to leave a couple of windows open to prevent over humidification of the interior air. And its only a 10-15 degree drop in temperature and thats if you're sitting close to the blower. Not that helpful when its 105 degrees out.

Compared to the super high efficiency air conditioners available today, i'm not sure the much narrowed cost savings is really worth the problems.

[USK Coastie]

One more thing about swamp coolers. They are a breeding ground for Legoinella disease. The bug likes 70-90 degree water and dirt. Both of which are found in large quanities in a swamp cooler. The only way I'd use one is with a chlorine puck from a swiming pool in the water basin. Of course then you get the fragrance of chlorine through your house.

[Martha]

We have no air conditioning in our home and we don't need it.

[theoldwizard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny Also, just for the record, I HATE evaporative (swamp) coolers. I live in the perfect region for one and for low cost, minimal cooling...they're just okay but bring a lot of problems with them. Every house i've looked at that had a swamp cooler installed had mildew and mold issues, rusty ducts, some dry rot. You have to leave a couple of windows open to prevent over humidification of the interior air. And its only a 10-15 degree drop in temperature and thats if you're sitting close to the blower. Not that helpful when its 105 degrees out.

WOW

Thanks for that info. I'll remember that if I ever move to a dry climate !

[TromboneAl]

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We have no air conditioning in our home and we don't need it.

I thought it got hot in Minnesota in the summer. Why don't you need AC?

I'm sitting here in front of a fire right now. It rarely gets above 60 degrees outside.

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if you agreed to let your air-conditioner to cycle off

So they put a radio-receiver on the power to your air conditioner, and cycle it on and off? Does the receiver verify that it is indeed turned off when they turn it off?

[rw86347]

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Originally Posted by theoldwizard WOW Thanks for that info. I'll remember that if I ever move to a dry climate !

We use a swamp cooler. It works great when it stays below 95. For us the month of July is a little painfull durring the day. But our nights are ussualy 70, which cools the house down to 60.

In Wyoming a swamp cooler was perfect day and night. In Colorado it is a little underpowered.

I find the humidity in the house to be Ohio like on a 70 degree day. I find it a little refreshing from the skin cracking dry colorado weather. I do give my guns an extra coat of oil durring the summer.

My year long total utility bills add up to $900/yr (heating, cooling, electric and gas)

[Martha]

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Originally Posted by TromboneAl I thought it got hot in Minnesota in the summer. Why don't you need AC?

We live by Lake Superior, a big natural air conditioner. It is about 50 degrees right now. For all I know, it could be 80 in Minneapolis.

[REWahoo]

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Originally Posted by Martha We live by Lake Superior, a big natural air conditioner. It is about 50 degrees right now. For all I know, it could be 80 in Minneapolis.

You guys need to move south...

[TromboneAl]

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Lake Superior, a big natural air conditioner

IC, same idea here. Average summer and winter temps differ by less than 10 degrees.

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by REWahoo You guys need to move south...

But no farther south than Oklahoma...

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by REWahoo You guys need to move south...

But no further south than Oklahoma...

[REWahoo]

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Originally Posted by HFWR But no further south than Oklahoma...

Actually, I was thinking Minneapolis...but no farther further more.

[Spanky]

Minneapolis does get hot and humid in the summer months. I can tolerate the heat but not the humidity. I know a few guys who actually would touch it up. They said they enjoy natural air instead of air-conditioned air.

[Zathras]

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Originally Posted by Martha We live by Lake Superior, a big natural air conditioner. It is about 50 degrees right now. For all I know, it could be 80 in Minneapolis.

Right on the mark Yes, large bodies of water are great temperature moderators.