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January 2, 2008
Price-Check on Gas Bill
We are renovating a four story brownstone and are living in the garden level ONLY. We have a gas powered hot water heater and a gas boiler and an electric stove. We have three radiators in the garden level, and have three radiators in the rest of the house (one per floor above us) and use hot water for all for the basic things. Our last Keyspan bill was $184. This month’s bill was $440. Is $440 a normal bill for such a light load? I am scared to thin how high it will be once we install all of the heating upstairs! Second question- We are a one family, but Keysp is billing us as a three family—which is cheaper?
Comments
It's actually low for cold months. Think more in the area of $800/mo during the winter. I do the balanced payment plan, have two hot water heaters, a boiler for hot water radiators (many more radiators in the 4 stories than you), new windows, not too bad from an insulation point of view. We keep the house pretty warm though during the day. I do balanced billing ($320/month last year and I was spot on at the end of the year, Keyspan owed me about $4). I'm doing $330/month this year. We have tenants in the ground floor and use the top 3 floors (2 adults and a toddler...)
Posted by: guest at January 2, 2008 12:38 PM
There could be a number of things influencing your bill. FWIW, my gas bill in December (for December AND November) was about $460, and that's for heat to a four story brownstown, and hot water for the upper triplex. During periods of really cold weather, I've paid up to about $800 in a month. Is your gas burner old and inefficient? How warm to you keep your house? (We set our thermostat at about 65). Do you have significant heat loss from old windows? (Ours are ugly but not too old.) I understand you aren't intentionally heating the upstairs, but heat rises, so, maybe its going there anyway. You can do an energy audit - or at least I think you can - but I don't know how. I'd be interested if others do....
Posted by: guest at January 2, 2008 1:09 PM
Another thing, double check your bill, was it an actual meter reading or an estimated reading? It might be a high estimate, considering they think that you are heating a whole three family house. If its an estimate, take your bill down to the meter and check the actual reading against the one on your bill. There is always the chance they read the meter wrong. If it is incorrect, you can call them and they will adjust.
Posted by: rjlovie at January 4, 2008 10:31 AM
check the math on 1-2 dollars per sq ft annually
Posted by: brownstone89 at March 20, 2008 5:59 AM
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