Tell me if my heating/cooling/electric costs are low, high or middling
I own a 4-story 3500sqft brownstone. Just worked out my gas+electric (so that covers heating, cooling, hot water). It’s 12k for the last 12 months. Is this in line with everyone else? I keep the house at 69 in the winter, 72 in the summer.
I own a 4-story 3500sqft brownstone. Just worked out my gas+electric (so that covers heating, cooling, hot water). It’s 12k for the last 12 months. Is this in line with everyone else? I keep the house at 69 in the winter, 72 in the summer.
Also if it is an attached row house or open on one or both sides, that makes a huge difference.
I agree with poster above that a summer temp of 72 F. could be the cause of a big bill, especially given the long, hot summer of 2010. Do you have comp figures from previous years? We only have window ACs (not sure if yours is central) but rarely reduce the temp below 77 or 78 F.
It does sound high but it’s close to what we were paying before doing spray foam insulation in all the walls and ceilings. You may want to look at your appliances, including hotwater tank. If they’re more than ten years old, chances are you could benefit greatly from more efficient models.
I don’t know if anyone here has enough information from your post to actually make a comparison.
Is your heating powered by electric or gas? If electric, there’s your high cost.
If gas, is your furnace old, or a fairly new, more efficient, model? Can make a difference, I think.
As to hot water – gas or electric? How many people live there? Lots of laundry being done frequently, or less? Dryer – gas or electric?
If your numbers were normal, I would be out of business:-)
Very high. Semi-detached 4 3000 sq ft 4 story, gas 3200, triplex electricity 1400. Do you have central air?…from ‘keep it at 72’. That’s pretty cool and may be the cause of high electric bill.
Sounds very high to me. My cost for gas (heat, hot water, dryer, stove) with 11-year-old gas furnace was about $3500. Now, with new mod/con furnace, my gas is about $2100. Another $1500 for electricity before installation of solar panels. 4-story brownstone. Just had it packed with insulation in roof and window wells, but still leaky around front door.
You might want to have your meters checked to see that they’re running right. Then maybe get an energy inspection from National Grid and start replacing all your lightbulbs with CFLs (or better, since no mercury and last longer, LEDs). Definitely look into insulation, particularly your roof. You’ll get pay-back within a year, I would bet, with those kinds of costs.
Sounds high to me too. I’m just under 5 for both in a sieve-like 3-story.
sounds high. I would estimate 3-5K for heating and 2-3K for electricity.
of course if you have hydroponic on couple of floors, all bets are off. 🙂