Heat and Gas bill during winter

Hi, we recently purchased our first brownstone and are in the process of remodeling. We are still in the first few phases so no one currently lives in the property and renovation/ demo will likely start in the Spring.

Now, I just received my first National Grid and almost off my chair. How do we keep costs at bay? It seems ridiculous to pay hundreds of dollars every month when no one lives in the property? Are we able to turn the heat and gas off since pipes will need to be replaced anyways, or will we risk water damage in the long run? OR is this just par for the course?

The property is over 100 years old and heat runs on old cast iron heaters. The one thermostat we’ve seen is an old Honeywell one with the adjustable knob……

Please, does anyone have advice on how we should handle this?

Much thanks!

david-lewis

in Heating and Cooling 7 years and 6 months ago

25

Please log in, in order to post replies!

25 replies

Newest Oldest

ellenlourie | 7 years and 6 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5101 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4909 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "209451"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(11) "ellenlourie"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BW7BCPC4MhhU4md6aHcLH/64c1GhM1/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(11) "ellenlourie"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(22) "ellen.lourie@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2024-06-29 12:47:36"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(11) "ellenlourie"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(209451)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Good heating system will keep gas bill around $200 a month in the winter.

eman134 | 7 years and 6 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5100 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5099 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "177006"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BaRrlDjFBcYAeDJ9.lwOTJ9pQC9nsT."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(23) "errol832000@hotmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(29) "http:///forums/users/eman134/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:25:55"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(177006)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

turn the thermostat down to 38 degrees

Master Plvmber | 7 years and 6 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5096 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5102 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "1447"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BSHLZQSJWUzjnaSv9fyWJpNYjwcz.u."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(24) "info@gatewayplumbing.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(30) "http://www.GatewayPlumbing.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2007-08-10 20:40:53"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(1447)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

You can winterize the building during renovation and ask your plumber/contractor to provide for a single active bathroom for workers’ use while the new pipes are going in. You can then shut your gas for the time being.

greenworks | 7 years and 6 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5101 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5103 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "193898"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "greenworks"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BvxiXeodyQysgcTYowSaAwPkHGvc1S0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "greenworks"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(38) "greenworksconstruction936962@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2024-02-23 12:31:20"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(61) "Your first name Your last name Your first name Your last name"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(193898)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(3) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Oh also even tho you’re gutting soon and probably don’t want to spend a ton of time sealing off every minor air infiltration point, in these old houses there are usually some big ole draft locations that could be easily plugged up. Might be worth it to locate the major draft spots and plug those up too.

greenworks | 7 years and 6 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5100 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5104 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "193898"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "greenworks"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BvxiXeodyQysgcTYowSaAwPkHGvc1S0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "greenworks"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(38) "greenworksconstruction936962@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2024-02-23 12:31:20"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(61) "Your first name Your last name Your first name Your last name"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(193898)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(3) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

We feel your pain. Tho we weren’t gut renoing, we too were SHOCKED at our first gas bill.

Don’t know about shutting gas off but we were able to install this awesome thermostat on our old two wire boiler https://www.amazon.com/ecobee4-Alexa-Enabled-Thermostat-Sensor-Amazon/dp/B06W2LQY6L/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1516449839&sr=1-1&keywords=ecobee4

You can adjust and monitor indoor temp remotely, and set schedule much like other smart thermostats. We have one earlier version but at the time we bought the system the capabilities and analytics were far superior to Nest or the smart Honeywell.

You can set this to around 60 or so and monitor temp from afar. It will send you an alert if temp gets below a temp you set. You can track when it fires and even get ratings on how efficient you are. We love it.