my eletric bill - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

pattycakes · 02-24-2005, 07:57 PM

I moved in with my cousin about a month or so ago, and we got the eletric bill this month. It was 175.00 now granted we have eletric heat i would expect it to be high... but we ony keep the heat at 40 or 55 if someone gets to cold.

what is everyones avg eletric bill. I live in pennsylvania, i know bills varry from provider to provider but 175 feels like they are ripping me off. for having heat at 45 or so and 1tv on for most of the month

greeneyes · 02-24-2005, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattycakes

I moved in with my cousin about a month or so ago, and we got the eletric bill this month. It was 175.00 now granted we have eletric heat i would expect it to be high... but we ony keep the heat at 40 or 55 if someone gets to cold.

what is everyones avg eletric bill. I live in pennsylvania, i know bills varry from provider to provider but 175 feels like they are ripping me off. for having heat at 45 or so and 1tv on for most of the month

You keep it at 45? Yikes! I complain when the boy drops it below 68!

I live in Charlotte and we keep the heat at around 70-68, everything is electric, including our stove and we just got our first bill. It was $90-something so maybe you should contact your energy provider?

shakran · 02-24-2005, 09:19 PM

i agree. . that's crazy high for not running much heat. . . . i wonder if someone's pirating your power.

thatoneguy · 02-24-2005, 09:39 PM

Yeah, I think no matter where you live that's going to be high... either something's wrong with your billing or someone else is using your power somehow... SOMETHING has to be wrong to have that high of a bill for not using basically any heat. Mine are higher right now because of the heat, but nothing compared to that.

Konichiwaneko · 02-24-2005, 11:38 PM

$92, I live alone in the house and have most of the lights with energy effecient bulbs so I'm kinda surprised it's that high.

cyrnel · 02-25-2005, 12:05 AM

How many KWH for $175? Do they give you last year's consumption?

What kind of electric heat? Baseboard? Ceiling? Little space heaters?

pattycakes · 02-25-2005, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyrnel

How many KWH for $175? Do they give you last year's consumption?

What kind of electric heat? Baseboard? Ceiling? Little space heaters?

it is baseboard heat, and the kwat an hr was a lil lower than last year, but my cousin said his bill was crazy high last winter im going to watch the meter... i dont know if it is even turned on. maybe they are basing it off one years high usage and just charging it because its paid.... or maybe whoever wired this place wired other apartments to ours... that would be so dumb

pattycakes · 02-25-2005, 12:53 PM

the whole reason we had the heat so low was to try and see what is up with our bill. the next step is contact the eletric company and if they arnt charging to much then i guess disconnect all of our eletric... i dont know if our meter even works... i should go check that

veruca · 02-25-2005, 12:55 PM

that quite a bit high...I would call the electric company and have them send someone out to check your box ..here in florida they do an energy check..and they see how much air you are losing at your windows and stuff. maybe your heat is leaking out under the doors and windows? and it is constantly having to heat...

pattycakes · 02-25-2005, 01:05 PM

so i checked the eletric box... and none of them have any turning dials.... now i havent looked at it since i was a little kid wondering who this strange person was that was looking at this strange object... but i seem to rember something turning

none of the other apartments are turning either

veruca · 02-25-2005, 01:20 PM

isn't that illeagal then?

pattycakes · 02-25-2005, 01:43 PM

i dont know but i sure as heck am going to find out. i would like to know why it is so high. I am going to contact the eletric company tommrow.

vanblah · 02-25-2005, 02:16 PM

Hmmm. If your meter is NOT moving then there is no electricity. Electric companies are notorious for "estimating" usage. They check our meter around here only every three months or so. They just send a bill based on our average monthly usage.

Sometimes we get lucky ... they overestimate and we have a low utility bill month.

Most of the houses where I live have gas heat ... we're getting killed this winter. You don't even want to know what my last bill was ... and we're conservative around our house.

ryfo · 02-25-2005, 02:53 PM

get the company to come out and explain how the meter works and how they arrive at the billing figure. If the figure is right at least then you will be able to keep track of your usage and not have a surprise bill at the end of the billing cycle

Grasshopper Green · 02-25-2005, 04:12 PM

We have gas heat too and it's been a horrible winter as far as the bill goes. My electric bill isn't too bad, about 40 a month. Is the place your at well insulated? My mom's place has no insulation and her bill is outrageous every month.

crewsor · 02-25-2005, 04:36 PM

How big is your apt. or house? If its a big older place it could be energy inefficient. Your power may be going out the doors and windows. The best way to determine whats going on would be to contact your energy supplier and ask how to read your meter, so you can monitor your usage. Some energy suppliers will even come to your place and do an energy audit free of charge to help you conserve. It wouldn't hurt to check. I pay about 200.00 per month for my gas and elec. combined in a fairly efficient Ranch home in winter months.

jorgelito · 02-25-2005, 07:22 PM

Do you have a lot of computers that are always on? The guy at the electric co told me that sucks up a lot more juice than you think (incl Energy Saver). There are many ways to lose electricity. EX: Electric clocks, leaving lights on, electronics on standby, an aquarium, cordless phones in every room, etc.

Sugar&Spice · 02-25-2005, 09:23 PM

So far this year, the highest our electric bill has been was $40.00. And that was when it was 3 degrees. We usually keep it about 65-70 degrees when we are up and about and at night down to 60.

pattycakes · 02-25-2005, 09:24 PM

It is a 2bedroom apt, and the electric is only set really to keep it warm enough so the pipes dont freeze. as for my meter...lol nothing on that is spinning nor is it for any of the other apts in my i guess converted house to apts.

i just brought my computer over after that last bill. but 1 computer would in no way cause that high of a bill. maybe it i had 4-6 of them and left them on all the time with nothing else on

shakran · 02-25-2005, 09:42 PM

well the bottom line is that if your meter is not spinning then 1) someone is breaking the law by disconnecting the meter and 2) your power company is just making shit up.

I'll be interested to see how you get to the bottom of this.

MXL · 02-26-2005, 05:54 AM

If the electric company cannot see your meter because it is your house and you are not home, they will estimate your consumption, based on previous comsumption and average temperatures. So if you kept the usage down, and they didn't see the meter, they just assume the usual rate of comsumption. Look closely at the bill, It will say something about estimated readings.

pattycakes · 02-26-2005, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MXL

If the electric company cannot see your meter because it is your house and you are not home, they will estimate your consumption, based on previous comsumption and average temperatures. So if you kept the usage down, and they didn't see the meter, they just assume the usual rate of comsumption. Look closely at the bill, It will say something about estimated readings.

mine is outside the building as witht the rest of the buildings

02-24-2005, 07:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
pattycakes Insane Location: bangor pa	my eletric bill I moved in with my cousin about a month or so ago, and we got the eletric bill this month. It was 175.00 now granted we have eletric heat i would expect it to be high... but we ony keep the heat at 40 or 55 if someone gets to cold. what is everyones avg eletric bill. I live in pennsylvania, i know bills varry from provider to provider but 175 feels like they are ripping me off. for having heat at 45 or so and 1tv on for most of the month

02-24-2005, 11:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
Konichiwaneko The Dreaded Pixel Nazi Location: Inside my camera	$92, I live alone in the house and have most of the lights with energy effecient bulbs so I'm kinda surprised it's that high. __________________ Hesitate. Pull me in. Breath on breath. Skin on skin. Loving deep. Falling fast. All right here. Let this last. Here with our lips locked tight. Baby the time is right for us... to forget about us.

02-25-2005, 12:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
veruca Psycho Location: 4 privet drive	that quite a bit high...I would call the electric company and have them send someone out to check your box ..here in florida they do an energy check..and they see how much air you are losing at your windows and stuff. maybe your heat is leaking out under the doors and windows? and it is constantly having to heat... __________________ How you turned my world, you precious thing You starve and near exhaust me Everything I've done, I've done for you I move the stars for no one

02-25-2005, 01:20 PM	#11 (permalink)
veruca Psycho Location: 4 privet drive	isn't that illeagal then? __________________ How you turned my world, you precious thing You starve and near exhaust me Everything I've done, I've done for you I move the stars for no one

02-25-2005, 04:12 PM	#15 (permalink)
Grasshopper Green ...is a comical chap Location: Where morons reign supreme	We have gas heat too and it's been a horrible winter as far as the bill goes. My electric bill isn't too bad, about 40 a month. Is the place your at well insulated? My mom's place has no insulation and her bill is outrageous every month. __________________ "They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king" Formerly Medusa

02-24-2005, 09:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	i agree. . that's crazy high for not running much heat. . . . i wonder if someone's pirating your power.

02-24-2005, 09:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
thatoneguy Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	Yeah, I think no matter where you live that's going to be high... either something's wrong with your billing or someone else is using your power somehow... SOMETHING has to be wrong to have that high of a bill for not using basically any heat. Mine are higher right now because of the heat, but nothing compared to that.

02-25-2005, 12:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	How many KWH for $175? Do they give you last year's consumption? What kind of electric heat? Baseboard? Ceiling? Little space heaters?

02-25-2005, 12:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
pattycakes Insane Location: bangor pa	the whole reason we had the heat so low was to try and see what is up with our bill. the next step is contact the eletric company and if they arnt charging to much then i guess disconnect all of our eletric... i dont know if our meter even works... i should go check that

02-25-2005, 01:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
pattycakes Insane Location: bangor pa	so i checked the eletric box... and none of them have any turning dials.... now i havent looked at it since i was a little kid wondering who this strange person was that was looking at this strange object... but i seem to rember something turning none of the other apartments are turning either

02-25-2005, 01:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
pattycakes Insane Location: bangor pa	i dont know but i sure as heck am going to find out. i would like to know why it is so high. I am going to contact the eletric company tommrow.

02-25-2005, 02:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
vanblah Junkie	Hmmm. If your meter is NOT moving then there is no electricity. Electric companies are notorious for "estimating" usage. They check our meter around here only every three months or so. They just send a bill based on our average monthly usage. Sometimes we get lucky ... they overestimate and we have a low utility bill month. Most of the houses where I live have gas heat ... we're getting killed this winter. You don't even want to know what my last bill was ... and we're conservative around our house.

02-25-2005, 02:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
ryfo Psycho Location: melbourne australia	get the company to come out and explain how the meter works and how they arrive at the billing figure. If the figure is right at least then you will be able to keep track of your usage and not have a surprise bill at the end of the billing cycle

02-25-2005, 04:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
crewsor Women want me. Men fear me. Location: Maryland,USA	How big is your apt. or house? If its a big older place it could be energy inefficient. Your power may be going out the doors and windows. The best way to determine whats going on would be to contact your energy supplier and ask how to read your meter, so you can monitor your usage. Some energy suppliers will even come to your place and do an energy audit free of charge to help you conserve. It wouldn't hurt to check. I pay about 200.00 per month for my gas and elec. combined in a fairly efficient Ranch home in winter months. __________________ We all have wings, some of us just don't know why.

02-25-2005, 07:22 PM	#17 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Do you have a lot of computers that are always on? The guy at the electric co told me that sucks up a lot more juice than you think (incl Energy Saver). There are many ways to lose electricity. EX: Electric clocks, leaving lights on, electronics on standby, an aquarium, cordless phones in every room, etc.

02-25-2005, 09:23 PM	#18 (permalink)
Sugar&Spice Psycho	So far this year, the highest our electric bill has been was $40.00. And that was when it was 3 degrees. We usually keep it about 65-70 degrees when we are up and about and at night down to 60. __________________ -Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

02-25-2005, 09:24 PM	#19 (permalink)
pattycakes Insane Location: bangor pa	It is a 2bedroom apt, and the electric is only set really to keep it warm enough so the pipes dont freeze. as for my meter...lol nothing on that is spinning nor is it for any of the other apts in my i guess converted house to apts. i just brought my computer over after that last bill. but 1 computer would in no way cause that high of a bill. maybe it i had 4-6 of them and left them on all the time with nothing else on

02-25-2005, 09:42 PM	#20 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	well the bottom line is that if your meter is not spinning then 1) someone is breaking the law by disconnecting the meter and 2) your power company is just making shit up. I'll be interested to see how you get to the bottom of this.

02-26-2005, 05:54 AM	#21 (permalink)
MXL Tilted Location: Maryland	If the electric company cannot see your meter because it is your house and you are not home, they will estimate your consumption, based on previous comsumption and average temperatures. So if you kept the usage down, and they didn't see the meter, they just assume the usual rate of comsumption. Look closely at the bill, It will say something about estimated readings.