Power Bill

[tbiddy]

So I just got the power bill. It’s $180 from Jan 20-Feb 17 which is about the same as last years bill. It said we used 360kWh from Jan 20-31 and we used 482kWH from Feb 1-17. But the thing is we were gone from Feb 5-17.

So how do I use more power in 16 days when 12 of those days there was nobody home? The furnace was set at 15 and all the lights were shut off. From Jan 20-31 we were home every day and 2 vehicles plugged in. And we used 100kWh more than the Dec 17-Jan 19 period and I was off work so we were home all day every day!

These were actual readings so it makes no sense to me!?!

[pittman]

Our electricity usage was up considerably in January as well.

Perhaps it was an adjustment for actual vs estimated costs? Sometimes they list this in the fine print.

[vinny]

Originally Posted by pittman

Our electricity usage was up considerably in January as well.

Perhaps it was an adjustment for actual vs estimated costs? Sometimes they list this in the fine print.

Most likely this. Depends on your provider whether you’re getting an actual read monthly, or an estimate in between. Then the correction will follow. Sometimes in your favour, sometimes the other way. All evens out in the end but sucks when you get the big bill.

[sureshot]

Mine was up by $40 also. $82 in usage and a $103 for delivery charges. It’s ridiculous.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tbiddy]

We are with Epcor and I looked back 12 months and it says all readings are actual. It is remotely read so I’m assuming it’s always an actual reading. It’s not really the size of the bill. It’s the usage that I’m questioning. It’s the fact we apparently used more power in 16 days than we did in 11. Those 16 days we were only home for 5 of them. The other 11 there was nobody at home. The only thing I can think of is that my truck was plugged in when we were gone and it was that really cold snap. Everything else was turned off.

[vinny]

I do know during that cold snap, I had my work truck plugged in all the time and my bill was larger than usual (including cold snaps). I have an in cab heater too, and they’re terribly inefficient. You can always call billing and ask them to explain. If it’s auto read then it’s not a reading error. Long story short-bring on spring warm weather!

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

The only thing I can think of is that my truck was plugged in when we were gone and it was that really cold snap. Everything else was turned off.

Block heaters are typically 750 watts. 24 hours a day for 12 days and that thing would eat up 216 KwH of electricity.

[waldedw]

Major cold snap in early Feb, furnace running steady

[Zip]

After reading some of these posts, I’m sure happy we are off grid and supply our own power,sewer,heat...no hidden or outrages fees for line, delivery,set up..all kinds of new names so they can add on more “service” charges..we decided to sell our farm 4 years ago..it’s been nice having 3 tiny homes that cost zero dollars when we lock up and go away...and if you do it right..20 acres is only $46.00 in tax’s every year...simple living but it makes a person work at it alittle bit..but I’ve got time so I don’t mind getting wood for heat any day that the weather permits..so heat is just basically chainsaw gas...whooo hooo.
This works for now..maybe in 10 more years I may need a home for the old and worn out..which I plan to be...I wanna use all the gas in my tank while I can..so ya, wore out is when I’ll make that move..
Zip

[tbiddy]

Originally Posted by waldedw

Major cold snap in early Feb, furnace running steady

We were gone so we had it set at 15 degrees 24/7 for two weeks.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

We were gone so we had it set at 15 degrees 24/7 for two weeks.

Really doesn't matter what the thermostat is set to if it's minus 30 out. The house will lose more heat than it normally would. Heat flows from hot to cold. Trying to keep a constant temperature. So when your outside temps drop you will use more heat trying to keep the same temperature.

Boil some water put it two different containers, equal amounts. Put one outside , leave one inside. Outside temp of minus 20 and inside 20. Wait 10 minutes and measure the temps of the water. The outside will have lost more heat due to it being in a colder environment.

At least this is kinda what I remember from high school physics 30 years ago. Add or remove heat.

[waldedw]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

We were gone so we had it set at 15 degrees 24/7 for two weeks.

The furnace will run just as much to maintain your house temp at 15 degrees as it will to maintain your house at 20 degrees, the only difference will be it won't cut in for the time it takes for the house to cool off from 20 degrees to 15 degrees after that there is no saving.

The colder it is outside the more the furnace runs no matter what the inside temp is set at as it has to maintain that inside thermostat temp.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

We were gone so we had it set at 15 degrees 24/7 for two weeks.

By dropping from 20 to 15 degrees when the average cooling temp is -40 your furnace will run approximately 8% less. Just supposing that your furnace was normally consuming 200 KwH in those conditions, you could expect to drop it to 184 KwH by turning the thermostat down. Pretty minor saving compared to a block heater running 24/7.

[tbiddy]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

Block heaters are typically 750 watts. 24 hours a day for 12 days and that thing would eat up 216 KwH of electricity.

Lesson learned. Leave the vehicles unplugged when we are not home. It was supposed to be a 3 day work trip but it turned into a 2 week project.

[58thecat]

hmmm maybe because it was cold outside and the furnace was bucking to keep the house at set temp

[cdmc]

430 bux was the last bill. Epcor south of Chip Lake.
8.5c KWH, 2500kwh in the period. Remote read. Two stock tanks and trucks plugged in steady over the cold snap.

[Sloughsharkjigger]

The cost for home energy (natural gas, power, water, sewer, etc) is ridiculous. I can see such things as air conditioning, yard lights, hot tubs, etc could be considered a luxury but heating and powering ones home in these northern climates is a basic necessity.

I’m sure someone is thinking how they can tax the air we breath... oh wait... that’s already here - I think they call it a carbon tax.

Including property tax, $700 to $900 a month for home ownership is really starting to water down the term mortgage free.

[tbiddy]

It’s not the cost. $150 for a month is fairly reasonable. I just questioned how in 17 days (home for 5, everybody gone for 12) I used more power than when I was home for 12 days. We actually used a 100kWH more from the Dec 17-Jan 17 period and we were home all day every day.

I guess that cold snap really played a huge part in things.

[CptnBlues63]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

We are with Epcor and I looked back 12 months and it says all readings are actual. It is remotely read so I’m assuming it’s always an actual reading. It’s not really the size of the bill. It’s the usage that I’m questioning. It’s the fact we apparently used more power in 16 days than we did in 11. Those 16 days we were only home for 5 of them. The other 11 there was nobody at home. The only thing I can think of is that my truck was plugged in when we were gone and it was that really cold snap. Everything else was turned off.

Or, maybe you have a neighbour who plugged into your house because they knew you were gone and wouldn't know and they'd save themselves some $$$ that way. Are you at odds with any neighbors? Have any neighbors you don't particularly like?

Just a thought.....

[mstefoniuk]

costing the home owner twice as much as they should...just ripping the people off again.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by mstefoniuk

costing the home owner twice as much as they should...just ripping the people off again.

Trulies has said numerous times people should not own homes in Canada, if he keeps adding taxes on taxes on taxes he will get his way eventually.

[roper1]

My power bill usually $180ish winter & summer. Run a couple small stock waterers in winter but no vehicle plug in. Electric irrigation motor in summer.
Jan '21 bill was $325. Ouch!

[Redneck 7]

My power bill this time of year is around the 180 dollar mark. Got my bull for March today and it’s sitting at 258.00. I’m quite torqued about this. I go to view my bill online and it just redirects me back to the log in.

I can’t wait to not have a power bill one day and be off grid.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by hogie

Really doesn't matter what the thermostat is set to if it's minus 30 out. The house will lose more heat than it normally would. Heat flows from hot to cold. Trying to keep a constant temperature. So when your outside temps drop you will use more heat trying to keep the same temperature.

Originally Posted by waldedw

The furnace will run just as much to maintain your house temp at 15 degrees as it will to maintain your house at 20 degrees, the only difference will be it won't cut in for the time it takes for the house to cool off from 20 degrees to 15 degrees after that there is no saving.

Originally Posted by FCLightning

By dropping from 20 to 15 degrees when the average cooling temp is -40 your furnace will run approximately 8% less. Just supposing that your furnace was normally consuming 200 KwH in those conditions, you could expect to drop it to 184 KwH by turning the thermostat down. Pretty minor saving compared to a block heater running 24/7.

^^^These guys know what they're talking about.

Originally Posted by tbiddy

Lesson learned. Leave the vehicles unplugged when we are not home. It was supposed to be a 3 day work trip but it turned into a 2 week project.

Consider purchasing a wifi smart plug for those applications.
Most you can schedule through an app and manually turn on and off through your phone.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Do not need any fancy electronics. Just buy a plug in timer for your block heater cord. Also the big block/diesels have high amp block heaters so watch how long you leave them drawing power 24/7.
Lastly throw away All the electric heaters you have scattered through your house, costs $$ way more than just turning up your natural gas furnace and leaving fan on circulation mode.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Lastly throw away All the electric heaters you have scattered through your house, costs $$ way more than just turning up your natural gas furnace and leaving fan on circulation mode.

At the current prices it is approximately 5x more expensive to heat with electricity as it is with Nat. Gas. In many cases it would be cheaper to heat the whole house to normal temperature than it would be to turn down the central heat and use electric space heaters in the rooms you are occupying.