OT! Energy saving tips! Options

[Qarl]

Our electric bills are killing us.

It doesn't help that our house is ON 24 hours since we have nurses in the house taking care of Hunter, and they of course want to watch TV.

Background info...

Our house is 5,000 sq. feet, masonry, with tile roof, and reflective film on the main windows. It was built well, and insulated well (in the walls and with blown-in insulation in the attics). We have gas water heaters and cook with gas.

Our house has three ACs (due to size) and for our son's special needs.
We also have 4 refrigerators (one huge main fridge, one regular fridge in the pantry for sodas and pizza and misc. crap, a wine fridge, and a mini-fridge for Hunter's medications (in his bathroom)

This is what we've done over the past year to help curb the bills...

1. Main House AC is at 80 all the time
2. Hunter's AC is at 78 full-time
3. Third A/C (my bedroom) is at 80 in the daytime and 74 at night (when we sleep)
4. I replaced about 24 of our ceiling can lights with compact flourescent bulbs
5. I replaced our two nightstand bulbs with compact flourescents
6. I replaced the six bulbs in Hunter's bathrrom with compact flourescents.
7. Pool pump runs only 6 hours per day to circulate chlorine
8. Spa pump runs 2 hours per day
9. Front yard lights (low voltage) are on for about 2.5 hours.
10. A/C filters are changed regularly
11. Rear yard lights are not on at all
12. Only one light is on in the kitchen at night (for the nurses)
13. The rest of the house has "nightlights" which are LED nightlights
14. Adjusted the fridges to medium cooling setting (vs. max cool)
15. Ceiling fans run on slow to circulate air.

All this has been in place about a year with negligible results.

Our most recent bill... $1,183.00 WTF! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Our bill at this time last year (before changes wer made) was around $800.00.

That being said... I do know that the utility rates have gone up 22% in a year.

So today, we decided to add to the list...

1. Keep the blinds closed in our masterbedroom permanently (they are light-blocking, foil-lined horizontal blinds)
2. Disconnected the mini wine fridge
3. Turn off the three PCs and monitors in the house when not being used
4. Reduce the number of loads of laundry by 25% per week.
5. Search for a few more bulbs to swap out with compact flourescent

What else can we do, besides move?

I don't want to live in a cave. I want to be able to enjoy the house and watch TV and have it comfortable inside. It's kind of hard when it's 95 degrees out and 90% humidity!

Your suggestions of things to look for, adjust, turn off, is appreciated

Thanks!

[richardL]

As Jon mentioned we are waiting on the install of a 4.6KW solar system. There is a one time $2000 Federal Credit available and in CA at least there was a $2.80 per Watt credit on the system (which we qualified for, even though its now lapsed).

A big saving comes from switching to a 'Residential Time of Use' meter. This charges a lot more between 12Noon - 6pm. This is when the solar system generates most power, which we can offset or sell back to the utility at peak rate. Then when we are drawing on the grid, we get it at low rates. The prediction is that our average cost per KwH will drop from 21.3Cents to 5Cents, and our usage will drop in half, hence a payback of around 10years.

It might make sense to go to a RTOU rate, then run the pumps etc. over night rather than during the day. Also have the AC at much higher temps during the day, and the same at night (or obviously a little higher to save energy at night).

Good Luck, thats a high bill!

R