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!

[Toast]

Turn off the celing fans. They use alot more energy than you think. Pluse the AC circulates the air when it comes on.
Or, you could find some type of cooling device just for Hunters room and where the nurses hang out and turn the AC off. Then you could run all the celing fans on High. That would be the most cost effective cut.
Yea, it sucks to live in heat, but I have been able to work, live, and drive a unconditioned 914 in 100+ weather (plus humidity) for years. Keep blinds closed everywhere. Open verticals (if you have blinds) just enough to let enough light in to see you you wont have to use the lights.

My employers installed "window tint" on their windows and it has make a drastic change in the heat level inside the house!! I don't know the exact cost, but I do not believe that it was an extreme amount of money to have that done. That way you wont have to run the AC so much.

Are your "nightlights" the ones that come on automaticaly when dark? There are some energy saving ones (green square) that acutally put off a good amount of light and use like 16 amps per year (not sure on the exact usage, but I have them and they work great!) Not sure what type of outside lights you are talking about (ground or on the house). Try installing solar lights outside. The ones that collect the sunlight durring the day then glow at night. They put off just enought light that you can see even when it is pitch black out and last until the wee hours of the morning.

Good luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)