Utility Cost FAQ

Here in northern Delaware I just got this from power company.

These top categories made up $350 of your energy cost this bill Heating $243 Appliances $77 Water Heating $30

We are 100% electric with heat pump, 2 years old since oil furnace bit the dust. I set temps at 71 in winter and 75 summer. Power company sends notes in summer that I use 90% less than average but in winter note says 90% more.

Wife likes it warm and often runs space heater in her bedroom at night which is a chunk of the heating cost. House is 3,000 sq,ft. heated space.

Your temperatures are reasonable. When I was in CT, summer was 75, winter was 70, bedtime 66. For heat, we used 800 gallons of oil. Now it is in the $3 range. That did hot water too. 2200 sq ft.

This house is 1600 sq ft. well insulated.

I've become accustomed to the heat, age may be a factor too. I remember my wife's Uncle Pat sitting out on the porch on a 90 degree day wearing a sweater.

Looking at the forecast, I will probably turn some heat on middle of next week.

I agree age is a factor. I cannot tolerate hot and cold as much as when I was younger. I recall a long time ago, my first time in Florida around St. Petersburg, temperature was 70 and I was walking on the beach in a bathing suit and saw older residents in coats, hats and gloves.

OTOH I recall first time in LA hearing a waiter complain that temperature was going to drop to 50 degrees that evening but he was prepared with a down jacket.

Went to college in upstate NY. Normal winter evenings was 10-20 F, with a moderate breeze blowing off the lake which was just across the road from the main campus. When it warmed up to about 34-38, many of us went out without even a jacket and felt comfortable. That was more than

Can you break that down into price-per-kilowatt-hour and number of kilowatt-hours consumed?

Likewise for the CH4 - price per therm and number of therms consumed?

Makes it easier to compare with other states.

To carry it a bit further - for electricity - a breakdown of energy vs delivery. My current electricity bill < no pun intended > is $ 90. but when broken down it's energy = $ 47. delivery = $ 51. taxes = $ 16. minus $ 24. government handout /rebate. And that's CanuckBucks worth 73 cents USD at the moment. Heck - I pay nearly $ 120 for phone and internet - electricity is still a wonderful bargain ! John T.

Ooops, meant to do that.

Typical gas bill as follows

Customer Charge $19.10

Distribution Charge 6.2 THMS @ $0.55158 $3.42

PGA 6.2 THMS @ $0.60000 $3.72

Florida Gross Receipts Tax $0.39

Natural Gas Service Cost $26.63