My Heating Bill this month: $488.06

[Mike03]

This is the largest bill I have ever had. I'm at a loss for words. I have never, ever, in my life had a heating bill even close to this amount of money. My house is not big at all, it is cozy.

I tend to keep my thermostate set at sixty eight to seventy, mostly to try to prevent migraine headaches, that I get when the air temp is too cold. Imitrex, which is the drug that stops migraines, costs me about three hundred a month, so it seemed to be cheaper to keep the house warm.

Is keeping my house heating at seventy an extravagence? Maybe I need to keep things here colder and dress more warmly.

Any advice on how to cut my gas/heating costs? I don't even cook, really. My diet is mostly raw foods.

I'm about to give up. This is fucking ridiculous...

ON EDIT: My house is small and cheap. Propane heats my house.

[tekisui]

1. You must have a big or drafty house.

Try investing in better windows and better insulation. It saves money in the long run. That seems very high. I don't think 70 is excessive.

[Zynx]

2. Jesus. That's extreme.

Did you check to see if there was a meter error or anything like that? :-(

[Dawggie]

3. I keep my thermostat at 60 (F)

and wear sweaters.

I also use a space heater in the room I'm in rather than heating areas not in use.

Good luck!

[MichiganVote]

4. Wear a hat?

Seriously, do a complete inventory of air leaks in your house. Hire someone if needs be, check the efficiency of the furnace. Even door stops make a difference. Draperies, plastic on the windows, all can make a difference.

[karlrschneider]

5. That's for natural gas (methane)?

Wow, that seems awfully high.

[Uben]

6. Yikes!

My highest has been around $370 for a 4000 sq ft house, but only about 2000 ft are central heat and air, the rest i use window units and heaters if I need to use them. I keep my thermostat at about 70 and turn it down to 65-66 at night.

[MissB]

7. Keep your windows covered.

Use some of that plastic stuff on the windows- they sell those kits pretty cheaply at most hardware stores.

We keep our heat at 65 and throw on sweatshirts or sweaters. Plus, we can build a fire in the living room to offset some of the cool, and our firewood is free.

Most of the methods we use involve long term investments in our house- slowly replacing single paned windows with double paned ones and tearing out old lathe/plaster walls to insulate and sheetrock. We do it as we can afford it, so it ends up being about one room a year. However, even a little bit helps. Sealing around the windows makes a huge difference when installing windows. The old windows had absolutely no barriers under the trim pieces.

Your local energy company might do free energy audits and give free recommendations.

Sorry about the huge bill. Interesting about the migraines.

[knitter4democracy]

8. Same as a knitting friend of mine.

She put in a pellet stove. Two hundred dollars to heat the main floor of her house to more than comfy (at least seventy) for the whole winter.

[wuushew]

9. Do you have a programable thermostat?

That can save a ton of money and often you can get them very cheap after promotions or vouchers.

[gaspee]

10. 60

Is where I keep mine. At night, down to 55.

I can't afford to keep it any higher.

[tabasco]

18. That's a healthy temperature for winter time anyway.

I have become accustomed to feeling pretty comfortable at 50 degrees.

Of course, that's when it's time to light the stove.

[gaspee]

20. I wear longjohns

And I work outside at night, so I'm pretty acclimated

[dysfunctional press]

39. 62

but- it's set for 58 overnight, and goes up to 68 just before we get up, then down to 62 an hour and a half after that- then back to 58 at bedtime.

i also keep a fire going in the fireplace much of the time.

[gg55]

11. You don't say where you are located

so in general here is what i have done in below freezing temps:

Put 6 mil clear plastic on the outside of your windows, making sure all crevices are covered.

Close off extra all extra rooms in the house you aren't currently working or sleeping in.

Put towels rolled up along the base of the doors to stop drafts.

Do you have an alternative heat source such as a wood stove?

Turn off all electronics from the wall when not in use to prevent ghost energy from being used.

Fuel and food costs are getting more outrageous everywhere. Best wishes, gg

[CountAllVotes]

12. a few tips

I replaced some of my light bulbs (like the ones that are on all night) with LED bulbs. It helps.

I turn the heat OFF when I go to bed at night. I have several very warm blankets on my bed (wool) and also I have an electric blanket if it gets really cold.

I wear a lot of clothing to stay warm.

It is also wise to keep your feet warm as if they get cold, so does the rest of you.

That is an outrageous bill and I would contact your power company and ask them why it went up so much. Maybe there is something wrong with your meter? I would definitely call and have them check into this!

[shaniqua6392]

13. Are you losing heat somewhere?

Maybe some plastic on windows/door walls, etc. Get a programmable thermostat to lower the temp at certain points during the day and night. I did that and it has saved money for sure. I have a 7 day one so I can do each day differently. I have a 1,700 sq. ft. house and I keep it around 68 on average. My bill (natural gas) has been around $175.00 for the past few cold months. I am so sorry about that high bill. I wish I was rich. I could just cut checks for people. But, alas, I am not! LOL!

[TygrBright]

14. Get an energy audit!

Your power company can refer you to the source; some power companies offer it as a service to subscribers. It will check your home to identify places where you can save money. Even if you are a renter, there may be things you can do (or nag your landlord into doing,) like replacing old weatherstripping, caulking, getting your furnace serviced, etc.

Other than that, check the Frugal & Energy Efficient Living forum here on DU for some topics that may be of interest. A couple of things that come to mind quickly are:

Close off the heat registers/radiators/etc. in areas of your house that you don't use, and close those doors, also close shades/curtains or anything that might limit heat loss in those areas.

Install insulating shades or curtains in the areas of the house that you do use to minimize heat loss.

Turn the thermostat way down and get a safe, inexpensive portable heater or two to warm the areas you live in the most.

Drink hot liquids, move around a lot, and take hot baths or showers to keep your core body temperature elevated, as well as wearing extra layers of clothing.

I'm sorry about the rude, awful shock. I've been there.

helpfully,
Bright

[Kittycat]

15. I know it's probably not cost effective for you right now, but..

When we built a couple years ago, we put extra insulation in the attic, insulated garage door, and put in a High Efficiency furnace. Our gas bill last month (although a mild month by Chicago standards) was $130. Our neighbors were closer to $225. The worst month here, was December 2 years ago - our Bill didn't hit $200, but our neighbors were $375-450. We had no idea that our furnace would make such a difference for us, but it has. We keep our thermostat between 65-68 (programmed to change at certain times of day/night).

[rubberducky]

16. I changed my windows this year and my bills really show it.

I bought the cheapest windows that home depot had, but the difference in bills is really unbelievable. The color on the inside leaves a lot to be desired, I bought the basic windows. But the savings has really surprised me.

[tabasco]

17. I was forced to get a wood stove.

I can't afford those kind of bills.

I'm lucky to have some trees on my lot that needed cut down.

[wuushew]

19. Can you get a different form of heat?

Financing a natural gas furnace against your annual propane costs might be an advisable investment.

Is your water heater also propane?

[lonestarnot]

21. Shit dude.

You better put on more clothes and turn down the cozy.

[fed-up]

22. no heat here-prefer internet-I heat my rice sock in microwave and lay on lap/feet for warmth nt

[Mike03]

23. I'm so tired of getting screwed. Sometimes it's hard to even put it into words.

[NNN0LHI]

24. What kink of shape are your windows and doors / storm doors in?

And how much insulation do you have in your attic and in your walls?

This is the key to everything.

I was getting heating and cooling bills like you are getting now 5 years ago before the rate increases. My furnace used to run constantly in the winter and the air conditioner would run constantly in the summer. Now they hardly ever come on even with extreme outside temperatures.

I bit the bullet and remodeled this house for efficiency 4 years ago with windows, doors and more insulation. I have not had a heating or cooling bill above $200 per month since then even with the huge rate increases. I keep my house at 72 degrees and now heat my attached two-car garage (which I did not do before remodeling) at 62 degrees.

Call some contractors and get some estimates would be my advice. Thats what I did and I am glad I did.

Don

[Der Blaue Engel]

25. That happened to me several years ago

Came as quite a shock after moving into an apartment with electric heaters instead of gas.

I was able to negotiate with the electric company to pay the bill off over three or four months, which made it a bit less painful.

Sorry I don't have a solution for reducing costs. My solution at the time was to freeze. x(

[Blue Diadem]

26. There are small electric heaters that I've heard good things about.

Econo-heat I think is the name. They only use 400watts in comparison to many heaters that use 1000 or more. They're a somewhat permanent fixture..as they hang on the wall and plug in. Some people at DU have bought them and written about it here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=353x279


We use the oil filled electric radiators here. You can set them on lower temps and they can be moved from room to room. I think they run at 600/900/1500watts. We run them on the lowest wattage to warm up our bedrooms. They do a good job without running up too much of the electric bill.

Also, what kind of windows do you have? If they're drafty, try putting up that plastic window film that uses double sided tape and a hair dryer to shrink it down. It's inexpensive, easy to do and really does keep the drafts out. Check into thermal backed drapes, they can help to block out the cold air. Double check your doors to see if the seals are worn down, they can be replaced pretty easily. Door sweeps can be added to the bottom of doors as well.

[Blue Diadem]

30. Something I forgot to ask..do they fill up your tank monthly or

did they miss a month? My daughter was just telling me that propane is incredibly expensive and depending on the company, billing can be for monthly fill ups, whenever the company wishes to fill it up(that's what they had) or that some companies have a pay what you actually use plan. She had it at the house she and her ex used to live in. She suggested checking if they have a budget plan..but not all propane companies may have them available.

Are there other propane companies you could use?

[IDemo]

42. I've written about them as well

http://www.epinions.com/content_234200141444

They simply do not function as advertised. You are better off with an oil-filled electric radiator like this:

[Captain Angry]

27. I don't believe you.

You must be heating your house by burning Fabergé Eggs or something in a solid gold fireplace.

I am of course kidding. That's scary as hell. Hopefully it warms up soon for you so you don't have to go without heat or money.

Wow.

[Zywiec]

28. My gas company offers a budget plan

where they charge the same amount all year round. They average the whole year. That way in July when you're not using gas, you are paying part of January.

[izzybeans]

29. Do you have a gas leak outside of your home?

[Jed Dilligan]

31. That's more than I spend on rent!

Have you considered using space heaters to heat only the part of the house you are using at any given time?

Is something keeping you at home? You can also spend more time out in public, heated places like malls or libraries.

I find that when I get cold at home (where I work), bundling up and taking a walk takes the chill right off. Don't know if that would help your migraines, but I imagine there is some relation to your circulatory system.

[madokie]

32. Thats more than we spend all winter on wood pellets

we are heating a 1200 ft house on two tons of wood pellets per year at a total cost of 210 bucks a ton. If you could see your way to purchase one it will pay for itself in a couple winters alone. We've been heating with pellets for 16 years now and keep our thermostat set at 74 degrees as we find it so much more comfortable. Northeast Ok is where we are located to give you some kind of idea as to what the weather is like here.

[wuushew]

33. buy an additional thermal insulating blanket for the water heater

what is the volume of your tank?

[cushla_machree]

34. Mines 300

300 bucks for a small, two bedroom apartment! We are getting inspection officials to come in a look at our place...i have a sneaking suspicion something is up in our apartment complex..like we are also heating the basement or something...

[malta blue]

35. That was my heat bill last month. I haven't been able to

pay it yet.

I have an older home, but it is well insulated.

My thermostats are set to 63.

My hole is getting deeper and deeper.... :(

[cloudythescribbler]

36. I live in a small house too, had $2000+ insulation installed -- bills now OVER $488!

natural gas prices here in MA are a sick joke

[wuushew]

37. kick

:kick:

[dysfunctional press]

38. just don't start bad mouthing sweet lady propane...

i'd hate to have to come out of this computer and kick your ass...i'll tell you what.

[Irishonly]

40. Oh My

My husband and I are both disabled and our daughter suffers from migraines. We live in southern CA and we dress like we live in the midwest or east.

I couldn't tell where you live. Have you tried weather stripping around your windows and doors? When I was a kid my mom to save money on heating costs would hang blankets over doors and sometimes hall ways. We turn the heat down to 55 at night but there have been nights the furnace has turned on.

I drink a lot of hot tea. It seems to help with keeping the kitchen a little warmer and drinking it keeps me warmer.

[onecitizen]

41. at least you have heat....

3 years ago my natural gas pipeline broke.Gas company says it is my responsibility to get it fixed. Lowest estimate being 3 thousand bucks. I do not have that so I've learned to live without a warm abode. I do have a kerosene heater that does a good job and I dress warmly and I had my water pipes wrapped. So far so good. Kerosene is even expensive this year though. I'm looking into some sort of electric heat for next year if I can get the money together. Get some warm socks and gloves and maybe a kerosene heater and pray for an early spring!