Surprisingly low energy bill

[MickinMD ★]

Before the fire, I'd have one month cool month in the late spring or summer when my gas & electric bill would be around $75, most warm months over $100.  Some years, the bill for January would be over $400.  My annual bill was between $2150 and $2378 for 2015-2019 and my budget was always to keep the avg. below $200/month.

Before the fire I had two first floor rooms with window air conditioners and I wondered how much central air was going to whack me, being hopeful because the house is now so quiet thanks to great insulation: there was falling-apart, cheap 1948 insulation in the upstairs ceiling back when we installed sheet rock and finished the 2nd floor back in the 60's.

So I air conditioned the whole house, 2nd floor, basement, and first floor including the enclosed back porch/sunroom and waited for the first full-month's bill.

I got it for an unusually hot end of June and most of July: $82.50 and it includes the last week the workers were burning electricity like crazy, running the refrigerator, and running the air conditioner to finish repairing my house.

So now I've shut off the vents for the air conditioning to the basement (always cool anyway) and will limit the 2nd floor air after I'm done showing off the house to family and friends in August.

I'm hopeful the annual bill will be more like $1800 or less now - 75% of my last full-year's bill.  Of course, an avg. $150/month is more than the avg. $60/month I was paying in the apartment, but I've got so much more room and comfort now - not to mention I don't have to use an elevator to get from the 3rd to the ground floor and back.

[Razors Edge ★]

18 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

Before the fire, I'd have one month cool month in the late spring or summer when my gas & electric bill would be around $75, most warm months over $100.  Some years, the bill for January would be over $400.  My annual bill was between $2150 and $2378 for 2015-2019 and my budget was always to keep the avg. below $200/month.

Before the fire I had two first floor rooms with window air conditioners and I wondered how much central air was going to whack me, being hopeful because the house is now so quiet thanks to great insulation: there was falling-apart, cheap 1948 insulation in the upstairs ceiling back when we installed sheet rock and finished the 2nd floor back in the 60's.

So I air conditioned the whole house, 2nd floor, basement, and first floor including the enclosed back porch/sunroom and waited for the first full-month's bill.

I got it for an unusually hot end of June and most of July: $82.50 and it includes the last week the workers were burning electricity like crazy, running the refrigerator, and running the air conditioner to finish repairing my house.

So now I've shut off the vents for the air conditioning to the basement (always cool anyway) and will limit the 2nd floor air after I'm done showing off the house to family and friends in August.

I'm hopeful the annual bill will be more like $1800 or less now - 75% of my last full-year's bill.  Of course, an avg. $150/month is more than the avg. $60/month I was paying in the apartment, but I've got so much more room and comfort now - not to mention I don't have to use an elevator to get from the 3rd to the ground floor and back.

AWESOME!

Modern energy efficient homes (and offices) are nice for the wallet.  You got a nice "upgrade" to your older home, so that will definitely pay off over time.