Call your utility company, most of them will give you a free home energy check. http://www.progress-energy.com/custservice/carres/index.asp My house is 1400 square feet; I keep the thermostat on 68 during the day and 62 at night, and use my dryer during the winter months. My bill this month was $132, and that includes $8 for green power.
Same here.......................your house is a bit bigger than mine I think. DH works from home some days and we have way too many electronic things on. All those appliances with clocks, battery packs etc. suck electricity even when you aren't using them. I'm making a concerted effort to find those in my house and unplug 'em! Also, having your heat pumps serviced can help. I've got to have mine done soon.
I just recently moved and had issues with my heat pump. The heating guy came out here and said the most efficient way to run a heat pump is to keep it on 67 and leave it. Also, I have a dual zone pump for upstairs and he said to set it two degrees cooler up there since heat will rise from the downstairs. FYI...
I have a programmable thermostat that Progress Energy installed as part of a study. I have the temperature step up in the morning, instead of going up 6 degrees at once, so the emergency heat doesn't usually come on. I know if there's a lot of difference between the temp the thermostat is set for and the actual temp in the house, that will cause the heat strips to come on and cancel out any savings from having the temp lower at night.
for those of you who are always cold it could be cause of blood pressure medication. a lot of people i know were not cold all the time til they started that. and the bills will be higher for the people who keep adjusting the thermostat, if you have to turn it up do it a degree at a time. my friend in pa called me and it was 28 below!
Ususally the biggest issue would be whether there are any gaps in the inuslation/integrity of the house. Weatherstripping in a few places can make a big difference. For just the HVAC system, the sizing may not be sufficient especially if there was an addition. That can cause the system to work longer and harder using more energy.
I also have replaced all the light bulbs in my house to CFL's. And I use the micowave alot instead of turning on the stove or oven. Oh, and My blood pressure is 110 over 65 so I am not on blood pressure medicine. Just always COLD.
My wife has very low blood pressure, which the automatic cuffs in the hospital can only read sometimes. She is also always cold and in addition has had RA since the birth of our first child. The thermostat is at 74 for her and she has a nice spot in front of the fireplace for reading. Her studio upstairs also has a supplemental heater for her comfort.
No RA here, but maybe low blood pressure could be the COLD culprit. But I would rather have this low blood pressure than high blood pressure. My doctor doesn't mind as long as it doesn't go too low, then there will be a problem. Thank You for the comforting reply. I am NOT alone then.
Who is your electric company? Your bills sounds reasonable for all the house you heat. You know that the 2 refridgerators and freezer take a lot of power especially if they are older models and if they are in an unconditioned space Do you have a dual system? Our heat pumps are Trane and we have not had the emergency heat kick on with our thermostat set at 73 and the house stays comfortable enough to wear a tee shirt most days. We also have our units checked at least once a year by HVAC to be sure they have enough refrigerant etc. I also know that moist air feels warmer than dry air. So when it's really cold if you can raise the humidity in the house you'll feel warmer at a lower temp. And the opposite is true in the Summer months. Sometimes changing the fan speed (fastest in winter) (slowest in summer) can make a big difference. And using your ceiling fans in the Winter can also help. Many of our neighbors have vaulted ceilings and they have been having trouble keeping their homes warm/cool depending on the weather, are your ceilings vaulted?
