Natural Gas (Meter Reading 101)

[Guest]

I read somewhere that the cost of natural gas was going up....
I intentionally took measures to decrease my use last month...
I didn't turn the forced air furnace on at all last month. (Used propane to heat the place)
I opened the PG&E bill today to see how good I did...
I was blown away...
BTW- I really watched the electricity too, making sure that I didn't leave lights on and such.
I did great on the electricity... $16.38
But on the natural gas, even taking measures to limit use... $209.88
(That's just for hot water and cooking folks)
I turned the hot water heater down today too...
Anyone else get a shocking gas bill?

[BufordT]

No on gas here but you could save a bunch of mony going with a tankless water heater. More cost up front but you'd save about 70% on your gas bill.

Bufordt

[asianflava]

I read somewhere that the cost of natural gas was going up....

I've heard up to a 50% increase

But on the natural gas, even taking measures to limit use... $209.88
(That's just for hot water and cooking folks)

Holy Cow! I just checked my wife's ledger and we paid just under $29 for gas and $139 for electric. We still have the A/C on, as a matter of fact it just now cycled off.

No on gas here but you could save a bunch of mony going with a tankless water heater. More cost up front but you'd save about 70% on your gas bill.

Bufordt

Hey Buford, what about those gas pipelines that run between I-95 and Babcock St? Maybe you can tap in and send some to Dean? One of the guys I camped/fished with last month is a building supervisor. He was talking like On Demand water heaters were the best thing since sliced bread.

[DestinDave]

Both of the homes I lived in when I was stationed in Scotland had on-demand gas water heaters. This was 1975 to 1978! When I returned to the States and built a home I wanted one but no one, and I mean NO ONE had ever heard of such a thing. They are great!!

[Denny Unfried]

Dean,

Have you considered shutting off the gas and moving into the tear. $219 would buy a lot of propane. It looks more like a yearly bill at least for my area.

Really, that's outrageous. My last gas bill was $17.79 with the water heater and dryer running on natural gas. My neighbor has a hot tub heated with gas and his bill is also way the heck up there.

Denny

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

$209.88 for cooking and hot water!

I think you are cooking too much.

We are on propane and $250 will last us about 8-9 months.

Another option (if you do not want to go tank less) is to use solar water heating. It may not raise the water temp enough to use by itself but the water heater will not have to work so hard. Also wrap (if you haven't done that) your tank it will help retain the heat.
Tank less is the way to go, they have been using them in Europe for decades. You are only heating the water you use 1 time.

[Arne]

When I checked into tankless (on demand) water heaters, it didn't look like they saved as much as I thought they would (they used about 80% of a plain vanilla water heater). I do like that the supply would be endless. But, we opted for a $200 heater, instead of a 500 dollar tankless.
----------

on propane, we locked in a price of 2.08/gallon 1 week before katrina hit.

[Rob]

We have a tankless water heater and love it. We're both at work right now and no water is being heated. I guess it depends on your type of use. The water is only heated when you actually need it and turn on the faucet. When we decided to get one I did the research as to the make and model. Then started calling plumbers. Most said they never heard of it. A couple had heard of tankless water heaters, but had never seen one. I then called the company to ask who installs them in this area. They didn't have a name, but gave me the name of the local distributer. I called them. They said, "Well, I'll tell you who installed mine." That was good enough for me. We've had it about five years and have been happy. It did cost more up front, but our gas bill went down immediately. It also takes up almost no space in the utility room. If I ever need to buy another water heater it will be tankless.

Rob

[BufordT]

I've been doing a lot of research on tankless water heaters, solar power, bio diesel, etc. All of these are the way to go. Problem with solar is it cost so much to get installed and running. The rest are mainly not good for the American economy. Less taxes. That's the biggest reason the government doesn't want you to conserve on electric, gas, etc. Cost them too much in taxes. Filling up your car cost 40.00 evey week. Thats 10.00 or so in taxes. If you fill up your car every month for 40.00 you pay less taxes.

Same with gas for house and electric for house. The more you use the more taxes you give to the state.

My next water heater will be tankless and I'm doing the research now for using solar for pumping water from the well.

Bufordt

[Guy]

Hey Dino, buy one of those Coleman water heaters you were admiring at the Redwoods. Use it inside just for the winter season and it will pay for itself and save you from investing in a tankless system this year. Then you will have it for the new tear and decide later after this oil crisis abates.

Also for everyone, check out the new energy bill signed into law before the hurricanes. Some of those new systems have tax credits that if nyou buy them before December 31 you can deduct a healthy portion of the cost. And that is only on the federal level. There a many staes and localities that have great tax credits for installing some of the lower cost systems.

[Guest]

I'm going to dig up some old statements and take a look at amounts used on other bills.
I'm begining to wonder if they might have made a mistake...

Guy,
That would sure be a good way to get the Coleman to pay for itself...
Tell Yaa what... I'll physc myself up to say goodbye to those long steaming hot showers and let you convince my kids it's a good idea.
BTW- I don't have one of those restricted flow shower heads, that hit your body with those tiny pin prick streams of water... Mine is what I'd call a gusher. (More physcing up to do...)

[Guy]

Dino, now we know why the bill is so high.

[Chip]

I just went to the equal payment plan on gas and electric,,, The power folks say its gonna be 64.00 a month for the average payment plan,, the Gas folks say about 80 to 85 bucks a month based on the esculated cost of gas vers what I used last year and the estimated cost increase of the product,,, Piedmont Natural Gas estimated my gas bill during winters colder months could easily top $300.00. thats just for heat and hot water and I have over a third of my house closed off.. guess I can get use to the 145.00 a month even in the spring and fall as long as I dont have a 300 or 400.00 gas bill come thru

chipper

[Sonetpro]

Bought Propane during summer. 500 gal tank usually lasts a year. But electric is another thing. Last month $90, This month $96 plus $90 fuel surcharge.

[TonyCooper]

Here in rural NC, we are generally electric and propane. I have both in my house. A heat pump for the upstairs bonus room, and central AC and gas propane furnace for heat for the rest of the house. We bought the house 3 years ago and immediately noticed rather high propane bills in the winter.... with an energy efficient home and a central heating unit that is 97% efficient! The heating unit is so effective that the heater outlet is made from PVC pipe and exits out the side of the house just above the foundation instead of the roof! The air exiting the exhaust is just slightly warm on a cold winter day!

Anyway, one month the bill hit over $500! 2.50 / gallon! They typically come out once a month during winter and top off the tank. And this was 2 years ago! What I found was that we were being charged a surcharge for the in ground tank of $.75 - $.85 per gallon of propane. And we could only fill the tank from the "owner" of it. No price shopping!

I promptly called the propane company and asked them to remove their tank from my property... They dug it up and after a few calculations I replaced it (300 gallon) with a 1000 gallon tank. I now monitor the propane spot market and fill the tank once a year at the lowest possible price I can find... usually in mid summer). The tank paid for itself the first year or ownership.

The last time I filled it up it cost me $1.25 / gallon due to quantity purchased and several other discounts. Approximately $1000 ($83/month) annually now for hot water and heat. I ended up cutting my gas bill by 65% annually.

I have enough propane to get me through the current price spike and high costs of winter heating. I'll need to fill up in May or June of next year.

We use less than 5% of our tank capacity for 9 months (hot water only) and the rest during winter.