People struggle to pay heating bills in sub-zero temperatures

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Or maybe it should be entitled The High Cost of Being Green.

When the utility companies told us over the years, as we threw ever increasing environmental standards at them, prices would rise...we got what we asked for. We voted for politicians that were OK enacting laws that would necessarily cause electrical rates to sky rocket.

Yeah, I know that part of the high cost of fuel are because of growing affluence of the Far East, etc. But to a large extent, to avoid global warming, many shiver in their houses because they can't afford to pay their heating bills.

People struggle to pay heating bills in sub-zero temperatures - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

 

[PistolBob]

Coal baby....coal. It's cheap, we have about 300 years worth, and it makes sense.

 

[Mgderf]

I think it's just another example of market manipulation by speculators and price gouging.
There is plenty of propane supply, but not the means to distribute it?
Please.

 

[Snapdragon]

One thing that helps at our house is closing the vents in the spare bedroom and keeping the door to that room closed. Also, the patio doors in back are not well-insulated at all. I tacked up an old comforter over them and it helps a lot.

A small hint that helps a little? Immediately after using the oven or dishwasher, I leave them open to let the heat escape into the kitchen.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

$450? Really? Does she live in a 5,000 sq ft home with half the windows open and heated by a 1960's furnace? I'm in Indianapolis as well, my thermostat is set to 70, and my gas bill is always under $120 except the February bill, which is always under $180. Natural gas prices have gone down thanks to fracking. I pay less now than I did in 2006.

 

[traderdan]

Those who do not contribute, in our society are not paying their own energy bills...It does not matter to them.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

$450? Really? Does she live in a 5,000 sq ft home with half the windows open and heated by a 1960's furnace? I'm in Indianapolis as well, my thermostat is set to 70, and my gas bill is always under $120 except the February bill, which is always under $180. Natural gas prices have gone down thanks to fracking. I pay less now than I did in 2006.

I wish that would happen to electrical rates. But modern, low green house gas emitting, dual fuel, generating plants don't come cheap.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I have known people in Evansville to have gas and electric bills pushing 8-900 bucks for one month, they rent older homes and had no idea the prices would be that high come winter. I have had mine reach $300 easily during this kind of weather

 

[Twangbanger]

I'm shocked, Fearin'/Totin'...why, this almost makes you sound like you don't believe in clean, affordable, safe, fair energy for everyone, which creates jobs and makes America the leader in the Energy Revolution of Tomorrow?

Geez...the cynicism of some people...


The ugly truth of this matter is, if it weren't for private-land gas fracking which lies relatively outside the tentacles of the Obama Administration's policies, currently many more of those "poor, downtrodden" individuals they profess to care so much about would have to be making a choice between heating their home adequately, and buying more Alpo.

It wasn't an act of deliberate compassion for them to allow this fracking to happen; it was simply a regulatory "blind spot" which they could not adequately control to their wishes.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I'm shocked, Fearin'/Totin'...why, this almost makes you sound like you don't support clean, affordable, safe, fair energy for everyone, which creates jobs and makes America the leader in the Energy Revolution of Tomorrow?

Geez...the cynicism of some people...

I. am. Mr. Cynical.

 

[Snapdragon]

Some of it depends on insulation and furnace efficiency also. My previous home was a 996-sq-ft ranch. I did not waste energy (turned lights and TV's off, kept thermostat low, etc.). My winter gas/electric bills were $400/mo. I'm in a house twice as big now and my bills are about $225.

 

[-Jake-]

I think ours this month was around $140

 

[danimal]

You'd be surprised how much money and energy $300-$400 in extra insulation can save you. House built in 1980, ceiling is 2x6's with R19 between the joists. Replaced soffit/facia/gutters this spring, so while everything was out of the way, I got the baffles slid in to help the attic breath (just 1 every other cavity, the entire soffit is vented all around). Now, to be fair I did have new digital gas and electric meters installed over the summer, so the accuracy of the different meters could play into effect too. This fall, installed a whole house humidifier and added R38 perpendicular to the joists across the entire attic (so ~R57 now). Now keep in mind that the wife had the baby at the beginning of December, so she's been home all day keeping the heat on and more things in use (washer/dryer/dishwasher/stove/crockpot/hotwater/lights/TVs/younameit) compared to my last years numbers.

Month	Avg Temp	Therms	Avg Therms/Day	KWh	Avg KWh/Day
Dec'12 (29 days)	39.8	61	2.1	496	17.1
Jan'13 (33 days)	31.2	106	3.21	702	21.27
Dec'13 (30 days)	29.5	98.1	3.27	496	16.53
Jan'14 (34 days)	21.1	145.5	4.28	684	20.12

I'll have to watch and see how much I save on electric during A/C season, but if it's as good as it looks during the cold, it'll probably pay for itself in this first year of buying it. Then on to the next money saving project: replacing the inadequate R13 between the 2x10's in the ceiling of the garage below all the bedrooms with proper R30 and sealing the ductwork running through the garage. It is truly amazing how stupid and cheap a lot of house builders are.

 

[gunworks321]

Coal baby....coal. It's cheap, we have about 300 years worth, and it makes sense.

Yes, I agree. But you have the EPA under Der Leader aggressively shutting down coal fired generating plants right here at home. Remember what was said during the campaign of '08? Yes, you can build a coal fired plant but you will go bankrupt doing it" And another "Electrical rates will necessarily skyrocket" We are only getting what was promised.

 

[JBI812]

My electric bill was 365.00 last month and will be over 400.00 this month and there want be any relief for a another month. And I don't live in a 5000 square foot home. But, I do heat 2500 square feet in a new, well built, well insulated all electric home. And, Indianapolis Power and Light has the cheapest electricity in our State. It's been really cold early this year and the usage has jumper dramatically. Thank God....I choose to use electric.... my neighbor uses natural gas and his bill looks like mine and he still has an electric bill to pay. Poor people find them selves "between a rock and a hard place" in this type situation .......... Just think about those fine folks at Geist. They have big heat & electric bills and they're in South American enjoying the sunshine.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I. am. Mr. Cynical.

I knew there was something about you that I respected.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

My electric bill was 365.00 last month and will be over 400.00 this month and there want be any relief for a another month. And I don't live in a 5000 square foot home. But, I do heat 2500 square feet in a new, well built, well insulated all electric home. And, Indianapolis Power and Light has the cheapest electricity in our State. It's been really cold early this year and the usage has jumper dramatically. Thank God....I choose to use electric.... my neighbor uses natural gas and his bill looks like mine and he still has an electric bill to pay. Poor people find them selves "between a rock and a hard place" in this type situation .......... Just think about those fine folks at Geist. They have big heat & electric bills and they're in South American enjoying the sunshine.

Take your total electric bill and divide it by the number of Kwh's you used...How does that compare to $0.13/Kwh? That's what I pay. It's going to be brutal.

 

[churchmouse]

$450? Really? Does she live in a 5,000 sq ft home with half the windows open and heated by a 1960's furnace? I'm in Indianapolis as well, my thermostat is set to 70, and my gas bill is always under $120 except the February bill, which is always under $180. Natural gas prices have gone down thanks to fracking. I pay less now than I did in 2006.

Furnace/gas log fireplace/gas water heater and stove. Gas log is on when ever temps fall below 30 and the house is set at 71 deg. My bill is $70 a month on the budget plan. I put in a wood burning stove this year in the front of the house. We will see what that does to the budget when it resets.
House is just short of 2000 sg. ft.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I knew there was something about you that I respected.

Sometimes it's curse; sometimes it's a super power

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Furnace/gas log fireplace/gas water heater and stove. Gas log is on when ever temps fall below 30 and the house is set at 71 deg. My bill is $70 a month on the budget plan. I put in a wood burning stove this year in the front of the house. We will see what that does to the budget when it resets.
House is just short of 2000 sg. ft.

Are you cutting your own firewood? I've thought about putting one of those in but wood heat is a lifestyle...a lifestyle I'm not particularly interested in. I have thought about a pellet stove but the wife and I can't come to an agreement on it.