I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

On Jan 23, 9:22�pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. �Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. �Any idea why that
would be? �It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. �I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power

On Jan 23, 8:42*pm, " wrote:
On Jan 23, 9:22 pm, wrote:

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power

If you have a lot of incandescent lights, that hurts a lot more in the
winter. Instead of 4 hours of lights, from 7 - 11 pm, you have at
least an hour in the morning and 5 - 11 pm at night, that is more than
a 50% increase in lighting useage. Also, furnace blower motors, or
hot water circulating motors are running a lot in mid-winter compared
to not at all in the summer. Also, if you use electricity for
cooking, most folks cook less in the summer due to the heat.

Bob Hofmann.

wrote in message
...
On Jan 23, 9:22?pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. ?Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. ?Any idea why that
would be? ?It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. ?I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power

*************************************************

My January bill is always the highest aside from the AC months. Shorter
days mean longer nights and more lights burning. Each month will drop
slightly until it gets hot and we start using cooling. August is usually
the highest use of the year.

If the OP used a space heater or had a huge Christmas light display, that
would suck some juice too. Check the dryer vent too.

wrote:
On Jan 23, 9:22�pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. �Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. �Any idea why that
would be? �It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. �I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power
Hi,
LCD panel uses LESS power. I think you meant Plasma panel?

On Jan 23, 8:22*pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. *Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. *Any idea why that
would be? *It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. *I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

Your electric outlets are leaking, insulate and cover them.

On Jan 24, 10:22*am, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. *Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. *Any idea why that
would be? *It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. *I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

Hi,

Everything in our homes is prone to wear and tear. There might be
some energy leak in your home that you may not be aware of. Heating
definitely accounts for the largest expense in homes, especially
during winter months. And the figure could even grow if this factor
runs inefficiently.

You could check on some key areas where heating might be wasted. Your
home heating system might already need a replacement or some tuning up
for maximized efficiency. The attic, windows and doors and other
areas should be evaluated in case home heating seeps through.


Best,

The Craftsmen Network
http://www.craftsmennetwork.com/

On Jan 23, 9:22*pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. *Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. *Any idea why that
would be? *It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. *I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

What kind of heat do you have, steam, hot water baseboard or furnace?

Just to give you an idea, an average blower on a furnace uses about 6
amps.

Also check your bill, is your utility company charging the same KW
rate in the summer as the winter?

On Jan 23, 8:22*pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. *Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. *Any idea why that
would be? *It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. *I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

Do an energy audit and see where you waste it. A Kill- A- Watt meter
and clamp on amp meter is all you need. Do you use CFLs. Pumps,
compressors, motors, can use alot more energy as they die.

wrote in message
...
I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

Depends on many things. Your climate, size of building, size of AC.
Do you supplement heat with portable electric heaters?

Are you in an apartment? in some older buildings you may be sharing part of
a circuit with a neighbor due to goofed up wiring.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:22:08 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!


There's all kinds of energy saving tips/lists to examine. My average
monthly kWhr use has actually declined but the cost has increased
dramatically due to rate increases, extra taxes, additional fees, etc.
Large applicances can use a lot of energy. Your furnace blower is
electric. Modern electronic appliances (plasma, LCD sets) use energy
when turned off.

I have seen solar panel prices drop and my personal goal is to
eventually get off the grid.

In article
,
wrote:

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

This is fairly common with older wiring. It corrodes, and small leaks
develop here and there. If you were to crawl under the house you'd
probably see several quintillion electrons just lounging around loose.

You should wrap your main breaker panel in saran wrap and duct tape,
drill a 1/2" hole in the top, and then funnel in a couple of gallons of
radiator stop-leak. That will seal up the holes in the wiring and keep
those stray electrons from just running out into the dirt.

On Jan 24, 9:44*am, Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,

wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. *Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. *Any idea why that
would be? *It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. *I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

This is fairly common with older wiring. It corrodes, and small leaks
develop here and there. If you were to crawl under the house you'd
probably see several quintillion electrons just lounging around loose.

You should wrap your main breaker panel in saran wrap and duct tape,
drill a 1/2" hole in the top, and then funnel in a couple of gallons of
radiator stop-leak. That will seal up the holes in the wiring and keep
those stray electrons from just running out into the dirt.

Expanding foam is good.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:33:14 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

wrote:
On Jan 23, 9:22?pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. ?Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. ?Any idea why that
would be? ?It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. ?I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power
Hi,
LCD panel uses LESS power. I think you meant Plasma panel?

My point was there are TVs and appliances that use power when turned
off. If I disconnect my plasma, it has to go through a lengthly,
partly-automated process of scanning channels then manually
re-entering date/time. My Panasonic plasma TV does not have a backup
battery, I guess any memory is volatile. I installed two switches to
turn off the TV completely, but don't use it out of inconvenience. I
save some by just using the plasma for movies and use the TV tuner on
my computer LCD other times. Not sure what this adds up 24/7 over a
year period without a watt-o-meter.

I take advantage of sunny days (like today) by opening south windows
to catch the solar heat.

Phisherman wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:33:14 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

wrote:
On Jan 23, 9:22?pm, wrote:
I am just curious for opinions. ?Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. ?Any idea why that
would be? ?It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. ?I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!
its been much colder here in pennsylvania.... burr.

so the furnace runs more using electric, were home more, after being
out all day in snow and cold who wants to go places?

all of this uses more electric.

Plus if you bought a new TV like a LCD flat panel they use far more
power
Hi,
LCD panel uses LESS power. I think you meant Plasma panel?

My point was there are TVs and appliances that use power when turned
off. If I disconnect my plasma, it has to go through a lengthly,
partly-automated process of scanning channels then manually
re-entering date/time. My Panasonic plasma TV does not have a backup
battery, I guess any memory is volatile. I installed two switches to
turn off the TV completely, but don't use it out of inconvenience. I
save some by just using the plasma for movies and use the TV tuner on
my computer LCD other times. Not sure what this adds up 24/7 over a
year period without a watt-o-meter.

I take advantage of sunny days (like today) by opening south windows
to catch the solar heat.
Hi,
Most electronics or electrical apparatus use tiny amount of current when
it is in stand-by or turned off. There is NV memories for sure.
But the thing is they are most prone to fail when turned on/off
repeatedly due to surge. I leave everything plugged in.
Just to save a few bucks a year, if a TV pops it'll cost more than a few
bucks to repair for sure. When Flat panel TV is operating, Plasma panel
uses lot more power than LCD. Just see the amount of heat Plasma panel
generates.

Does, or did, your power company estimate your usage? Mine does
occasionally and it always seems they guess high, which of course is in
their favor, they get to use my money for a month.

Also, as many have stated, extra lights due to short days, Christmas lights,
furnace fan running due to the cold winter, all add up. Also check that no
lights have been left on in areas you don't visit often. Extra closet or
attic, or crawlspace?

wrote in message
...
I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:22:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

This site, http://www.wunderground.com/, will let you calc degree-days
for any time period. You'll likely find that this year was quite a bit
colder. At least hear (central NYS), I think it's also been windier. As
others have said, more blower time. Our December electric use was up
20%+ over previous year.

Other things: extra lighting, maybe people having more lights on, people
home more often.

G

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!

Did you put in one of those allergen-reducing filters in your furnace? They
can make you blower motor draw more current trying to run. Are you furnace
filters clean?

you may have a hole in a electric wire and **** amps are escapeing....

----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

wrote in news:13ca8988-7cd9-4395-ac80-b29a55401362
@e22g2000vbe.googlegroups.com:

I am just curious for opinions. Looking at my electric bill, it has a
peak in the summer months (presumably because of A/C), but an even
bigger peak in the winter and that's with gas heat. Any idea why that
would be? It's about 200kWh higher in January than it was in August,
which baffles me. I can't think of anything I'm doing now that I
wasn't doing a year ago, but it's about 100kWh higher than January
2008. Thanks!


Call your electric co. and check your history for last january (billing
for DEC.) compared to this. See if it's really unusual, or if you've
just noticed.
How many holiday lights do you run and for how long?

Personally, I keep a spreadsheet on my usage and know when something goes
awry as it did last year for about 3 weeks in nov.and dec. My daily for
that time period jumped 2x to 3x over normal. The elec co. (REC) had
records of comsuption collected ever 27 hours which indicated usage.
(We finally traced the leakage to a faulty disconnect switch for a well)

Seriously, the power company doesn't want to see you wasting power, call
em soon.
Good luck.
Steve
Southiowa

--
"When it all comes down,
I hope it doesn't land on you."
- Hoyt Axton