Saving Tips On Utilities

[AntiCost]

It all depends on the heat pump and what you plan to use it for.. It will be considerably cheaper to use a heat pump to heat a swimming pool in the summer (as compared to natural gas), although I would definitely not recommend one for heating a house.. In that case it isn't efficient at all..

[andimorony]

WHERE were you when I was buying my house??? lol

Tell me, what DOES your husband recommend? We are on the East Coast and bought our house "spec" so we were stuck with the HP. I keep thinking of tearing it out and putting in something else...but what?

[andimorony]

Yep, this supports what the woman who's dh is a builder was saying...as long as it stays above 40 degrees then the HP is worthwhile. Certainly that is true for all of us in the US in the summertime.
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QUOTE=AntiCost]It all depends on the heat pump and what you plan to use it for.. It will be considerably cheaper to use a heat pump to heat a swimming pool in the summer (as compared to natural gas), although I would definitely not recommend one for heating a house.. In that case it isn't efficient at all..[/quote]

[cercis]

What about geothermal heat pumps? I remember my college physics instructor being over the moon with his GHP. He said it was more expensive to install (because the coils go down into the ground) but that he was saving money hand over fist in the summer and the winter.

[Ima saver]

My husband puts propane gas heat in all of the houses he builds. I figured out that it has cost us a little less than $3 a day to heat our house the past two days, but I do keep it pretty cool in here, plus I don't even turn on the heat until upstairs. Well, it is on but set on the lowest temp and it never runs. (lowest is 52) (Sorry, I meant to say to heat the house the past two MONTHS)

[andimorony]

Propane, huh? Some of our neighbors have propane, so it's available here. I am wondering how are you heating your home for three dollars a day? We have a 3000 sq/ft. home. so I am concerned, given the rising cost of gas. Also, should I buy the tank outright? I know there are some companies that put the tank in for you if you....whatever it is they want you to do.


Andi

[Ima saver]

I would not buy the tank. You can rent for less than $40 a year usually and it takes a long time to pay for the tank. (we got ours half price, but that's another story.) I figured out how many gallons I had put in two months ago (480 gallons) and how much we have left (400 gallons) The price was about $2 a gallon , so using 80 gallons x $2= $160 used to heat the house for 60 days. That comes to $2.66 a day, but I keep it 60 in here.

[andimorony]

I would still be THRILLED to $5.00 a day! I am paying way more than that. Is the price of propane cheaper than the price of gas?

[flash]

Found a nice reference for estimated savings if you do all the tips:

http://www.blmag.com/issue200520/weekly_tip.php

[andimorony]

That "change your lightbulbs" one is just about right. We saved A TON of money by changing ours!

[andimorony]

Oh and btw, I LOVE this magazine! I subscribed and it is soooooooo worth the money!

a

[acezz4e_tish]

as to first post, i use a propane oven and i dont need to preheat, the stove is always warm from the pilot.

i havent been able to find insulation for outlets would like to know where im going wrong.

the cieling fan should say on the button summer/winter for direction.

i get the sunbeam low watt bulbs at freds superstore, like dollar general, for 1.25 each. i think its a gr8 deal, im in a co op that dont even offer off peak hours, so anything helps with my bill except turning down water heater. i have an electric one, we put both sections on low, and it wasnt hot enough to kill germs and my bill actually went up ten dollars. so back to the middle setting it went. the low one didnt even disolve creamer. so its not worth it to me, i use cold water wash in my washer anyway. whites i use warm. i use ammonia now in the bleach compartment i feel its safer on clothes then bleach. i have no complaints yet and ive been doing this for a week.

[fe2o3ez]

When washing dishes by hand in a dual basin sink, keep soapy water on 1 side and a partial sink of rinse water on the other. This will greatly reduce the amount of water used over running the water constantly and even moreso if you prefer hot or warm water for rinsing.

[SaraHope]

If you use hot water during the winter, let it cool off in the sink before draining it. Save the heat!