Energy efficient appliances may not save any money

[Bright]

We have new Windows in all but one room. Installed a fantastic rated furnace and central air. We had insulation professionally done. I saw no real difference in costs or usage.

[disneysteve]

It appears that I may have been premature in my assessment of the energy savings.

We do the budget billing plan for gas and electric (same amount every month with a larger balance or credit in month 12 based on usage). Our bill this year has been $281/month. July is our month 12. The bill came this week and we had a credit of $367. Today we got our new budget amount for the next year and it was lowered to $239, a savings of $42/month or 15%.

So apparently replacing the fridge, AC, and heater, along with DD starting college, actually is saving us some money.

[greenskeeper]

1/3 less occupants yields about 15% from your daughter being out of the house.

[disneysteve]

1/3 less occupants yields about 15% from your daughter being out of the house.

Except it doesn't work that way. We don't use less heat or air conditioning for 2 people than we do for 3. We do use somewhat less electricity overall as we do less laundry, aren't charging as many portable devices, may not be running the TV as much, etc.

Also, much of the school year, she was home on the weekends which lessened the impact of her being away.

So at least some amount of the energy savings is likely attributable to the new fridge, heater, and AC.

Regardless of what accounts for it, I'm certainly not complaining about a 15% drop in our bill.

[greenskeeper]

Except it doesn't work that way. We don't use less heat or air conditioning for 2 people than we do for 3.

You use less a/c for two than for three people.....a human body puts out 6-10k btu's that the a/c then has to remove from the house.

I'd estimate 2% at most from energy efficient appliances and the rest from dropping to two people.

[disneysteve]

You use less a/c for two than for three people.....a human body puts out 6-10k btu's that the a/c then has to remove from the house.

I'd estimate 2% at most from energy efficient appliances and the rest from dropping to two people.

Ah. Good point. I hadn't thought of that. I was just thinking of the fact that we run the heat and AC just as much but I guess technically that isn't true. Of course, she's home from mid May until early September so peak AC season.