My home's energy usage

Money goes in, heat leaks out
Bob
Posts: 2440
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:36 am

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by Bob »

For comparison: my bill for 7/11 - 8/8

Usage: 1,142 kWh ($129.17)

This is for a ~2200 square foot brick split level home in Charlotte where I am sure we probably didn't have a daytime high below 90 for more than a couple of the days in the bill cycle. A/C set at 76 during the day and 70 at night. Original 1971 windows, 20+ year old Trane central A/C unit. Obviously lots of room for improvement, but no incentive to do so due to low energy prices.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

You paid $86 less than me for the same amount of electricity. Yay.

I forgot to mention I probably had the house in the low 70s 24/7, and even lower in the rooms with the window a/c units.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

kevm14 wrote:
kevm14 wrote: Got new bill for 7/13 to 8/12. 1174kWh. It was pretty hot though. $214.81. Still reasonable for a hot period - this is 24/7 cooling.
Energy report:
Usage: 1,174 kWh ($214.81)
Efficient homes: 636 kWh (~$116)
Similar home average: 1,590 kWh (~$291)

I wonder if those low ones are actually using air conditioning.
Aug 13, 2016 - Sep 14, 2016. 1,144 kWh.

Efficient homes: 611 kWh
Similar home average: 1,646 kWh
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

Sept 15, 2016 - Oct 12, 2016. 507 kWh.

Efficient homes: 442 kWh
Similar home average: 997 kWh
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

Oct 13, 2016 - Nov 9, 2016. 532 kWh.

Efficient homes: 425 kWh
Similar home average: 958 kWh

Info from the FAQ:
About the neighbor comparison

How did you choose the homes used in my neighbor comparisons?

To provide valid comparisons, we've chosena group of 100 homes that are nearby and have characteristics that typically lead to similar energy needs, such as home size and heating source. And importantly, we only include homes that appear to be occupied at the time of the comparison.

What if there are good reasons that my household uses more energy than my neighbors?


Our goal is to provide you with a comparison that is valid and meaningful. Currently, our report comparisons include a group of similar, nearby, occupied homes. Our research shows that for almost all residents this provides a good indication of typical usage.

However, there are some factors for which we don't account, such as the number of occupants in the home and special loads like hot tubs and swimming pools. You can provide additional information about your home in the "About My Home" section of this website or by calling 866-903-2811, and we will use it to enhance your neighbor comparison.

To learn more about what uses the most in your home, please visit our online home energy assessment.

I have certain life or housing circumstances, such as energy-intensive medical equipment, that prevent me from reducing my energy use. So how can these reports help me?

It's understandable that some people may have life or housing circumstances that make it difficult to reduce their home's energy use. We aim to provide a wide range of ideas that can address the various needs of our customers and their homes. We encourage you to find out which tips are best for you and search for more ideas. In some cases, you may not be able to realize substantial savings, but we've found that most people can realize at least some savings and we hope we can help you do so.

How can my efficient neighbors manage to use so much less energy than me?

Efficient households likely take a variety of steps to reduce their energy use, including setting their thermostats to efficient set points such as 78 degrees in the summer and 68 in the winter, turning off lights and electronics when not in use and always running full loads in the dishwasher, washer and dryer, and investing in energy efficient appliances and improving their home’s insulation. The reports provide actionable steps that you can take to help you make your home more efficient.

How do you determine the size of my home and how do I update it?

The square footage of your home that we use in the Home Energy Report is based on data that is collected from public government sources about your home. If the square footage on your report is not correct, you can change it in the "About My Home" section of this website or by calling
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

kevm14 wrote:Oct 13, 2016 - Nov 9, 2016. 532 kWh.

Efficient homes: 425 kWh
Similar home average: 958 kWh
Nov 10, 2016 - Dec 12, 2016. 650 kWh

Efficient homes: 499 kWh
Similar home average: 1,208 kWh
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

That bill was $118.30 so average cost of electricity is 18.2 cents/kWh. It's gone up a few cents over the years but nothing drastic. I think it was probably around 15 cents maybe 5-8 years ago.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

Dec 13, 2016 - Jan 10, 2017. 573 kWh

Efficient homes: 540 kWh
Similar home average: 1,193 kWh

Got within 6% of efficient home average. Guessing because we were gone for some of the holiday. Not sure if I can even tell I have an extra fridge plugged in. We never open it so it really shouldn't use much at all.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

Jan 11, 2017 - Feb 8, 2017. 499 kWh

Efficient homes: 440 kWh
Similar home average: 1,081 kWh

I feel good that the "similar homes" are consistently using twice (or more) electricity as I am, especially given that I have people home all day, almost 100% of the time.

Bob, what is your winter usage like?
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: My home's energy usage

Post by kevm14 »

Here is my energy mix.
Office Lens_20170220_123136_processed.jpg
Top 5:
44.2% natural gas
21% "imported energy" (better taste)
10.5% oil
8.9% nuclear
4.7% landfill gas
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