Electric usage in apartment

[9supratt4]

So I moved into an apartment back in June and every time I get the electric bill I am shocked. I'm trying to figure out if the amount of electric I am using is on par or if something is eating it up.

It's a 1 bedroom apartment with kitchen, living room, dining area, bathroom. It has a dishwasher, washer/dryer, refrigerator, gas stove and central air/heat.

I know central air uses a lot of electric, but I am on the bottom floor and the apartment never gets above 73-74 even on hot days. The only time it runs during this time is if I'm cooking. So during the day from 10am until 12am, the air very rarely runs. At night while sleeping the air goes down to 70, so it runs more often. I just had a ceiling fan installed in the bedroom because I used to have it set to 68 at night. The ceiling fan only runs at night while sleeping.

Other than that, I have lamps plugged in, but never on. I have the cable modem and router always running and phone plugged in. I also have my 2 tv's, ps3, blu-ray player, cable boxes and microwave always plugged in, but not always in use. I've also changed most of my light bulbs to CFL's.

My electric usage has been as follows:

6/1-6/9 - 220 KWH - Actual Reading
6/10-7/11 - 783 KWH - Actual Reading
7/12-8/9 - 857 KWH -Actual Reading
8/10-9/9 - 917 KWH - Estimated Reading

This just seems like a lot of energy usage for a one bedroom apartment.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[curt]

No tanks? I don't even want to look at the watts used. I just pay them a few hundred a month. Sorry I can help.

 

[9supratt4]

Nope....no tanks at The apartment yet. My bill this month is over $150....seem's really high to me.

 

[trivan]

You can get one of those watt meters to check from the outlet side or even better a camp meter to take reading right the circuit breaker box. That would they you which circuits are pulling what amperage. Then you can see what is drawing the most power.

 

[The_Codfather]

I never look at the KWH just the Owe $

 

[PaulM]

I think it is keeping the house at 70 every night that's killing you. My house is 2600 sq ft 2 zone central air with my tank and a pool and the highest my bill has been is $250.00. We keep the house at 75*

 

[Fish Brain]

I live in a two bedroom apt. and everything is electric, even the stove. I also have central air. I keep at 74 during the day and down to 72 at night and my wife likes to have a fan on for white noise. Computer runs 24/7 with a 22" CRT, my 32" TV is old school and I have Wii, PS2, blueray, Cable box/DVR and with Fios there is the signal converter.

My average use is around 800 kw. It can be up near 1000 in the middle of summer with the A/C cranking and down to 600 in the winter.

 

[dnov99]

I agree with Paul, its from your AC, dropping it down to 70 makes the unit work a lot and uses much more electric. If you have an older less efficient AC unit that is even more of an issue. How old is the AC unit??

 

[MadReefer]

I agree with Paul and Darren. I use to keep my central at 68 to 70. After getting the tank my electric bill was a killer, especially when I had MH lights. I then started keeping the AC 75 but was still warm, my bill dropped about $60 a month. I installed ceiling fans and that made the rooms much cooler and didn't affect electricity cost much.

 

[kevin]

Actual reading Sep 8 49427
Actual reading Aug 9 48873
Total kWh 554

Gas
Actual reading Sep 8 6866
Actual reading Aug 9 6859
Total therms 7.240

Total bill $113

I live in 2nd story w/ a loft, 1200sqft apartment. Complex is 5yrs old with central air, gas stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer. We just moved here last May & our bill has been fluctuating. First month it was $130, July $210, August $230, this month $113.

We were playing around with settings to try to make the bill lower. June-July we had the A/C running all the time @ 72degrees. July-August we had it set to 75 during the day till 5pm, then went down to 70. August-Sept we were gone for a week, so we had it off. We also didn't use it a few day because it was we had a cold breeze coming through the house. Now we're turning it off during the day which it gets up to 78 in here, and turn it back down to 73 after 5pm.

I was actually going to make a thread like this the other day. I was wondering what's a good estimate on how much an aquarium will cost for electric. I plan on 50g, with LED lighting,.

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

I think it is keeping the house at 70 every night that's killing you. My house is 2600 sq ft 2 zone central air with my tank and a pool and the highest my bill has been is $250.00. We keep the house at 75*

That's incredible, there must be more to that! I wish my lowest bill was anywhere near your highest!!!!

 

[asonitez]

Actual reading Sep 8 49427
Actual reading Aug 9 48873
Total kWh 554

Gas
Actual reading Sep 8 6866
Actual reading Aug 9 6859
Total therms 7.240

Total bill $113

I live in 2nd story w/ a loft, 1200sqft apartment. Complex is 5yrs old with central air, gas stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer. We just moved here last May & our bill has been fluctuating. First month it was $130, July $210, August $230, this month $113.

We were playing around with settings to try to make the bill lower. June-July we had the A/C running all the time @ 72degrees. July-August we had it set to 75 during the day till 5pm, then went down to 70. August-Sept we were gone for a week, so we had it off. We also didn't use it a few day because it was we had a cold breeze coming through the house. Now we're turning it off during the day which it gets up to 78 in here, and turn it back down to 73 after 5pm.

I was actually going to make a thread like this the other day. I was wondering what's a good estimate on how much an aquarium will cost for electric. I plan on 50g, with LED lighting,.

Aquarium lighting is a small part of the cost of your tank in my opinion. Sure I have 2 250 watt halides and 4 54 watt t5's but in truth the majority of my BILL comes from OTHER things.. the skimmer pump running 24/7 365 the return pump at 110 watts running 24/7 365 other smaller pumps to feed reactors, frag tanks fuge lighting, fans to blow off heat, auto top off's etc etc.. its staggering.

 

[kevin]

Aquarium lighting is a small part of the cost of your tank in my opinion. Sure I have 2 250 watt halides and 4 54 watt t5's but in truth the majority of my BILL comes from OTHER things.. the skimmer pump running 24/7 365 the return pump at 110 watts running 24/7 365 other smaller pumps to feed reactors, frag tanks fuge lighting, fans to blow off heat, auto top off's etc etc.. its staggering.

hmm!! well I'll guess I'll see when I get everything up & running, LOL.

 

[Hawkeye]

I use this handy device called a KILL A WATT:
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU

Helped me to figure out what was eating up all the watts in the house (those DYSON vacuums are powerful!!!)..lol. Too bad I can't plug the compressor into this device and see how bad it is.

As an aside i have this infrared device for winter to see where my heat is escaping...kinda fun/neat.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-TLD100-Thermal-Detector/dp/B001LMTW2S/ref=acc_glance_hi_ai_ps_t_4

 

[MadReefer]

Not sure what you mean by the AC is off. I was told turning it off and on causes more electricity, therefore higher bill, as it has to run to get the house to that temp.
Someone else can weigh in on this statement as I am not sure how true it is.

 

[kevin]

Not sure what you mean by the AC is off. I was told turning it off and on causes more electricity, therefore higher bill, as it has to run to get the house to that temp.
Someone else can weigh in on this statement as I am not sure how true it is.

If you're referring to me, I do mean turning the unit off. I also heard it does cause more electricity doing it this way. I usually leave it at 75 during the day and 72 when we get home. I'm testing it with it off during the day(goes up to 78 highest), and back down to 72 when we get home.

 

[9supratt4]

The bill I just got is for $151.....with no tank....that seems ridiculous. And I wasn't hear for a full week in August, so I turned everything off, including unplugging stuff!!

 

[steamman]

That's incredible, there must be more to that! I wish my lowest bill was anywhere near your highest!!!!

My bill is between 600 and 700 a month in the summer. 1,000 sq ft basement air conditioned and 1,000 sq ft living space. Basement contains my tanks. Although in the winter my heat does not go on until late December.

 

[shipwrecked]

I run 2 apt complex's here in Jackson(one of them being all electric) and am always faced with debates over electric and gas use and the high costs involved.It is true that if you turn ac units on and off versus leaving them run and lowering the temp to the desired mark.As from what Ive been told of the general census of people living in the complex's here the average bills for a 1 bedroom are 627sq ft $65-$250 pr mnth and 2 bedrooms are714 sq ft $200-$550 pr mnth.Mine averages a little more around $700(but I have 3 tanks and keep my apt 68* in the summer and 74* in the winter.We also have to keep in mind this summer we had record breaking temps which to use means higher cooling costs

 

[PaulM]

How do you afford such high electric bills?!?