Heating Cost Question

[superflychief]

Hey everybody. We just moved into a new home and I want to see how our Enmax bill stacks up against everybody elses. First the background. The house is 2600sq ft with a developed basement. Large 97% efficiency that is set up as dual zone with one thermostat running the upstairs and the other running the main floor and basement. We try and turn off light and take advantage of the programable thermostats by dropping the temp at night to 19degres upstairs amd 17 degrees downstairs and 17 degrees whenever we aren't home. We also have a gas cook top. Just got the first enmax bill and it was for 487 for gas, electricity, water and recycling/garbage. To me this seems rediculously high but maybe for that size of house it's normal. Can anybody offer a comparison?

[silvercivicsir]

1940 Sq ft house and I only have a mid effciency. total enmax bill for gas,power,water,garbage was $275. but I keep the house a Balmy 17 degrees all the time.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by superflychief
Hey everybody. We just moved into a new home and I want to see how our Enmax bill stacks up against everybody elses. First the background. The house is 2600sq ft with a developed basement. Large 97% efficiency that is set up as dual zone with one thermostat running the upstairs and the other running the main floor and basement. We try and turn off light and take advantage of the programable thermostats by dropping the temp at night to 19degres upstairs amd 17 degrees downstairs and 17 degrees whenever we aren't home. We also have a gas cook top. Just got the first enmax bill and it was for 487 for gas, electricity, water and recycling/garbage. To me this seems rediculously high but maybe for that size of house it's normal. Can anybody offer a comparison?

My buddies house is exactly the same size and his bills are pretty much identical to yours.

[Tik-Tok]

1900 sq.ft heated living area kept at 22*C all winter
20 year old furnace, so mid-efficiency at best
60 Gallon hot water tank
850 sq.ft heated seperate garage kept at 10*C all the time
83% efficient shop furnace

Gas - $300/month in the shittiest of winter months, $60 in summer
Elec/Water/etc. - $150-$175 year round

That's about the same cost as you, but I would think with your high efficiency furnace, you'd be getting better.

When did you move in to the house, is it possible your paying for say 1 and 1/2 months (because of move-in date), instead of the normal 1 month?

[superflychief]

Looking at the bill in detail, it says we used almost 31GJ of gas and 40m3 of water. I spoke to Enmax and they said these are estimates and not actual meter readings. Seems awfully high even for an estimate. The water reading is crazy when she says the average user uses 7m3 per mth. There are 2 of us plus a baby in the house. We have no leaking taps or toilets. Our humidifier is a drip type and we don't take tons of showers/baths. Either the estimate is way way off or there is a rediculous consumption of water in the house. Any ideas/suggestions?

[89coupe]

Originally posted by superflychief
Looking at the bill in detail, it says we used almost 31GJ of gas and 40m3 of water. I spoke to Enmax and they said these are estimates and not actual meter readings. Seems awfully high even for an estimate. The water reading is crazy when she says the average user uses 7m3 per mth. There are 2 of us plus a baby in the house. We have no leaking taps or toilets. Our humidifier is a drip type and we don't take tons of showers/baths. Either the estimate is way way off or there is a rediculous consumption of water in the house. Any ideas/suggestions?

Can you not switch to a meter system?

[Kloubek]

1850 sq feet. Hot water and furnace optimized to be as efficient as possible without lowering comfort. Lights usually turned off when not in use, and compact flourecents installed in about 50%. (Would be more, but we have a lot of pot lights) 97% efficient furnace. 2 people living in the home.

Last bill Enmax bill was a combined $280 for gas and electric. (Pretty much indicates the maximum possible bill, since it was cold and dark)

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by superflychief
The water reading is crazy when she says the average user uses 7m3 per mth. Any ideas/suggestions?

Really? I use WAYYY more water than that :rofl: .

I assume you have actual meters, so make sure you start phoning those in. Your next bill will be much less.

[nickyh]

We have 2300 sq. foot home, built in 2010 so brand new everything.
Don't ask me what furnace we have...
Just me and the husband.

We keep the temp at 21 while at home, and 17 at night / during daytime. Now that we are getting more day time heating again, we will drop the "at home" temp to maybe 19 or 20.
From my direct energy heating bill: $165 (this is the highest bill to date).

Dec01 - Dec 31 = 17.17 GJ
Dec31 - Jan 04 = 3.74 GJ
Total used = 20.91 GJ


We only use lights in the rooms we are in and unplug unnessary appliances.
Our lights and water can vary depending on if we are staying home then we are watching TV more and on the computer etc.. but I do notice the spike when we have a party or are home more.

Enmax - water& Electricity: $100
electiricty useage
Nov 22 - Nov 30 = 127.238 KWh
Dec 1 - Dec 19 = 262.762 kWh
Total - 390.00 kWh

Water
Nov 23 - Dec 20 = 7.0m3 (I like to take baths....)

[eblend]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Really? I use WAYYY more water than that :rofl: .

I assume you have actual meters, so make sure you start phoning those in. Your next bill will be much less.

How does this work? You have to call in ur usage monthly or something? I have a meter but never knew that it wasn't measured on their side somehow, since they do put crap right into the bill on how much I used and stuff, I guess it is just an estimate?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by eblend


How does this work? You have to call in ur usage monthly or something? I have a meter but never knew that it wasn't measured on their side somehow, since they do put crap right into the bill on how much I used and stuff, I guess it is just an estimate?

New meters might come with remote readings, but in my 50's neighborhood, an Atco guy comes into my backyard to get the gas reading, and an Enmax guy knocks on my doors to get the Elec. reading (I never let them in my house, I just tell them I'll call it in). Water is read wirelessly, because the city paid for that to get installed when I bought my house.

[superflychief]

From what the lady told me, they are only required to check meters twice a yr. In between those times they estimate and adjust accordingly when they do come by. You can call your own meter readings in to have your bills be more accurate.

[superflychief]

Originally posted by nickyh
We have 2300 sq. foot home, built in 2010 so brand new everything.
Don't ask me what furnace we have...
Just me and the husband.

We keep the temp at 21 while at home, and 17 at night / during daytime. Now that we are getting more day time heating again, we will drop the "at home" temp to maybe 19 or 20.
From my direct energy heating bill: $165 (this is the highest bill to date).

Dec01 - Dec 31 = 17.17 GJ
Dec31 - Jan 04 = 3.74 GJ
Total used = 20.91 GJ




There is no way we could use another 10 GJ with an aditional 300sq ft. I'm thinking they overestimated everything.

[nickyh]

When we first moved into our house, Enmax did not bill us for 3 months and then when they did they used an estimate.

Our first bill was around $500 (on the 4th month). I actually had to call and ask them to send me an invoice as I was getting worried about a $1,000 bill coming my way.
But being a good accountant, I made sure I budgeted and put some money aside so I was ready to pay the big bill.

Then I went through 2 or 3 months in a credit situation after they finally sent the meter reader out. It will even out in the end, but yes, sometimes you wonder what they were smoking.