Electric Bill advice?
 

Am looking for some insight here as to what to expect for an electric bill on a 1BR apartment.

The apartment is all electric, meaning heat, hot water, etc. is all run off of electric. It's me and my gf, we both are out the door at 630am and return at around 6pm. During the day the only electric on is the DVR and cable modem. We actually have windows positioned which create a nice cross breeze. The AC is used about an hour before bed to cool off the apartment then switched to fan mode while we sleep. I take about a 5 minute shower and she takes about 15 minute shower, each once a day. What kind of costs should I expect? Any input is appreciated... thanks.

-J

It should be less than 100 a month. Make sure that its not an estimated bill either because they will screw you. My boy has basically the same situation as you. 1 br electric everything except the stove. They're both out the house for about the same time are you and you gf. He said he's only gotten a bill over 100 bucks a few times but that's during the summer when his A/C is on literally on all day. My bill is usually 260ish for gas and electric and i live in a 2 floor 2500sq foot house with my brother and 2 friends. So ya you should be less than 100.

Good to hear, thank you for the input. We figure it'd be around that a month, and are going to see where we land after a month of minimal usage and go from there. She is one of those people that always seems to be chilly, and I have no problem sleeping with a window open versus AC so that is nice too...

-J

It may be over $100 during the summer if it gets really hot but not by that much. $75 is what I'd expect as long as you are mindful of your electric use. Do you also have an electric dryer?

Thanks... As for your question, no washer or dryer or dishwasher. The former is done at my parent's house or the coin laundry down the row of buildlings, and the latter is done with our hands. Granted, we are using warm water to wash, but I am unsure how much electric is used on a dishwater.

-J

Washers dryers and dishwashers arent bad on electricity. We have all three and our electric part of the bill never goes over 120. The washer and dryer are used at least 4 loads a day. The dishwasher usually like 3-4 times a week.

Yeah, I was just curious.

Check this out:

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

Expect that number to jump quite a bit in the winter with electric heat. We don't have electric heat, stove or oven (that's all gas) and we don't use AC because it's so old it doesn't work well and uses a ton of electric. Our house bill for a 3 bedroom split for May was $58 for electric. It will go up a bit in June-Aug because we use the window fans and ceiling fans more but it still stays reasonable.

You will be looking at a $80-$150 bill typically. What size is the apartment? 1 bedroom? How are the windows?

Yep 1br, 1bath, living room/dining area, kitchen. I don't know SqFt off the top of my head... I am unsure what you mean by "how are the windows." I will say they are sliding side-to-side windows and "full open" are about 2.5ft wide. They substantially block all sound when closed, surprisingly quiet. I figure it will go up in the winter substantially, but that was part of the reasoning I requested 3rd floor... hot air rises to a point (not to mention you don't hear people runnign around above you...) All input is greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

-J

I asked how the windows were with respect to their condition. Newer windows will help greatly with air sealing and old obviously will be drafty and allow air infiltration. Bottom line, you seem like you are conscious about the energy usage so I'm sure my estimate will be fairly accurate.

Awesome site. Very good info there.

Ah gotcha. Their condition I would describe as better than average. Not brand new, but they seem to seal quite good (the one in the shower is suspect, but that door is closed when not occupied anyhow). For the hell of it, after a full month of electric usage I'll revisit this thread and see where I landed :mrgreen:

EDIT: And thanks for the site link

-J

unplug appliances when not in use. coffee makers...can openers, cell phone chargers. they all draw a little bit of power staying plugged in

If you call the electric company and give them the address...they may be able to give you an average of per hour costs from the previous year if you just want a rough estimate

Think I pay around 50-75 between w/ my gf and i in a smaller 1 bd.

When I had my apt, I was always able to keep the bill around $40/month in the cooler months, most I ever paid was about $75 in the summer with a/c on. However, heat and hot water were included in rent, not electric, but oven was electric.

Be mindful of your use, change bulbs with energy efficient ones, and don't leave the tv or computer on overnight, and you'll be surprised how low it can be.