| Author |
Message |
    
MM
Citizen
Username: Melandmike
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 6:50 am: |     |
How much should an average PSEG bill be? My husband and I (no kids) moved to Maplewood a few months ago and are getting bills in the $300-$400 range. We keep the heat at 62 during the day when we're at work and not too much higher at night. We have a standard 3BR house- nothing too huge.Just wondering what others are paying. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 128
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 7:37 am: | |
I don't want to upset you but that sounds about right. My bill runs in the 350 area (well who knows about this month) and I keep the T-stat at 64 ... 22/7 (the other 2 hours a day I push it to 68 (first thing in the morning)).
At the same time, I have yet to get this months bill. So it may be higher yet.
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
lefty
Citizen
Username: Lefty
Post Number: 23
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 7:38 am: | |
MM, we have pretty much the same info as you do. Married, no kids, thermo at 62, and we're in that range too. I'm starting to think that's just how it is. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 130
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 7:46 am: | |
Oh, yeah, I am a single person with a roommate who's almost never around ... so that's just 1 person ... 3 bedroom, single bath, everything gas but oven.
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
Rick Beley
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 23
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 10:35 am: | |
What type of heat do you have in your home? Our bills have been in closer to the 100 range, but we have oil heat, and of course we pay for the oil...
we have 3br, no kids as well... |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1588
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:19 am: | |
So, overall is oil cheaper than gas? We have a 4 bedroom (1 in attic) and just one kid (don't know if he uses more oil?) -- our PSE&G is between $75 - $100 and maybe we use $1,000 of oil/year. I wonder if Petro could tell me how much I pay over the course of a year -- I am bad at keeping track of bills. |
MM
Citizen
Username: Melandmike
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:45 am: | |
we have gas heat. |
gj1
Citizen
Username: Gj1
Post Number: 18
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:49 am: | |
In comparing oil vs gas, there are probably some dependencies on the efficiency of the boiler, but all else equal a gallon of heating oil has 40% more energy than a therm of gas.
Gas from PSE&G is (I think) currently $1.07/therm. So, if you're paying less than $1.50 per gallon -- which Algebra2, if I remember correctly you are according to an earlier thread -- than you're paying less than you would be for the equivalent BTU's with gas.
Perhaps MP can give some more info?
MM - we have a gas fired boiler and your bill is lower than ours. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 133
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 12:04 pm: | |
I'm gas fired boiler also ....
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
us2innj
Citizen
Username: Us2innj
Post Number: 979
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 12:57 pm: | |
I can't believe some of you live the winter months with the thermostat at 62 - 64. Those are some frosty temperatures you keep. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 870
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 1:32 pm: | |
My house is heated by oil but we have a gas hot water heater and last month our bill was $340, which seems high as it was split 50/50 between gas and electric. Some of that I'm sure relates to the fact that they had been estimating our bills subsequent to getting the HWH.
As for those temperatures, how do you guys do it? Our house is never below 68 and more often than not its above 72. We don't run around in shorts and t-shirts either. I don't know how much we pay in oil every year but I'm sure its in excess of $1,000. Is it really worth it to keep your homes so cool? Has anyone actually done an analysis to see how much they actually save because I am curious. To us its a comfort thing we are always cold. |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1590
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 2:43 pm: | |
I grew up in a house where "Mom can I turn up the heat?" meantthat Mom would let me set it at 62 rather than at 60 (58 at night). If you were cold you put on a sweater or built a fire (in the fireplace of course). I don't ever want my house that cold but I also don't like it too hot. 72 would be too hot for me. I have always felt that having the heat too high in the winter and AC set too cold in the summer isn't good for me. |
lefty
Citizen
Username: Lefty
Post Number: 24
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 4:06 pm: | |
We keep it around 62 for two reasons:
1. My wife is always hot and i'm always cold...guess who always wins that argument
2. The 2nd floor seems to be about 5-7 degrees warmer upstairs and with our thermostat downstairs we certainly don't need to keep it at 68 or 72... |
NRL
Citizen
Username: Nrl
Post Number: 456
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 6:47 pm: | |
Your wife is always Hot??? Wanna trade? I have the therm cranked up to 71 and my wife says shes freezing (LOL)
Seriously, I cant believe people keep their therms between 60-66. If I did that my home we would freeze. I am jealous.
I keep our heat at 70 during peak and 69 during setback. Our last bill for gas came in at $315.00. |
marken
Citizen
Username: Marken
Post Number: 97
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 8:32 pm: | |
Just my 2c ....
Heating: gas fired steam boiler (125,000 BTU and 3 months young) also w/2 year old gas stove.
House: 3 BD + 1/2 finished attic
People: 2 adults, no kids
Temp: 64/65 overnight and 68 or 66 during the day (if home)
Cost (gas only): $414 for 371 therms btwn 12/23 and 1/19; and $337 for 291 therm btwn 11/14 and 12/23
|
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1914
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:12 am: | |
I need a new boiler and am about to get one. We set the temp at 65 or 68, and the downstairs can only heat up to about 62. Brr.
Our last two bills have been over $400. I'm really pissed. The bill comes from PSE&G but it seems that, in theory, my gas comes from a company called Total. There are TWO different gas charges. Are they really saving me money?
I hope that a new boiler will be more efficient and will save me money. I also plan to improve the insulation, and I'm sure that that will save me money.
Still, this is a rude welcome to home ownership.
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
|
barbara wilhelm
Citizen
Username: Bartist
Post Number: 131
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:35 am: | |
Tom,
If it is the same company Total Gas & Electric is a choice that the consumer chooses over PSEG. I made the mistake of switching to Total Gas & Electric last year and their prices were higher than PSEG. Under that plan I also had 2 gas suppliers. I changed back to PSEG. Result, lower gas prices. |
eliz
Citizen
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 693
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:39 am: | |
Oh God you must have opted for Total Gas and Electric which is a big scam. Last year several of us got conned into that and ended up paying ridiculously higher gas charges. Then it takes 30 days to switch back to PSEG.
I can't find the thread from last spring but there was a discussion about them on this board. |
Mummite
Citizen
Username: Mummite
Post Number: 45
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 5:29 pm: | |
Our bill is about 300-400 too. However I have one neighbor friend who pays 600 - Yikes! They have a 5 bed house on 69/70 but its only 2 adults and a baby.
We have just had a broken humidifier replaced on a forced air heating system and that will apparently SAVE us on heating bills. Wet air seems warmer than dry air or something and I have already kicked down the the thermostat from 71 to 68 without noticing a heat difference. Clever stuff! |
tcedwards
Citizen
Username: Tcedwards
Post Number: 42
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 8:48 pm: | |
From what I read all of you have high bills. My combined bill averages <$252 a month @ 69 degrees. I'm in a 4 bedroom house. The heating is oil fired and I have a hotwater heater that is gas based. The only special thing going on is with the hotwater heater. The the hotwater flows from the furnace into the hotwater heater (that to reduce the cost of reheating the water).
That >$300 a month bill is high to me. Explore your house for drafts or get someone to look around for you. I had my house insulated when I moved in. Perhaps I am getting more efficency than I though. I am still attempting to reimprove the R value and believe I can.
I have to say that my house was not and is not well insulated even with the new insulation so if my number is low in comparision to others in this thread I am wondering what is up?
Lastly, be sure to get your PSE&G meter read regularly. If you don't they will estimate it. There estimates can skew the bill up way out of line.
I like the radiated heat because it continues heating even after the furnace turns off.
Lastly, those of you on oil heat. Try purchasing your oil before the season to lock in your rate.
|
jab
Citizen
Username: Jab
Post Number: 174
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 12:08 am: | |
I know this isn't quite on topic, but is there any good reason to switch from radiators to forced air heat? We had central air conditioning installed, so the ductwork is in place and presumably could also be used for heat. |
Summersby
Citizen
Username: Summersby
Post Number: 36
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 12:10 am: | |
tcedwards is right on about getting you meter read. We moved in to one of two units in a 100 yr old house and we called to see how much the winter gas bills would be. When PSEG said gas alone would be 300-400 per month, I almost cried and prepared to bundle up for the upcoming winter. But at this point, I have been doing self reading for the meters and mailing in the readings, and my gas bills havent gone over $150 yet and I we are running at 65 during the days and 70 when we are home. That said, I have no idea how the bills last year averaged 3-400 per month. I just checked out PSEG.com and you can do it online now.
Go here:
About the process
http://www.pseg.com/customer/home/meter/submit.html
The actual page for reading info
https://securenethost.com/pseg/meter/meter.html
Good luck all!! |
akb
Citizen
Username: Akb
Post Number: 155
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 9:28 am: | |
You don't have to pre-purchase heating oil to lock in a rate - just call your oil company over the summer in early fall.
Our PSE&G bill is about $130, but we have oil heat. We do use electric heaters to supplemenmt the (crappy) heating system, though. We have a 5 bedroom house with a gas stove and a bunch of kids so we have the laundry going most days. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 874
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 10:07 am: | |
What are people paying for oil these days? We just got a delivery yesterday and we got 300 gallons at $1.79 per gallon. Talk about sticker shock. This on top of the $340 gas and electric bill. |
xavier67
Citizen
Username: Xavier67
Post Number: 335
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 10:34 am: | |
Holy cow. I can't believe how little you folks are paying.
We have a 4-bedroom house with a finished attic, w/ gas steam heat & hot water; 2 adults, 1 toddler, cloth diapers that we wash ourselves. Temp is set at 69 from 8am to 11pm, and 64 from 11pm to 8am.
Our PSEG bill from Nov 16 to Dec 17 was $553 ($418 gas, $130 electric), basd on actual readings.
The bill for Dec 17 to Jan 19 was $761 ($610 gas, $126 electric), based on estimate readings but I checked the meters myself after I received the bill and the estimates were very close.
Maybe I shouldn't leave the windows open this time of the year.
|
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1923
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 10:43 am: | |
Are you joking about leaving the windows open? And do you get gas from PSE&G or Total? My wife pointed out that our bill contains a statement each month with a comparison of Total and PSE&G's rates. It shows that it cost us money this month but saved us last month, so it's a wash.
I'm still confused on why I pay for gas and gas delivery separately. The chimney guy is fixing my chimney today, and he charges me for his labor but not for the "delivery" of his labor. What's up with that?
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
|
xavier67
Citizen
Username: Xavier67
Post Number: 336
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 12:22 pm: | |
Yes, I was joking. My gas comes from PSEG (and, after opening the bill, from other places more psychological in nature).
I believe the separation of gas and gas delivery was a key component of a deregulatory move 3 years ago. The idea was to give customers choices in from whom we can buy our gas. Since PSEG owns the pipelines, we must use them to make delivery.
|
Wendyn
Citizen
Username: Wendyn
Post Number: 105
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 12:45 pm: | |
Jab,
In terms of switching to forced hot air I have no idea financially what it would mean. But we had fha in our condo and I HATED it compared to my steam heat. My allergies were so much worse in the winter (didn't use the a/c as much in the summer) and the air was very dry. I love my steam heat! |
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1931
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 12:46 pm: | |
Yeah, I think forced hot air is worse, though my skin has dried uncomfortably with my baseboard radiators. I'm susceptible to that, but forced air was bad for my sinuses, too.
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
|
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 457
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 1:14 pm: | |
I believe radiant heat (baseboards, radiators, in-the-floor) is far more comfortable than forced air heat could ever be. Also, the humidity is not so reduced.
Also -- because the heat is radiant -- you are warmed directly.
"Radiant heating warms the occupants in a room rather than warming just a room itself, resulting in the need for lower temperature settings — and this means lower fuel costs. Fuel consumption with radiant heat is considerably lower, and consequently, so are the gas or oil bills"
I also think its generally harder to regulate zones of forced air heat vs zones of radiant heat.
Pete |
akb
Citizen
Username: Akb
Post Number: 156
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 5:08 pm: | |
sportsnut - we locked in at $1.29 with Petro. We didn't prepay. |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1600
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 3:35 pm: | |
We locked in with Petro at $1.199 -- I'm looking at my 1/20/04 delivery bill -- 264.5 gallons for $317.14. No pre paying, I just call in September and ask what they can do for me. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 884
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 4:56 pm: | |
Ouch! You guys are really rubbing it in.
I feel trapped by Essex because we were told that if we switch providers our tank insurance would be cancelled. Is it still possible to get tank insurance? |
jab
Citizen
Username: Jab
Post Number: 175
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 10:01 pm: | |
Sportsnut, we paid rates like yours last year with Petro, because we didn't know that we could lock in a rate during the summer. For this winter we were able to lock in at $1.199. I would ask Essex now if this will be an option for next year. Switching to another company could be very expensive with respect to the tank insurance and you definitely do not want to forego the tank insurance. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 885
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 10:10 am: | |
I called them after their last delivery and they told me to call back in the summer. However, they did say that their policy was pretty restrictive i.e. you must pay your bill within ten days or the price goes up to the regular price. |
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