Peakster's House Efficiency - Page 10

Peakster · 08-16-15, 03:31 PM

June 2015 housing costs:

Natural Gas - $36.69
Electricity - $84.31
Water - $132.51

Other expenses:

Telephone - $43.27
Wifi - $20.00 (contribution to housemate)
Netflix - 8.99
Insurance - $143.43
Water Heater Rental - $9.63
Property Tax - $310.17
Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08

Total June '15 Housing Costs: $1,872.08

Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00

Monthly Deficit: $672.08
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Water bill is getting up there. This point forward I've cut down on irrigation substantially. I replaced the 1300kWh fridge with a larger one that only uses 373kWh

I've also converted to LED lighting throughout with exception of the main bath & formal dining room (finding a fixture I like is proving to be difficult for the bathroom & the dining room needs LEDs that are very colour accurate as it looks 'washed out' with regular LEDs).

I'm also in the beginning stages of getting a permit to develop my basement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmxB26SmY0Y

where2 · 08-16-15, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peakster

June 2015 housing costs: Water - $132.51
Water bill is getting up there. This point forward I've cut down on irrigation substantially.

I irrigated my 1/4 acre yard with 7,000 gallons of city water one month and my bill was still $50 lower than your bill. How many thousand gallons does $132 buy you? I got 11k gallons for $86.

Peakster · 08-16-15, 09:49 PM

How many gallons does $132.51 buy me? My bill shows 24.207 M3 so that's 6,395 gallons.

My city has a water base charge of $21.60/month, a base sewer charge of $16.80/month, a base storm drainage charge of $14.40/month, and recycling base charge of $7.50/month. So that's a bill of $60.30 before a single drop of water is even used.

The usage charge is $3.26 for every 1,000L. Watering the lawn uses 100L every minute so it would be $3.26 (on top of the base $60.30) to water for 10 minutes.

Higgy · 08-17-15, 09:55 AM

Eeaaugh...Saskatchewan...blah. Riders suck.

Just teasing you man. I love the music from that video though. You've got the personality for making video's. Can't wait to see what you do to the house.

natethebrown · 08-17-15, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peakster

My city has a water base charge of $21.60/month, a base sewer charge of $16.80/month, a base storm drainage charge of $14.40/month, and recycling base charge of $7.50/month. So that's a bill of $60.30 before a single drop of water is even used.

WOW, THAT IS CRAZY!!!!!! I love living in the county, my water bill (including the availability fee) is $30 a month.

Peakster · 08-17-15, 06:27 PM

Lol, I know how you feel nathethebrown - my friend lives in a small town 30 miles away & loves telling me about how his water is cheap like that too. I think his is a flat $140 every 3 months, regardless of usage.

The Riders - they really ARE sucking this year, Higgy. Don't even get me started on that stadium in construction - maybe that's where the money for the water charges are going...

Peakster · 08-21-15, 07:05 PM

July 2015 housing costs:

Natural Gas - $31.92
Electricity - $112.84
Water - $125.92

Other expenses:

Telephone - $49.33
Wifi - $35.75 (caved in and bought my own - 6 month promotional pricing)
Netflix - 8.99
Insurance - $143.43
Water Heater Rental - $9.63
Property Tax - $310.17
Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08

Total July '15 Housing Costs: $1,911.06

Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00

Monthly Deficit: $711.06
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Cut my water usage by 3500 litres (936 gallons) and the bill only dropped by $6.59

. Still waiting for the city to respond to my basement development application as of this writing.

natethebrown · 08-24-15, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peakster

Cut my water usage by 3500 litres (936 gallons) and the bill only dropped by $6.59

. Still waiting for the city to respond to my basement development application as of this writing.

$6.59 per month adds up in the long run. If you can manage a few more tweaks like that, you could significantly put a dent in your monthly bills.

Peakster · 09-23-15, 08:50 PM

August 2015 housing costs:

Natural Gas - $31.92
Electricity - $88.58
Water - $116.26

Other expenses:

Telephone - $44.95
Wifi - $35.72
Netflix - 8.99
Insurance - $143.43
Water Heater Rental - $9.63
Property Tax - $310.17
Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08

Total August '15 Housing Costs: $1,872.73

Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00

Monthly Deficit: $672.73
----------------------------------------------
When my electricity bill came, the company estimated that I used 300kWh more than I actually used & as of this writing I still haven't reached what they guessed the meter to be. Looks like switching to LED and changing out the 1980s fridge to an Energy Star model is making a huge difference! We'll see how this translates next month.

I've also finally got my basement windows installed. It's not 100% complete yet as they need to come back to put in the window wells & clean up. At least I'm that much closer to getting 2 more rentable bedrooms down there

Peakster · 10-19-15, 03:34 PM

September 2015 housing costs:

Natural Gas - $61.35
Electricity - $27.90
Water - $140.56

Other expenses:

Telephone - $42.98
Wifi - $35.72
Netflix - 8.99
Insurance - $143.43
Water Heater Rental - $9.63
Property Tax - $310.17
Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08

Total September '15 Housing Costs: $1,863.81

Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00

Monthly Deficit: $663.81
----------------------------------------------

Well, I'm convinced that I must have a water leak somewhere. $140+ for the water bill this time & there has been NO lawn irrigation this month (sprinklers were blown out early September). I'm going to keep a close eye on the basement meter.

On the plus side I've installed the last of the LED lighting in the house & it made a big difference in electricity costs - the dining room chandelier was still incandescent because of the dimmer switch. I found some Phillips "Warm Glow" bulbs on sale and they are real nice. They turn warmer as the light dims. I'm down to using ~7kWh/day for the whole house now.

Basement bracing is set for November at a ~$2,800 cost. The company I went with braces 50 homes a month in Regina so there's a bit of a waiting list.

08-16-15, 09:49 PM	#93
Peakster Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Regina Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts	How many gallons does $132.51 buy me? My bill shows 24.207 M3 so that's 6,395 gallons. My city has a water base charge of $21.60/month, a base sewer charge of $16.80/month, a base storm drainage charge of $14.40/month, and recycling base charge of $7.50/month. So that's a bill of $60.30 before a single drop of water is even used. The usage charge is $3.26 for every 1,000L. Watering the lawn uses 100L every minute so it would be $3.26 (on top of the base $60.30) to water for 10 minutes. Last edited by Peakster; 08-16-15 at 10:45 PM..

09-23-15, 08:50 PM	#99
Peakster Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Regina Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts	August 2015 housing costs: Natural Gas - $31.92 Electricity - $88.58 Water - $116.26 Other expenses: Telephone - $44.95 Wifi - $35.72 Netflix - 8.99 Insurance - $143.43 Water Heater Rental - $9.63 Property Tax - $310.17 Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08 Total August '15 Housing Costs: $1,872.73 Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00 Monthly Deficit: $672.73 ---------------------------------------------- When my electricity bill came, the company estimated that I used 300kWh more than I actually used & as of this writing I still haven't reached what they guessed the meter to be. Looks like switching to LED and changing out the 1980s fridge to an Energy Star model is making a huge difference! We'll see how this translates next month. I've also finally got my basement windows installed. It's not 100% complete yet as they need to come back to put in the window wells & clean up. At least I'm that much closer to getting 2 more rentable bedrooms down there Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Peakster; 10-19-15 at 03:35 PM..

08-17-15, 09:55 AM	#94
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Eeaaugh...Saskatchewan...blah. Riders suck. Just teasing you man. I love the music from that video though. You've got the personality for making video's. Can't wait to see what you do to the house.

08-17-15, 06:27 PM	#96
Peakster Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Regina Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts	Lol, I know how you feel nathethebrown - my friend lives in a small town 30 miles away & loves telling me about how his water is cheap like that too. I think his is a flat $140 every 3 months, regardless of usage. The Riders - they really ARE sucking this year, Higgy. Don't even get me started on that stadium in construction - maybe that's where the money for the water charges are going...

08-21-15, 07:05 PM	#97
Peakster Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Regina Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts	July 2015 housing costs: Natural Gas - $31.92 Electricity - $112.84 Water - $125.92 Other expenses: Telephone - $49.33 Wifi - $35.75 (caved in and bought my own - 6 month promotional pricing) Netflix - 8.99 Insurance - $143.43 Water Heater Rental - $9.63 Property Tax - $310.17 Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08 Total July '15 Housing Costs: $1,911.06 Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00 Monthly Deficit: $711.06 ---------------------------------------------- Cut my water usage by 3500 litres (936 gallons) and the bill only dropped by $6.59 . Still waiting for the city to respond to my basement development application as of this writing.

10-19-15, 03:34 PM	#100
Peakster Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Regina Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts	September 2015 housing costs: Natural Gas - $61.35 Electricity - $27.90 Water - $140.56 Other expenses: Telephone - $42.98 Wifi - $35.72 Netflix - 8.99 Insurance - $143.43 Water Heater Rental - $9.63 Property Tax - $310.17 Mortgage P+I - $1,083.08 Total September '15 Housing Costs: $1,863.81 Rent collection from housemates: $1,200.00 Monthly Deficit: $663.81 ---------------------------------------------- Well, I'm convinced that I must have a water leak somewhere. $140+ for the water bill this time & there has been NO lawn irrigation this month (sprinklers were blown out early September). I'm going to keep a close eye on the basement meter. On the plus side I've installed the last of the LED lighting in the house & it made a big difference in electricity costs - the dining room chandelier was still incandescent because of the dimmer switch. I found some Phillips "Warm Glow" bulbs on sale and they are real nice. They turn warmer as the light dims. I'm down to using ~7kWh/day for the whole house now. Basement bracing is set for November at a ~$2,800 cost. The company I went with braces 50 homes a month in Regina so there's a bit of a waiting list.