LP Gas Bill...OUCH!!

We are on the keep filled budget plan...and we lock in our rate for the year. Last year we paid $212 a month. Just got our first bill for this year, $320!! Now trying to figure out where we are going to squeeze out another $108 a month. :(

My DD is having her bill go up, as well. She lives in the middle of nowhere. Hers went up $120.00 this month. We feel for you.

My water bill doubled this month, and my electricity went up too.

When we put in our woodstove I thought it would take years to break even. But we had lots of wood and I have a husband that enjoys cutting and splitting, and it does manage our woods too. So we went ahead and spent the extra money.

Then after a couple years, things went crazy. Now we are so glad we put in the stove. We could never afford those prices! We are very lucky that it was an option for us.

You try to cut expensis here, save a buck there, but these increases far outweigh many of these things. There is a point where you nothing left to cut.

I feel for you, and others that are facing these increasing LP, oil and natural gas prices.

Some people went with wood stoves, but have to buy wood. Some went with corn burners, look at the price of corn. What is the answer?

A lot of states won't even allow wood burning anything anymore, it's all gas. One of the many reasons I moved to AR.

We had someone come a give an estimate for a heat pump today. Not cheap , but may save us $$ in the long run. Electricity is expensive out here where we live too, so total electric was not an option on our 2,000sq. ft house.

Trying to figure out what to do ...can we afford the heat pump.

What is a heat pump?

I am quotin here from a brchure we got from our power company here, alright. We would be doing an add - on system. This means it is "added on" to your excisting heating source. somestimes referred to as a duel fuel system.

For Cooling
During the summer, heat pumps work just like air conditioners, using a refrigerant to transfer heat from inside your home to a compressor outside. There, a set of coils (like those in your car's radiator) removes the heat from the refrigerant and returns it to the house to cool the air.

For Heating
The heat pump works when the outside temperature are such that thermostat demands can be meet by the pump. At temperatures below the pumps capacity the warm air system(your furnace) takes over and the pump shuts down.

That is it in a nutshell so to speak. If we do this though, we will have to go off the budget plan with our gas company to afford the payment on the pump.


Bottom line is you use less gas in the winter and less electricity in the summer and the amount varies depending on the size unit you get.

There is lots of onfo on line too.

Interesting. Nice to know there are other options. (although they all seem to cost a lot of money)

To use gas I'd have to get a propane tank. I have gas outlets in the living room that would hook up to gas if I wanted to buy a tank, but I don't think I need to at this point in time. The house is only 1 1/2 years old so it's more hassle than it's worth.

You don't have to have gas! You can be total electric and still have a heat pump.

We have propane already, so we will be using the Duel System. If we ever want to, we could get rid of the gas and just be total electric.

If you ever build a new house take the time to use 2x6s, 0r 2x8s for the walls & ceiling. It will cost you more to build but it will save you a bundle later, I drilled holes in my house & filled the walls full of insulation & the guy said to pound on the siding & get the insulaition to keep settleing, It's like the old fram oil commerical, pay me now or pay me later.
Jerry.

OWCH. Local electric cooperative rates didn't increase, but I hear in town, rates more than doubled for electric.

Sorry for all of you that are dealing with the increases.

so far ours hasn't gone up, we are on the regulated billing but I'm sure it will. No chance for us to do a wood stove as heating isn't a big issue for us as cooling.

Our electricity is from a co-op too. So hoping they don't go crazy!!