what is the average kw usage for a family of 4? and on this last bill we had 2 different winter residential rates? what's up with that. what are other Ballard families averaging for an electrical household? this includes heat, lights, dryer all electric.... just doing a survey.
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Seattle City Light bill (is outrageous!)
(13 posts)-
Delsen
offlineMemberPosted 2 years ago # -
boatgeek
offlineMemberThere are two different winter rates because you pay something like 4.5 cents a kWh for the first 960 kWh, then about 9 cents for the rest. We have a family of 4 with all electric appliances but oil heat and use about 25 kWh per day.
Look on the bright side. You could be living on the East Coast and be paying 20 cents a kWh for everything you use!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Alferd Packer
offlineMemberOver the last year ours has ranged from 890 to 1109 kWh for two months. Two people. Gas heat, gas hot water, electric dryer, electric range/oven.
Since we moved into this house ten years ago, we have reduced our usage by 25% by buying energy efficient appliances, replacing incandescent with fluorescent, reworking/balancing the furnace vents to eliminate need for electric space heaters.
Posted 2 years ago # -
donarb
offlineMemberCity Light also has a billing plan where they will average your bill over the course of the year. Your bill can then be same every month. Sign up is free.
http://www.seattle.gov/light/accounts/assistance/ac5_bblg.asp
Posted 2 years ago # -
Dweezil
offlineMemberDelsen, out of curiosity, how much was your bill? Or is it just the pricing structure that is outrageous?
I'm a 1-person household, so I won't draw the sneers by mentioning how low my bill was.Posted 2 years ago # -
Kat
offlineMemberI'll bite.
I use oil heat, 2 person household about 700sf. My last bill was about $160. My single mother with electric heat about 900sf was $340. Her single neighbor, 1000sf also electric was $390. Another neighbor who doesn't even live in his place and has his heat to 60 when hes gone had a $170 bill. These numbers are all over the place. I'm guessing my mom and her neighbors are all estimated. I see my guy come out every other month. My water bill, now that's the different story....Posted 2 years ago # -
lyl
offlineMemberKat, you are guessing wrong. If a bill is ever estimated (due to illness, inaccessability, etc) it will say so on the bill. I use oil heat, 2 person household, 2000sqft. This 2 month bill = $357. Keeping a heater at 60 degrees while you're gone is very wasteful. Turning it down to 55 would save. And electric heat is expensive.
Take the time to understand the billing structure, and then understand that you are paying way way way less than your neighbors with Puget Power which is a for profit company. We all own City Light and never ever let the City Council "privatize" our electric provider!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Kat
offlineMemberLyl: I'm not really guessing. My Mother has told me before that they estimate (shes called and complained) it since its a community thing and they don't have access to the meters or something. The only thing that doesn't add up is that the place her neighbor lives (my father in law) was vacant for a year plus with the furnace off and he had a bill like this from the start. I would figure if it was an estimation it would be estimated off the vacant place but I don't really know.
Posted 2 years ago # -
JoeInBallard
offlineMemberIt's pretty easy to read the meter yourself and compare it to your bill.
http://www.we-energies.com/residential/howto/howto_reademeter.htm
Posted 2 years ago # -
RichY
offlineMemberThe bill and meter are pretty easy to read, also there is a page at seattle.gov that will explain the rate structure, you should also every-other month get a letter from city light, showing your average use v/ the area and simular size house.
That said SCL says I am a little lower than my area simular house.
I have a 5 Br 3800 sq ft with gas heat and gas hot water, I used 1657 kWh for this billing period, $2.00 / day ($120.00) for 2 months. My use was abit higher this period because I took out 4 large trees ( I use electric chain saws) and had the heat on higher because of the massive amount of rain ( needed to get dry and warm from working outside) - the furnace is gas but the fans are electric.
Also City light and Wash energy will do a "free" energy use audit and there is a $99.00 comp audit avilable from city light if you are worried about your use.
Edit: My sister in Carson City Nv has a 1500 sq ft house gas heat and turn off lights and buy energy effec. stuff paid $270.00 for one month (march)
Posted 2 years ago # -
tstone
offlineMemberWe have a 700sqft condo, 2 person household and pay about $20-25/month all year round. (Electric heater, portable a/c, washer/dryer, and dishwasher).
Are these older homes with poor insulation that some people are referring to?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Alferd Packer
offlineMembertstone, that's a pretty small monthly bill and odd there is not much variation. Curious though how you get Seattle City Light to bill you monthly? The other question is what is your kwh usage for a billing period?
To answer your question: There are very, very few new single family homes in Ballard. Almost all of Ballard was completely built by the early 1950's. Mine was built in 1916. It is 1410 sq ft., 1.5 stories plus basement. RichY's house is huge by comparison to mine.
Posted 2 years ago # -
kellydeen
offlineMember900 sq.ft., New Construction, Single Family Home, Stand Alone, 2-Stories, Gas Heat/H2O/Range, 2 Adults ~$40.00 for two months.
Posted 2 years ago #
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