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peanut butter 
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 Topic: MY power crisis!!!
Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:26pm |
I am still having palpitations over this one! Last month our power bill was $325!!! We had the nightstore running and were using the dryer a lot.
This month I made a concerted effort to turn off lights, not use the dryer so much and weturned the nightstore off..brrrrr! Our reading was an estimate this month and I expected that it would be over estimated. So I went out to get the reading so that we could get our bill corrected (lower)....WRONG!!!! It was higher...so high that our bill is now $530!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.Mel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:41pm |
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Sounds like you might have something leaking.
Do you have an oil heater? If you do, do you leave it on or turn it off each night/day? The reason I ask, is that heating the oil is very expensive.
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FionaS
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:47pm |
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Wow! I've been hearing about power bills this high! I thought $128 was high. Eeek!
How many people in your house??
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Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley
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ginger
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:47pm |
That does NOT sound right at all nzpiper. We have a 4 bedroom house and running a spa, and last month ours was around $200 (which was a shock because it's normally around the $150 mark), so the spa got turned off, but we've still been running the dehumidifier and the dryer (  weather). I'vew been having really long showers too because it helps wiht cramping wiht No. 9. Admittedly we have a wood fire for heating and it's the only heating we use.
I'd ring someone and get it checked out. Even if you have to get someone in, if it brings your power bills down significantly, it'll be money well spent.
By comparison, my boss has a huge house in Remuera, outside lighting, underfloor heating, a heated spa etc etc etc and his bills are around the $600 mark.
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Cuinn Lachlan 23.1.09 - 22:00
Antonia Helene 4.8.11 - 09:41
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:50pm |
Um that doesn't right. i know my bill this month is going to be big but I am glad that it is in credit at the moment.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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.Mel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 5:57pm |
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With the 5 of us and kids who don't turn off lights after they've left the room two convection heaters ours was $191. Next month will be higher because of the heat pump and getting that up and running to the temp we like.
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peanut butter
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:00pm |
I rang Contact Energy and the girl thinks it is most likely heating. We run 2 oil heaters (one is 5 fin and on most of the day in Toms room) the other is a big one and we put it on for a few hours in the morning until the fire gets the lounge warm enough. Mind you we have been using the fan option on that too so maybe that makes a difference. We had a dehumidifier on for a couple of weeks but I got too lazy to empty it (now I think....not our house, screw the dampness).
otherwise we have the usual, TV, vid, DVD, amp, fridge, freezer, microwave, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, baby monitor, phones, computer, printer, modem. I cant imagine that these things make that much difference. Apparently our day consumption has doubled in the last 34 days!
They suggested turning everything off and then turning each appliance on and seeing how fast the meter spins to get an idea of what is using the most power.
The main thing I can think of is this house has light bulbs for africa! And you turn on one switch and about 6 lights come on....a mixture of tungsten, halogen and weird ones. I have been reluctant to change to energy saving ones as we dont know if we will be here for long and I cant imagine the savings would be huge....mind you right now I think I need to look at the little things.
Anyother ideas????
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peanut butter
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:01pm |
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We have 2 adults and 1 baby who cant turn things off (or on yet)
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.Mel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:03pm |
 nzpiper wrote:
I rang Contact Energy and the girl thinks it is most likely heating. We run 2 oil heaters (one is 5 fin and on most of the day in Toms room) the other is a big one and we put it on for a few hours in the morning until the fire gets the lounge warm enough. Mind you we have been using the fan option on that too so maybe that makes a difference. |
Thats where I think your problem lies. Its turning the oil heaters on and off, the electricians at work think they are the worst things invented, they get people all the time.
What about ditching the oil heaters and getting convection heaters that run on thermostat. They don't use alot of power. Or get a heat pump.
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peanut butter
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:04pm |
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I would love a heat pump but its not our house. WE dont turn the oil heater on and off, just on when we get up and off a few hours later. What are convection ones?
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FionaS
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:06pm |
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We use oil fin heaters - one in the lounge for a few hours each night and one teeny one in Elles room at night but our power bill as never been over $160??
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AnnC
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:08pm |
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Oh my that IS a big bill!
Ours got estimated last month at a ridculous amount but under it was $100 we adverage around $170 so i paid $150 so not to get a shock when they do the actual reading.
we use a oil heater in Rhyleys room at night on the lowest but it keeps it warm as he is they type that will not stay under the blankets.
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Ann
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.Mel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:21pm |
nzpiper wrote:
I would love a heat pump but its not our house. WE dont turn the oil heater on and off, just on when we get up and off a few hours later. What are convection ones? |
Ok, the heater is still having to heat the oil up (which is the expensive bit). They should just be left on, and then put onto thermostat...
This is what I found on the Energywise Website
Convection heaters
A convection heater warms the air rather than surfaces. Most have an element and a fan.
These are a good choice for a medium-sized room. They steadily warm the air by convection and provide background warmth. Their surface temperatures are relatively low, which makes them safer than hot radiant heaters. Note that they can be tipped over by children unless specially designed.
To work out how much a heater costs to run for an hour in cents, take the capacity of the heater in kilowatts (1 kW = 1000 Watts) and multiply by 20
Energywise
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MissAngel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:30pm |
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Did you get your hot water cylinder checked?? they can suck the power away like you wouldnt believe. GEtting a wrap for it also saves a LOT of power. Also get your fridge tested - sometimes they can suck the power too - something to do with the thing on the back.
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MissCandice
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:20pm |
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Nikki, our bill was that this month too. I dont know why. So far we have used $300. I worked it out from the metre.
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~ Mummy to a beautiful girl ~
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peanut butter
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:29pm |
They told me that the aveerage oil heater uses 40c/hour. Tom's is on 24/7.....thats $300/month. I think we have found our problem. But what is the solution? His room gets too cold otherwise. At this rate the nightstore mightbe cheaper and then using the oil heater just overnight. Bloody power bills huh?
Oh and Mel, oil heaters ARE a type of convection heater. Where you meaning something specific?
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Bobbie
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:41pm |
You can get electric convection heaters - I think that's what she means. They have heating bars in them (sort of like toasters do) and the heat comes out a vent in the top.
We run an oil heater in Rowan's room for 12 hours a night - hmm maybe we should switch to the convection heater we have in the lounge.
Edited by Bobbie
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catcase
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:46pm |
Another thing to check is old fridges/freezers as they can be a huge drain on teh power if the seals etc... are going and they are icing up. Hope this help as I know how tough it is when you have a huge power bill you were not expecting
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mummyofprinces
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:51pm |
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I would get the water heater tested too, a dodgey one can cost you heaps!!!!!! I would call your landlord/estate agent!!!
Not a bad tip from the girl at contact energy.. if you can be bothered.
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.Mel
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Posted: 10 June 2008 at 7:56pm |
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I'm not sure of a solution for his room
Our convection heaters arent oil. They are electric. One has a fan though which makes the heat spread faster. The other is just a thermostat one.
God I hope I'm calling them the right thing. They aren't bar heaters.
ETA: Just checked with DH, they are definitely Convection.
Edited by .Mel
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Mr Mellow (16)
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MY power crisis!!!
