High gas bill

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Originally Posted by energy_rater_La

Recently sealed my ducts with mastic and started insulating them.

have you finished insulating them?
what are you insulating with?
are any ducts not insulated?
if the ducts were uninsulated for the month with the
higher utility bill...it makes sense.
but...do check to see if there is another issue.
gas leaks are nothing to play around with.

best of luck

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I started sealing the ducts after the bill and am using this to insulate

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051

Just started working in the crawlspace since we were busy with a problem with another room.

Heat comes out really hot and fast now with the exception of the furthest ducts in the kitchen. I started insulating the exchange and the ducts coming into the bedroom. The other ducts need replaced since whoever did the work has a round duct going into a square one and the other is just so compressed it had gaping holes which I fixed. The other is a flex duct which is just horrible, so I just sealed those till I replace em.

Hey guys, I am still having issues. I was away for 3 weeks, had the temp set at 60. This months bill was $148 even with the temp set so low. Had the hot water heater set to low and nothing else was being used.

Having a tech fron NJR home services come to check things out on Friday.

This makes no sense to me since my 2 floor apartment set at 72 (on all the time) generated a bill of $88 at its highest. Apartment was also 700 sqft larger as well and was an end unit.

How many CU FT are you using per month, what all do you have that's gas and what are the firing rates? Do you have a fireplace(s). Are exhaust fans running a lot? What is the humidity level it the house? All crawl space? Attached garage? Unusual exposures, such as open fields, lakes, sitting on a hill exposed?

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How many CU FT are you using per month, what all do you have that's gas and what are the firing rates? Do you have a fireplace(s). Are exhaust fans running a lot? What is the humidity level it the house? All crawl space? Attached garage? Unusual exposures, such as open fields, lakes, sitting on a hill exposed? .

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For this month it shows I used about 117 cuft and 124 therms. The stove, water heater and dryer are gas, however, those were not being used during this billing cycle (Bill was $25 before using the furnace)

I have a fireplace. I do not think the exhaust fans run alot. It is not very humid in the house, but it is not uncomfortable. It is all crawl space, no garage. Not exposed at all. In fact, the sun is blasting my house most of the day (front door gets real hot in the morning, sun blasts the back in the afternoon.

I just installed a new wifi thermostat and for example, the house is at 65 and it is 40 outside, temp set at 62.

This is a new furnace and it is my first winter with it. Guys had come out before I started using it to wite a duct fan they had disconnected when the old furnace was there. Wondering if they messed something up or if the furnace is just not installed properly.

IF you entire home averaged R4 (walls, ceilings, floor) and has 200CFM of air leaks with an 80% furance could consume 315 therms with an average daily temp of 40F and average indoor temp of 65F. It is possible.

My last home was 1300sqft with a full basement instead of crawlspace and still used 150 therms in December.

Remember your apartment had shared walls and probably didn't have a crawlspace. Overall square footage tells you little about actual heat loss rate. Furhter, small homes have more surface area compared to their square footage, so a 2800sqft home won't have 2X the bills of a 1400sqft home. If 2 stary a home twice the size of your might only be 60% higher.

Just wait for your electric bill in summer!

My electric bill for September was $77 using the ac at 75 degrees

I'd expect AC to be just a little higher. I'm with others, it still sounds like a small gas leak somewhere or the furnace is not set-up right at all.

Actually the electric bill was $67.20 for using 515 kWh. Still my highest electric bill in my apartment was the same as this last months gas bill.

Do you use the fireplace at all? Is the flue damper completely closed. Does it fit tightly and seal well?

Did use the fp a few times, closed it when not in use. Seems to seal okay. Also just as an example, it is 47 degrees, my house is set to 62 and it is 64 in the house..does not seem like an insulation issue.

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Originally Posted by tipsrfine

Your area had about 330 heating degree days in Oct, and 870 in December. Your gas provider may charge more for gas in Winter. May want to get an energy audit of your home to see what you can do to to improve its envelope -air leakage, insulation.

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Did you use the fp in oct & nov, or just in dec?

Used it in Dec and Jan but only like 3 times

U have to figure for about 300 cubic feet per minute of your homes air going out through the fireplace when the fp is being used, assuming you do not have a direct vent (sealed) fireplace. Couple that with the fact that Dec. had close to 3 times the heating degree days than oct had. Since we are just talking utility bill, there is still the possibility that your gas provider raises their rates in Dec. (That would seem an odd month to do so). Any new people move into the house at that time? Take longer showers? It all adds up.