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Decoding Your Utility Bill
Builders
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Are Your Bills Normal? High?? Low???
Much can be learned about your home by examining your utility bills.
Indeed, knowing how much energy your house uses is a great first step in
understanding your savings potential. So dig out your bills and see what
they tell you! (Don't have your bills? You can get the information by calling
your utility or by visiting your utility's web site.)
Electricity Use
According to RG&E, the average home in western NY uses about 600 kWh
(kilowatt hours) of electricity per month. Some families in the area
live comfortably using less than 150 kWh per month while others use much
more than average. If your usage is low, you might consider a solar or wind
electric system to get your bill down to zero! If your usage is high, you
may be a good candidate for a Home Energy Audit or consultation.
Natural Gas
Home heating bills also vary widely. Many factors affect your home heating
bills, including home size, air tightness, insulation levels, heating efficiency
and solar orientation. If you are using natural gas to heat your home, check
your bills and add up the Therms for an entire heating season and compare
your home's energy usage to the chart to help determine how energy efficient
your home is - and how much savings potential you have!
Annual Therms
for various home sizes and construction qualities in western NY |
| Home Size (Square feet) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1000 |
0-135 |
135-270 |
270-550 |
550-800 |
800-1200 |
1200-1500+ |
| 1500 |
0-200 |
200-400 |
400-800 |
800-1200 |
1200-1800 |
1800-2200+ |
| 2000 |
0-270 |
270-550 |
550-1100 |
1100-1600 |
1600-2400 |
2400-3000+ |
| 2500 |
0-350 |
350-700 |
700-1400 |
1400-2000 |
2000-3000 |
3000-3700+ |
| 3000 |
0-400 |
400-800 |
800-1600 |
1600-2400 |
2400-3600 |
3600-4500+ |
| 3500 |
0-475 |
475-950 |
950-1900 |
1900-2800 |
2800-4250 |
4250-5200+ |
|
Net-Zero Energy Homes! |
Near Zero Energy Homes! |
Better-than- average homes |
Average Homes with Some Savings Potential |
Worse than average homes with High Savings
Potential |
Older homes with Huge Savings Potential |
|
Example
Say your home is about 2200 square feet and you use 1850 Therms per year.
The nearest home size in the chart is 2000 square feet. Look in that row
for the column that best matches your 1850 Therm usage. In this case, you
fit right in between 1600 and 2400, so it looks like you have some great
energy saving potential!
So Now What Do I Do?
If your bills are on the high side, you should consider a Home Energy Audit.
There are probably cost effective measures like air sealing and adding
insulation which will make your home more comfortable and lower your
utility bills.
If your bills are on the low side - Congratulations!! You are probably a
great candidate for a renewable energy system. Give our energy experts a
call and see what it takes to make your home a Net Zero Energy Home! |
