Electric Usage Chart Pre/Post Stove

[Soundchasm]

Howdy All,

The subject is endlessly debatable, but I keep records of monthly avg temps and KWHs. I think I've found a way to illustrate savings from the stove. Of course, this factors in everything like CFLs, etc, so over the years we keep using less juice.

Getting off-white shingles made a difference in AC in the summer, but I have about two years of data pre/post stove with most of the major factors the same. I used the monthly avg temp since that made sense to me at the time.

Of course, it could be done better, but I've stuck with it long enough that I figure all my assumptions that were in error have been compensated for through volume, like billing cycles not lining up with the calendar, etc.

I think one thing that jumps out at me is I can now reasonably predict what I would have paid w/o the stove. I hope the chart is self-explanatory. I'm no longer objective. I'll include the chart and the raw data. I would have used 2010 and 2011 as pre and 2012 and 2013 as post. X-axis is Temp and Y-axis is KWHs. Very happy that a lot of work has taken the house from 31,000KWHs to 18,000KWHs.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[velvetfoot]

May I ask what kind of electric heat you have?

 

[begreen]

Good info. It looks like you've made substantial improvements in the past few years. Congratulations. I'm glad they show up so nicely at the bottom line.

 

[Soundchasm]

May I ask what kind of electric heat you have?

It's a regular Carrier 5 ton heat pump. We had it installed around 2002 approximately. The SEER rating might be 10? I'd have to dig that stuff out. My ultimate plan is to get a feel for how much time it takes to lay up enough wood, and then I'll be able to figure out how much I'm getting "paid" per hour of processing.

 

[TradEddie]

Nice chart, I do much the same, but I use the NOAA HDD for my area. I also wired an hour meter to my furnace to track its use time, it's a very inexpensive way to monitor improvements, there is a thread somewhere about it.

I'm not one at all to criticize anybody else's consumption, but 18,000kwh/year still sounds like a lot for someone who is already energy-conscious. As a point of reference, what is your house area, and how many people etc? Electric water heater, multiple fridges? I'm aiming for under 10k next year with 2400sqft, electric water heater, electric dryer, 4 people.

TE

 

[velvetfoot]

The house is heated and cooled with electricity. And wood heat, of course.

 

[begreen]

Just got our electric bill. The bill goes from end of April to almost the end of May. Last year for May (28 day billing) we used 360KWh or 12.9KW/day average. This May (33 day billing) we used 635KWh or 19.2KW/day! Why? Last year May was cold and damp. I burned wood most of the month. This year was milder and I let the heat pump handle the whole month because electrons are much cheaper than our wood. On the plus side we generated a lot more solar electric this May because it was sunnier.

 

[Soundchasm]

Nice chart, I do much the same, but I use the NOAA HDD for my area. I also wired an hour meter to my furnace to track its use time, it's a very inexpensive way to monitor improvements, there is a thread somewhere about it.

I'm not one at all to criticize anybody else's consumption, but 18,000kwh/year still sounds like a lot for someone who is already energy-conscious. As a point of reference, what is your house area, and how many people etc? Electric water heater, multiple fridges? I'm aiming for under 10k next year with 2400sqft, electric water heater, electric dryer, 4 people.

TE

Two people, 1800 SQFT, full basement, 1955 construction. We're electric everything including water. So my entire utility bill last month was $136 for 1,147KWHs. Without the stove, I'm sure we'd have seen $600 electric bills last winter. We slowly do doors, windows, insulation, etc every few years. I feel like I'm looking at a 2/3rds reduction in cash outlay.

I've learned not to get between my wife and her oven...

 

[BrotherBart]

You can never compare electric usage even between two houses side by side. You set a base line and then keep knocking it down. Somebody elses electric bill is a non-event.

I used six Kwh one month in winter years ago. Drained the two story 2,500 sq. ft. house like you do a mobile home, water heater and all, popped the main breaker and we left for a month,.