Uh oh.....

[chickflick]

It a quarter til 11 and my chickens are 'roosting'. Guess that cold front is just about to 'hit'!!

Better get some kindling for the fireplace. (I know, I know.. it's only gonna be 50's in the daytime.. but hey.. THIS Is TEXAS ALRIGHT!!! We must have our fun when possible!! )

Besides.. my stupid electric bill DOUBLES in the winter. I STILL haven't figured that one out. (It's central heat and air.. wonder what gives?) Any guesses?

[countrygrrrl]

I'm actually in the middle of doing kind of an energy audit around here and fooling around with the electric (putting surge protector on the meter, stuff like that).

Around here, rates go down after summer --- I'm guessing that's the same for you?

In any case, sounds like you have some stuff sucking too much electricity. I'd guess older and/or faulty appliances.

Also, do you winterproof? Do you make sure caulking, etc. around windows, etc. is good, that there's no big leaks around doors, etc.?

Do you have covered porches? If so, a little plastic goes a long way on them, in terms of putting it over the sides (I'm doing that this weekend on my front porch).

[BobBoyce]

Unless you have a reversible heat pump instead of regular central AC, they use resistive electric heat strips entirely for heating, which are very inefficient.

Heat pumps use some source of heat for de-icing in extreme cold, but they are still more energy efficient than resistive electric heating alone in the long run.

Bob

[uncle Will in In.]

Unless you have a tight damper in your fire place and keep it closed you are heating the sky. A little fire in the fireplace works your heating system to produce the heat that is lost up the chimney while the fire is going out. Unless you plan to fire a fireplace heavily for several hours it will run up your heat bill.

[chickflick]

Clarificaitons:

I may Not have a heat pump. ?? Hmm.. must check on this. Thanks!

My fireplace has an INSERT.. very efficient. My electric DOUBLES when I DON"T use it!! (I experimented with this last year, which is when my costs went up)

All winterized. Guess the electric co. just decided to Up in the winter the last ocuple of years OR

Not using that good wood fire and the insert is costing me.... Well.. out to the wood pile for me!!

The darn wood box in it sooooo friggin' TINY.. I just hate building a fire in it. Is that dumb or what? lol.