The Old Folks Home

[CapricornFarm]

Here in CA we don't use oil furnaces much. Since we normally do not go below 27F in the winter, -5F mini splits work at nearly 100% efficiency.

A couple of weeks ago pge notified us that natural gas was going to be even higher this year. People had six hundred plus monthly bills last winter while keeping the house below 65F.

Electric rates will go up too but they do not go up as much as natural gas will.

Here in VA, they try to charge us $100 fee if we don't use enough propane! We heat mostly with the wood stove. Our main cost for that is labor and gas to run the saw. We like to have a couple back up options. Hence propane and electric.

 

[Nomadicus]

We are all electric for the first time in years. Last house had natural gas. Gas range and water heater and fireplace. Heat pump for heat. Utility bills were minimal except for 4 peak months of the year.

 

[Nomadicus]

Our forecast has changed. We are 6 days from a 47° night. Pizza is coming out of the freezer finally. Ma will be baking a pound cake too.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Going to make pizza tomorrow canadian bacon.
It is wet here now but still get to go clean the tables.

 

[bruceha2000]

Solar with a battery backup.

That is what I have but I'm using the batteries only when grid power goes out which isn't terribly often.

I got pissed off when the state utility overseer decided we had to pay the Efficiency Vermont charge for every kilowatt we use including those that come directly from the panels or the batteries and the kilowatts to refill the batteries. Screw them, I'm not using up my charge/discharge cycles and paying for the "privilege".

In the summer I can run 100% off grid except for the charger for DW's Leaf. It isn't connected to the batteries and we only charge between 9 PM and 1 PM the next day (99% of the time it starts charging at 9 PM) because the electric company charges less per kilowatt hour for car charges during that period.

I paid for the panels, no financial help from the state or the electric company. So I have an overly expensive "emergency generator".

 

[getaclue]

I have a different question. You live in Central Florida. Why are you putting in heaters AT ALL?????? Do you have chicks hatching?

1. Why wouldn't I? 2. I may have chicks further into the winter season, when it gets cold out.

 

[Nomadicus]

1. Why wouldn't I? 2. I may have chicks further into the winter season, when it gets cold out.

When I lived in southern central FL as a teen I worked to keep trees from freezing when the temp was 17°. It gets a lot colder in FL some years than a lot of people know. Unprotected water lines freeze and bust. One year it got so cold mixed with a rain that cattle died. Those Brahman form India don't like cold weather.

 

[getaclue]

LTAY you are correct. Thank you.

 

[Nomadicus]

Any time the temp fell below 60 heavy coats came out.

 

[Nomadicus]

It's 68° now not many miles north of the FL. State line. I think it is time to plant some mustard and turnip greens.