We bought the house last march, and it is the first house we own, so we’re still getting used to what the winter bill should look like, but since october it has averaged to about 80$ a month. In the summer it was about 35& or less since we don’t use anything to cool down but our windows. We live in Central Pennsylvania and have oil heat. My question is, is the furnace to blame for this spike in our energy bill now in the winter? I understand the fact that the water heater is also working more now in the winter, but I just want to hear from other pepole I guess. Is this spike in our electric bill normal? Thank you for your answers.
I am not using space heaters or bathroom heaters. I cook most of the meals at home and use washer/dryer to do about 5-7 loads a week.
Your furnace has a big fan in it that draws a BIG slug of power each time it starts up. Once running the current draw drops way back. Whether you burn gas or oil doesn’t make any difference in the electric bill. In fact you get more heat from oil than gas so the fan should run less. Some folks run the fan all the time so that start-up power draw doesn’t take place. You could turn everything off in the house, go outside and observe the power meter, is it still turning?? If so you missed something. Observe how fast it is spinning, then start turning things back on. Does any one thing cause it to spin fast, if so that one is drawing a lot of current. While doing this make sure the furnace is off, then turn it on (fan on) and watch for that spike in meter spin. You could do all of this with current meters but you should get a good feel as to what is drawing the current. Don’t forget to turn on the dryer, run the hot water so it comes one, etc. Have fun….. And yes, the furnace is to blame for the spike……
January 14th, 2010 at 10:19 am
If your furnace is running a lot, its electric pump will also be churning away night and day. You will also be using the lights more though this should not be a big part of the cost. Using your oven a lot also runs away with a lot of power and also the clothes dryer is a heavy user. But I don’t have an oil furnace, I use gas.
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January 14th, 2010 at 10:49 am
that’s not normal. i’d get your furnace checked and turn your computers and/or monitors off when you’re not using them, make sure lights aren’t getting left on too long…. it seems like maybe it would go up a little since it gets darker out earlier in the winter, (and you don’t us a/c in summer)… is your stove electric too? maybe get that looked at if it is… good luck
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January 14th, 2010 at 10:56 am
im a builder in the uk …over here oil fired heating is the most expensive you can get ..if you average say 70$ per month x12 that’s only 840$ per year you would double that in uk if it was oil and maybe £800 per year for gas your not doing too bad
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January 14th, 2010 at 11:40 am
The spike is caused by the furnace running. It uses electricity for the fan, even though it is oil heat. That seems like a big spike just for the fan; you’re not using space heaters or bathroom heaters, are you?
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January 14th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Your furnace has a big fan in it that draws a BIG slug of power each time it starts up. Once running the current draw drops way back. Whether you burn gas or oil doesn’t make any difference in the electric bill. In fact you get more heat from oil than gas so the fan should run less. Some folks run the fan all the time so that start-up power draw doesn’t take place. You could turn everything off in the house, go outside and observe the power meter, is it still turning?? If so you missed something. Observe how fast it is spinning, then start turning things back on. Does any one thing cause it to spin fast, if so that one is drawing a lot of current. While doing this make sure the furnace is off, then turn it on (fan on) and watch for that spike in meter spin. You could do all of this with current meters but you should get a good feel as to what is drawing the current. Don’t forget to turn on the dryer, run the hot water so it comes one, etc. Have fun….. And yes, the furnace is to blame for the spike……
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January 14th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
yes it will be more because your furnace kicks on and that effects the electric.
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