The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on October 07, 2010, 10:09:35 AM
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=353x2886
Oh my.
Donnachaidh (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-14-10 09:58 AM
Original message
totally confused on gas rates -- can anyone help?
We're moving and we have to get a gas account for hot water. Our landlord said to not sign up for anything higher than .80 per therm, and the ones I've checked so far are under that. But the fixed rates are messing with my head - 6 month fixed versus 12 month.
Then a *grand plan* of .65 per therm for 12 months, but a minimum usage of 1000 therms (I assume it's per month?) is required.
Any dummies guides out there?
Warpy (1000+ posts) Sun Apr-18-10 03:06 AM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE, #09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009
Response to Original message
1. If you're not heating with gas, then the fixed rates make no sense
However, the first thing you need to do to that gas water heater is turn it down to 120, usually the lowest setting. That will deliver water that is hot enough for just about everything while saving you a bundle of cash on heating all that water to a high temperature while you're sleeping or at work.
If you do that, you'll never use enough to qualify for that super low fixed rate. You'll come out ahead, though.
People who heat their houses with gas often come out ahead on the fixed yearly rate. Misers like me don't.
old mark (1000+ posts) Mon Sep-27-10 02:10 PM
THE OLD PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message
2. Please read my post WARNING of energy suppliers (Gas) and fixed rate offers. Should still be near the top here.
Okay, okay, okay, franksolich is looking around for it, near the top here.
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I wonder how much the DUmmies are going to like their gas rates when the imposter occupying in the White House, passes Cap & Trade?!?! Then, they'll have something to bitch about. I'd also like to hear how much they love that globull warming bullshit after Cap & Trade passes?!? :banghead::censored: :censored:
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Since to a hammer the whole world is a nail, I see why DUmbasses think that everyone else needs the government for life.
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Our bill from Southwest Gas averages around $25/mo. The highest that bill ever reached was $45 when we had family in town for a week and we were cooking a lot. Lowest was $15/mo. We've never had a natural gas bill until we moved to Las Vegas.
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My natural gas bill ran anywhere from $10 during the summer to $100+ during December-February. It's cheaper to use electricity, but gas does feel so nice when it's 12° outside. It's easy to overdo it on the thermostat.
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Our bill from Southwest Gas averages around $25/mo. The highest that bill ever reached was $45 when we had family in town for a week and we were cooking a lot. Lowest was $15/mo. We've never had a natural gas bill until we moved to Las Vegas.
We used to heat with gas until last year when I stuffed a wood stove insert into our old fireplace. Our gas bill went down to less than 1/4 of what it was before. We keep it at 80 inside during the winter when we are at home, and have yet to see a bill over $56 (I am in climate zone 6).
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We don't heat with gas. It's electric heat here. Our gas is for the water heater and stove/oven.
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Warpy probably has smelly hot water. I just had to replace my water heater earlier this year, and found that state code requires a mixer valve... the plumber splained it thusly... your water heater is cranked to the max at 140 degrees, which kills any bacteria that likes to live in water heaters, then the mixing valve automatically adds cold water to the outgoing hot water, lowering the temperature to 120, so you can't get scalded. I actually adjusted it up a little closer to 130 because 120 didn't feel hot enough for me. The bottom line is, after installing a slightly larger water heater with a mixing valve, I actually have hot water running at the tap twice as long as with the old water heater. No more lukewarm endings to showers, or waiting for more water to heat up to fill the bathtub. I've been using the same amount of electricity since the install as I did the previous year.
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My natural gas bill ran anywhere from $10 during the summer to $100+ during December-February. It's cheaper to use electricity, but gas does feel so nice when it's 12° outside. It's easy to overdo it on the thermostat.
Up here gas is way cheaper than electricity ever since the state, know it all's, decided to give the utility a 15% raise hike! All, and I mean all of our power is generated by hydro, so I was tryin' to figure out where these guys are gettin' this increased cost BS! Come to find out, we are exporting our hydro energy to Washington, Oregon, and Kalifornica, and importing from coal and natural gas! Talk about gettin' screwed!
Their excuse is, it's the way the grid is set up dating back to WWII! I call Bull Shit!