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2 years ago there was a big scare about the price of natural gas spiking in the winter months, that was 2010. I made the decision to adjust our household temperature to 55 degrees, and with our programable thermostat we warm it up to 61 degrees three hours in the morning (for showering and morning duties) and three hours in the evening just because it feels good.
I live 200 miles from the Canadian border, so I am farther north than most in the middle of the Rockies. My 2600 ft. home is almost 40 years old with upgraded windows but 2×4 walls so it is not a super efficient construction. I did install a 85% natural gas force air furnace in 1991 which was a good call as driving to cut wood and maintain saws is getting more expensive.
Anyway my natural gas bill (includes water and stove) went from $85 a month budget billing down to $59 in 2012, and just dropped to $39 per month for 2013. In this area it is not unusual for my parents and friends to have $200 per month bills.
The only adjustments we made were wearing flannels and slippers around the house and putting a throw on every chair to cover up with when we sit down. Basically we are now acclimated to the new climate and these are very comfortable temperatures to live with. Saving about $500 a year on gas doesn’t hurt either.
Anyway it is way cheaper than driving into the hills and cutting wood although I just purchased a wood stove to see if I can cut it more.
I live 200 miles from the Canadian border, so I am farther north than most in the middle of the Rockies. My 2600 ft. home is almost 40 years old with upgraded windows but 2×4 walls so it is not a super efficient construction. I did install a 85% natural gas force air furnace in 1991 which was a good call as driving to cut wood and maintain saws is getting more expensive.
Anyway my natural gas bill (includes water and stove) went from $85 a month budget billing down to $59 in 2012, and just dropped to $39 per month for 2013. In this area it is not unusual for my parents and friends to have $200 per month bills.
The only adjustments we made were wearing flannels and slippers around the house and putting a throw on every chair to cover up with when we sit down. Basically we are now acclimated to the new climate and these are very comfortable temperatures to live with. Saving about $500 a year on gas doesn’t hurt either.
Anyway it is way cheaper than driving into the hills and cutting wood although I just purchased a wood stove to see if I can cut it more.