Biden declares a winter emergency for Texas.

[Paratus]

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Damn he’s on a roll tonight.

 

[sandorski]

Heh. Maybe there's some reason Ercot is calling for people to conserve electricity. The prospect of you enduring a widespread power blackout is amusing, even if it means a lot of other people suffer in the process. OTOH, it's unlikely you'd learn anything, anyway.

...time to max all the Burners, AirCon, and Appliances for FREEEEEEDOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

It has been 95 degrees and 90% humidity this week. What you are suggesting is akin to telling someone from up north to just do without heat in the winter.

Which is exactly what pretty much everybody did before the 1980s. Very few homes had any form of AC before then. Many do not even today. At most they might have a window unit or two.

I have a 2760 sqft two story house in the DFW area. I run my AC at 70 from 5:00pm to 5:00am and 74 5:00am to 5:00pm. My avg montyhly bill for June-Sept is around $120. I use around 1000-1200kwh a month during summer. Im around 500-600kwh the other 8 months.

Turn your AC up to 80 daytime and 76 nighttime and you'll save a lot on your electric bill. Use it more as a dehumidifier and 80 will feel fine, especially during the day when people might not be home, or are outside more.


I have a single 6K BTU window unit that cools one room. I keep the door closed when it's on to keep the cool in that one room. At night, I open every window and door possible to let the cool night air in, then close it all up by 8AM. That helps to keep the rest of the house cooler for most of the day. Of course that only works when night time temps are in the 60s. It's far less effective in July and August when it's less likely to get below 75 at night.

I generally use 15-20KwHrs a day, often in the 12-14 range. A $70 bill is high for me.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Yeah no, I'm not turning shit down when it' 95 degrees with a dewpoint around 77. Ugh I hate June, at least in August when the temps routinely get in the 100s here the dewpoint will usually be in the 50s or 60s.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Which is exactly what pretty much everybody did before the 1980s. Very few homes had any form of AC before then. Many do not even today. At most they might have a window unit or two.



Turn your AC up to 80 daytime and 76 nighttime and you'll save a lot on your electric bill. Use it more as a dehumidifier and 80 will feel fine, especially during the day when people might not be home, or are outside more.


I have a single 6K BTU window unit that cools one room. I keep the door closed when it's on to keep the cool in that one room. At night, I open every window and door possible to let the cool night air in, then close it all up by 8AM. That helps to keep the rest of the house cooler for most of the day. Of course that only works when night time temps are in the 60s. It's far less effective in July and August when it's less likely to get below 75 at night.

I generally use 15-20KwHrs a day, often in the 12-14 range. A $70 bill is high for me.

lol not everyone lives a single life and lives in 1 room.

Family of 4 - with a 5th for my mother in law that watches the kids all day - running around all over all day.


Probably what could serve people better in life is ensuring you have good insolation and buying a higher SEER AC.

Anyways, ERCOT can fuck off. Energy Providers pay the market rate, while I pay a fixed rate. Don't want to pay high market prices? Then don't have problems and develop your infrastructure and grid better.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I am certainly no HVAC or electric expert but I do know our Bosch heat pump uses about the same energy as two or three fans.
Our electric bill has been stable since adding the heat pump and not using the fans.
Now my outside temp doesn’t often get into the high 90s maybe that changes the equation. What I am saying is that modern AC is pretty efficient. Would turning it off and going to fans save that much energy?

Pre heat pump we typically ran one fan for the pets pretty much all the time, two window fans when it was hot. These typically ran from 8PM to 7AM give or take.

 

[dawp]

I am certainly no HVAC or electric expert but I do know our Bosch heat pump uses about the same energy as two or three fans.
Our electric bill has been stable since adding the heat pump and not using the fans.
Now my outside temp doesn’t often get into the high 90s maybe that changes the equation. What I am saying is that modern AC is pretty efficient. Would turning it off and going to fans save that much energy?

we just install a Heil heat pump replacing a window unit and a pedestal unit that ran last year from 500 - 600 per month in the summer, we will see how much we save this summer.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

we just install a Heil heat pump replacing a window unit and a pedestal unit that ran last year from 500 - 600 per month in the summer, we will see how much we save this summer.

You will save from my experience.
I am also amazed at how little energy it uses to heat. Our oil use went from about 300 gallons per year to 40 to 60 gallons per year. We also keep the house warmer now.
Admittedly the heating aspect is complicated because we have solar and run a $350-$500 energy credit by wintertime.

 

[dawp]

You will save from my experience.
I am also amazed at how little energy it uses to heat. Our oil use went from about 300 gallons per year to 40 to 60 gallons per year. We also keep the house warmer now.
Admittedly the heating aspect is complicated because we have solar and run a $350-$500 energy credit by wintertime.

we were using space heaters because a previous owner removed the oil burner before I moved in due to the high cost. the chamber is still in our basement, it's made out of thick gauge steel and will need a torch to cut it up to remove it, too big to get out the door.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

we were using space heaters because a previous owner removed the oil burner before I moved in due to the high cost. the chamber is still in our basement, it's made out of thick gauge steel and will need a torch to cut it up to remove it, too big to get out the door.

Leave it and replace. Totally not worth the time to remove old cast iron boilers. If it is an old asbestos "snowman" boiler have someone come out and wrap it.

 

[Zorba]

things sure are heating up, time for summer emergency?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1404497283509534722

https://twitter.com/x/status/1404498195795828746

View attachment 45769

Seriously did no one do growth planning down there? The state has grown, of course they are using more power.

Going back to a point I made in a different thread, this is one of those things were growth can have a detrimental short term effect until infrastructure can catch up years later. (Of course the biggest issue here is how the GOP has fucked over Texas)

 

[Zorba]

Only June, this is just the start of Texas Summer... and power at $2,000+/MWh across most of Texas this afternoon sure ain't good.

In typical home billing terms, that's a bargain basement price right now of 200 cents/kWh, priced at wholesale - before transmission and distribution charges.

These are spot prices, so not every kWh costs that, but damn $2/kWh is crazy.

 

[dawp]

Leave it and replace. Totally not worth the time to remove old cast iron boilers. If it is an old asbestos "snowman" boiler have someone come out and wrap it.

it was a forced air furnace. already removed the sheet metal that surrounded it.

 

[Zorba]

I dont think he's a texan I think he was making a joke in general.

And honestly the real problem here is our over reliance on comfort devices.
Nobody on earth had electric air cooling until very recently and all of a sudden America has a major obesity epidemic and people are just sitting around inside all day with the A/C cranked up sucking juice from the power grid like there isn't an energy crisis.

They need to get outside, jog, eat healthy, lose weight, and not rely on A/C so much. Maybe allow more businesses to let people work in shorts, set the temp up a few degrees, and reduce the strain on their power grid. When at home you can just shut if off and open a window. Drink more water. At night set the temp to where you can get to sleep with no covers. Thats all you need.

The southwest population also boomed after the widespread adoption of AC. DFW would be a shell of what it is today with no AC.

 

[Zorba]

I have a 2760 sqft two story house in the DFW area. I run my AC at 70 from 5:00pm to 5:00am and 74 5:00am to 5:00pm. My avg montyhly bill for June-Sept is around $120. I use around 1000-1200kwh a month during summer. Im around 500-600kwh the other 8 months. My heat is on gas. My gas bill is $30(minimum charge) for 9 months out of the year and anywhere from $60-90 a month for Dec-Feb.

Soon as my pool is done and the variable speed pump is running 12hrs a day I’m sure it’s going to increase my bill more than my AC. The pool heater will definitely jack up my gas bills for Oct, March, and April, but we will be able to comfortably swim 8 months out of the year. August will be the test to see if the pool will also need a chiller as the pool is exposed to western sun but is completely shaded until 11am and after 6pm. Thankfully; If we need a chiller, chillers don’t use much energy.

I thought about adding a solar panel system but the only place I could put it faces WNW…

If you have the room, look into geothermal for heating/cooling the pool.

 

[Wreckem]

Which is exactly what pretty much everybody did before the 1980s. Very few homes had any form of AC before then. Many do not even today. At most they might have a window unit or two.



Turn your AC up to 80 daytime and 76 nighttime and you'll save a lot on your electric bill. Use it more as a dehumidifier and 80 will feel fine, especially during the day when people might not be home, or are outside more.


I have a single 6K BTU window unit that cools one room. I keep the door closed when it's on to keep the cool in that one room. At night, I open every window and door possible to let the cool night air in, then close it all up by 8AM. That helps to keep the rest of the house cooler for most of the day. Of course that only works when night time temps are in the 60s. It's far less effective in July and August when it's less likely to get below 75 at night.

I generally use 15-20KwHrs a day, often in the 12-14 range. A $70 bill is high for me.

My cheapest electric bills I’ve ever had were since I bought my house.

$120 is a relative bargain for 100 degree Texas heat in July and August. Especially for the size of two story house I have. I know people with $250-300 electric bills in summer.

If I wasn’t home all day from Memorial Day till August I’d bump up the day time temp but yeah I have no problem spending $900 a year for electric and $500 on gas.

 

[Fenixgoon]

My cheapest electric bills I’ve ever had were since I bought my house.

$120 is a relative bargain for 100 degree Texas heat in July and August. Especially for the size of two story house I have. I know people with $250-300 electric bills in summer.

If I wasn’t home all day from Memorial Day till August I’d bump up the day time temp but yeah I have no problem spending $900 a year for electric and $500 on gas.

My electric bills in Austin were around 275 during the summer.

 

[Jhhnn]

Yeah no, I'm not turning shit down when it' 95 degrees with a dewpoint around 77. Ugh I hate June, at least in August when the temps routinely get in the 100s here the dewpoint will usually be in the 50s or 60s.

If enough people think the same way then the chances of breaking the system are much greater. Then there isn't any air conditioning at all, at least for awhile. That's why Ercot is asking people to conserve. Plants operating in Texas are pushing the limits to keep up with demand. That's tough on the equipment.

 

[Zorba]

If enough people think the same way then the chances of breaking the system are much greater. Then there isn't any air conditioning at all, at least for awhile. That's why Ercot is asking people to conserve. Plants operating in Texas are pushing the limits to keep up with demand. That's tough on the equipment.

You expect Texasans to make personal sacrifices to benefit others? LMFAO

Ever see coverage of a hurricane evacuation out of Houston? They take ever car they own, because their personal car is more important than their neighbor's life.

 

[balloonshark]

I have a 2760 sqft two story house in the DFW area. I run my AC at 70 from 5:00pm to 5:00am and 74 5:00am to 5:00pm. My avg montyhly bill for June-Sept is around $120. I use around 1000-1200kwh a month during summer. Im around 500-600kwh the other 8 months. My heat is on gas. My gas bill is $30(minimum charge) for 9 months out of the year and anywhere from $60-90 a month for Dec-Feb.

Soon as my pool is done and the variable speed pump is running 12hrs a day I’m sure it’s going to increase my bill more than my AC. The pool heater will definitely jack up my gas bills for Oct, March, and April, but we will be able to comfortably swim 8 months out of the year. August will be the test to see if the pool will also need a chiller as the pool is exposed to western sun but is completely shaded until 11am and after 6pm. Thankfully; If we need a chiller, chillers don’t use much energy.

I thought about adding a solar panel system but the only place I could put it faces WNW…

My 12 month average is 566kwh. I use about 300 in March and close to 1000 in Jan. and Feb. This place is about 400 square feet but it leaks like a sieve.

As I was typing my original reply I actually thought about pool chillers for those that live in Texas. I don't know anything about them but I would have thought they use a bunch of energy. It's Interesting to here that isn't the case.

Your bills are pretty reasonable considering it's a home.

 

[Jhhnn]

You expect Texasans to make personal sacrifices to benefit others? LMFAO

Ever see coverage of a hurricane evacuation out of Houston? They take ever car they own, because their personal car is more important than their neighbor's life.

Small sacrifices to potentially benefit themselves. Providers may be forced into rolling blackouts or worse. The amount of power involved is stupendous, so when things start blowing up it gets ugly fast. It's specialized equipment & spares are scarce. Like anything else, it won't last nearly as long running at the redline.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Small sacrifices to potentially benefit themselves. Providers may be forced into rolling blackouts or worse. The amount of power involved is stupendous, so when things start blowing up it gets ugly fast. It's specialized equipment & spares are scarce. Like anything else, it won't last nearly as long running at the redline.

yeah, and zorba's point is texans are so hung up on the ideas of "independence", "don't mess with texas", and "come and take it" that they'll sabotage themselves via selfish idiocy

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Small sacrifices to potentially benefit themselves.

People can't get past the notion that it's an air conditioner, not a refrigerator. Let it dry the air and you won't have to have icicles hanging off your nose in July.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

If enough people think the same way then the chances of breaking the system are much greater. Then there isn't any air conditioning at all, at least for awhile. That's why Ercot is asking people to conserve. Plants operating in Texas are pushing the limits to keep up with demand. That's tough on the equipment.

Absolutely true but my actions on their own are meaningless, if I'm going to have blackouts when I had the AC cranked I was still going to have them if I listened to ERCOT and let my house become an oven. Adam Smith was full of shit, everyone looking out for his own self interest doesn't lead to anything close to the greater good. The way I look at it I'm not interested in letting my house get hot in case there is a rolling blackout that shuts off my power for a couple of hours and makes it really hot. Don't feel it's my duty to sacrifice just to try to take heat off Austin Republicans' backs for completely mismanaging our power grid. When I kept losing power in February every time it came on you can bet I cranked the heater as well as some space heaters to get some heat in my house since I knew my indoor temp would drop into the 50s once we lost power.

Anyways, weather is much nicer today than the previous hellish week and a half so I was fine not cranking my AC today.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I almost wish they wouldn't sell AC T-Stats that could be set below 75 or heat T-Stats that could go above 70.

Unfortunately there are people who for medical reasons NEED temperatures outside those ranges.