SMECO Bill

I was dreading my SMECO bill this month. A/C has been running non-stop for months with all this heat and humidity. I was expecting a terrible bill, similar to last years. Surprisingly, it was under $200, and was last month too. Last year I got bills in excess of $400 in June/July/August. Big difference was replacing the A/C last year. It was replaced at the end of the season, so it was tough to know just how different it would be.

I upsized it to the biggest rating I could get without oversizing it, the one I had was too small to be efficient (and it died, so I kinda had to replace it...). Get too big a unit, and it doesn't run enough to dry the house out. Also replaced the exchanger with a much more efficient unit and improved air flow.

Something that helps a lot is treating it like a heat pump; turn it on, set the thermostat and leave it alone. Everytime you turn it off, it has to work much harder to catch up when you turn it back on again. The only time I change the thermostat setting is when I go out of town for more than a weekend.

139993
< Happy Camper..... :yay:
 
I'm still working small scale. Cost of implementation for whole house would pay the electric bill for years and years.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
A couple things really helped us - surprisingly.

One was - well, we have two heat pumps, one covers an extension added years ago over the garage. About fifteen years ago, I made a big change in our heating/air conditioning by insulating the ceiling of the garage (which is just under the floor of the extension).

This year, we have an insulated garage door. Wow, did that make a difference. I didn't realize JUST how much was going through the floor - and out into the elements.

The other was a simple feature on the thermostat I never noticed until this year - setting a RANGE. As in, set it to cool at an upper range, set it to heat at a lower range - and then just leaving it ALONE.

But you are right - SMECO bill has been surprisingly low - I have not checked to see if the charge per kW has changed.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Same here. This year we have replaced both systems, the 2.3 ton that covers the basement and first floor (2400sqft) and the smaller 1.5 ton that covers the 700ft top floor. Electric bill has been halved. Especially happy with the minisplit we put in upstairs.
 

General Lee

Well-Known Member
When you guys upgraded your A/C's did you go with a variable speed fan system? When I replaced mine a couple years ago I didn't because I was told I would need to upgrade my heating furnace as well ( to propane). Nope I'm keeping my oil. I stayed with a 3 ton and and went to a 14 SEER as it was the lowest SEER before getting into the variable speed fan system. I was told more money would be saved with the Variable speed and higher SEER units. So basically I'm not saving much after I replaced my A/C.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
The mini-split is variable, the big unit is not but is multispeed, if you see the difference.
 
Also put a mini-split to heat the basement. Rarely need to run the AC down there.
My basement gets damps, so I let the A/C run down there too. I also have a dehumdidifier running 24/7/365 to keep it dry. Makes a huge difference getting the excess water out. No musty smells, a/c works better, a/c doesn't circulate the musty basement smell.
 
First, I sealed the block walls with the sealing coating (paint). That helps a lot.
I did the same for all the walls that were below grade (walk-out basement). My dehumdidifier has an automatic pump that pumps the water up to and out the same drain as the a/c.
 

General Lee

Well-Known Member
I bit the bullet and went with the top of the line variable speed American Standard (same as Trane). Best decision ever! The old system put in with the house in 1996 was as noisy as a train and couldn't hold temp. The new system is so quiet that I rarely know it is running. When it gets super cold, the outside unit was initially noisy when running near full speed, but Trane did a retrofit and installed sound deadeners and now it is barely noticable. The computer tablet programmable control is awesome. Also added a whole house air cleaner and humidifier for the winter.

Also put a mini-split to heat the basement. Rarely need to run the AC down there.

I'm assuming Boothe's installed your new system?
 
Top