Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

ok, so I moved to a 2400 square foot house, yes we have run the AC pretty much all the time and we have one until so you either run the upstairs or downstairs. No pool, I'm home during day but don't run TV only computer- laptop. Appliances are fairly new and from 2006 when house was built...MY ELCTRIC bill was $536 for July 6- Ai\ugust 16...my husband called and they say it's correct??? How is this possible and what can I do? I know some have mentioned a budget billing but will they base it off that amount, I can't imagine it could cost that much each month ....I know people with much larger homes that don't pay that....HELP ANYONE!!!!!

Message edited 8/25/2010 2:04:25 PM.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first in new house

Have your CAC checked out to see how efficient its running... Ours is about 15 yrs old so we def have higher bills as well... If its not old at all, i would make sure the insulation/windows/etc are not the contributing to you losing cool air... What do you have your thermostat set at?

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

we set thermostat at about 68 or 70...I don't think that's too low??? The AC unti is from 2006 as the house was built then but it is only one unti and most, if not all of the other homes run two, perhpas making it more efficient? I don't know anyting aobut it but we thought it was odd at first, who could I ask about that?

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

68-70 is very low to keep it on. If you only run one at a time - then the unit will have to work harder to cool down the area - then say if you keep it at 75 all the time.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

we keep our house at 73 when we are home and 76-77 when we are not - 68-70 is my winter temp that is on the cold side and most likely why your bill is high

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

sounds like it's probably right

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Yeah, that sounds about right. We are in a co-op, just under 1100sq feet, and our bill was $450, for June and July, so $225/mo.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

My house is 4000 sq feet and my bill was $950 so it sounds about right! Insane I know!!

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

i would raise your thermostat a few degrees can save a lot of money

i live in FL and we keep ours at 77 - when it feels like 100 or more everyday due to the heat index 77 feels cool and sometimes i need a blanket especialyl if i have the ceiling fan going as well ...in NY the weather may not be extreme so you might want to keep it cooler than that - i would think 75 would be comfortable

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

If you can, get your electric upgraded if it hasn't already been done. We live in a 1200sq ft house and pay $80/month.

Sounds to me like it's more than it should be.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Thanks to all for responding, we have gas and I jsut am not sure we can definitely increase the thermostat for sure but I figured it would be around $350--I thought gas would save me money over oil and now DH says wait until the winter it wil lbe jsut as bad, I can't believe it...

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

sounds about right, we have central air and not as much square footage and ours was about $300

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Our house is larger than that and we have zone heating and central AC and the bill was $170 I believe. That was for two months. We keep the AC on a timer. It's set to 80 during the day and 76 at night and I am usually chilly. Our house is new though and all energy star.

ETA: Our house is 2546 sq. feet. not including garage or basement.

Message edited 8/25/2010 8:24:25 PM.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

That sounds right. You have the temperature set pretty low.
If I have the AC on during the day, I keep at at 75.

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

3500 sq ft. house, set at 68-70 and we just paid 946.00, so unfortunately, the bill sounds right, I cringed when I saw the bill to, its our first summer in the house, so a little bit of a shock, but I will not compromise on the temp setting

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

the ac is a killer. my neighbor has a very small house but runs her ac 24/7 and last month her lipa bill was $875! another friend is home this summer and pregnant and had the ac running the whole time and their bill was $650.
your bill sounds right...

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Wait you said you just moved in? Did LIPA say it was for an actual reading or estimate? They could be estimating it from the previous owners usage from last year. If it's actual, not much you can do about it now, just try to make the next one lower.
Ours was $562.00 for two months. Actual reading. No one is home during day. We do not leave a/c on during day, one from 9pm or 10pm to 8 am and it was still out of control.

LIPA stinks

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

well I think we have figured out the culprit is the AC for sure. We barely had lights the first month we were in the house, no washer, and no TV so can't even IMAGINE what this month's bill will be. We believe the issue is we have one AC unti supplying the whole house --eVERY other home in my dev elopment has two--we think it is being overworked and using CRAZY amounts of electric....we are going to have someone take a look AND I will be increasing the temp to 73!!! ALthough today I am sitting here sweltering afraid to even put it on!

Re: Help me with LIPA just got first bill in new house

For that size house it sounds about right if you are running AC all the time.

I would do the balanced billing that way you dont get him all at once during the summer months.