Hydro usage

[Deewar25]

Lets talk BC Hydro…..so my rental has been quite the headache since we moved out of the upstairs. Hydro bills, when combined with new smart meter have become ridiculous(we keep in our name, but tenants pay). I went through all the precautions in the spring and had discussions with the tenants, things seemed to be under control and summer returned to what I would perceive as normal 60-80 KWh (which to me ruled out grow shows of anysort even though I had been through all parts of the house checking anyway). Now winter hits again, and our usage is up 150 WHOPPING % since this time last year. We just asked them to pay $50 more/month for next round of cheques, but days later, the new bill comes in with new payment requests of $30 more. I’m tired of funding the difference and begging for more EOY because we are protecting the tenants downstairs who I know are not hydro abusers, but have to keep some form of logic to what I request upstairs.

My question is, what are you guys with bigger houses paying? Ours is 1966 3400 sq ft with good insulation, double pane windows, and a heat pump, but our winter bills are hitting 170 KWh! I believe upstairs are mostly pigs even though they deny it – I have worked over there for a few hours and they had theslider open the whole time while its 5 degrees outside (likely the flush out anypot residue), and the hottub has always had thermostat issues and runs too hot so they leave it open for 2 hours to cool it (according to d/s tenants). They also apparently leave the lights on ALL the time all night long. Even being pigs, is it really possible to increase household usage 150%???? $550 monthly bills in the winter is insanity in my books (that’s not just an estimate adjustment, that’s actual usage). I just wonder if other people do find similar consumption with their new smart meters, whether or not I should actually pay to get it tested, OR, if it just comes down to these tenants being pigs. Love to get a nice sample of recent numbers over the last few bills.

 

[trendsetter]

Our last bill was $204 for two months usage. Our house is 3200sqft. Our average daily use in the winter is 35KWh.

If the hot tub is running all the time and not properly insulated that could be a big factor for your bill. Also if the tenants are running space heaters that can cause a big bump in your bill. Leaving the lights on hardly makes any difference overall especially if you install CFL lights.

Major appliances like the hot tub, stove, fridge, freezer, water heater, heat pump are where the money is going.

 

[Deewar25]

Our last bill was $204 for two months usage. Our house is 3200sqft. Our average daily use in the winter is 35KWh.

If the hot tub is running all the time and not properly insulated that could be a big factor for your bill. Also if the tenants are running space heaters that can cause a big bump in your bill. Leaving the lights on hardly makes any difference overall especially if you install CFL lights.

Major appliances like the hot tub, stove, fridge, freezer, water heater, heat pump are where the money is going.

35kwh? You serious? Is your house an igloo? You must be on gas?? Our 2200 sq ft personal residence was just 27kwh, and that is with gas heat, gas hot water, gas dryer, gas stove. We have a hottub, but its well insulated.

I don't believe hottub is the main trigger as I shut it off for 2 days when the bills were stupid in the spring and it barely made a dent in the usage. I have always believed hottub is around $30/month. Only 3 baseboard heaters in the rental and 1 isn't used.

 

[trendsetter]

Yeah we have gas heating but supplement it with an electric heater in the winter and AC in the summer. I also went through the house last year and replaced all the lights with CFLs and we try to conserve power where we can. Also we are on a well so whenever we run the water an electric pump runs which means the more water we use the more power.

 

[CVmike]

Maybe you're tenants are doing a little 'urban' gardening somewhere in their unit. Dont know the circumstances but when you mentioned pot smoke and such a high power bill thats the light that went on in my mind.

 

[trendsetter]

Once bcHydro finishes the smart grid upgrade you will be able login to your account and see your power usage broken down to as little as by hour. I just checked my account and it's not available yet. That will be useful when it's available.

Here are the details: https://www.bchydro.com/accounts-bi...tand-electricity-consumption-residential.html

 

[Deewar25]

Maybe you're tenants are doing a little 'urban' gardening somewhere in their unit. Dont know the circumstances but when you mentioned pot smoke and such a high power bill thats the light that went on in my mind.

yeah, I mentioned that - he's a full of crap 60 year old pothead (said he was non-smoker and detests smoking during pre-app and we have since caught him doing both cigarettes and pot, even though he blames it on his kid). As I said though, I have been all through the house, in the attic, checked both breaker boxes for tampering, nothing fishy anywhere. May have to do another hottub test turning it off for a couple days, but if the heat is on 24/7, that 'could' be part of it, hard to justify an extra 100 kwh over what I'd expect though.

 

[Fish Assassin]

1300sqft house $78 a month on equal payments. Bill came down since getting smart meter $4 a month.

 

[scott craven]

2200 sq ft house, basement suite which is electric heat with its own 40 gal heater
rest of the house is oil heated
$190 a month equal payment.

 

[lorneparker1]

65 sq ft cardboard box,

We cuddle alot

Lorne

 

[CCB]

Dam I need to move to the island or a smaller house . My last Bill was 375 for 2 months . I have 3 6 foot freezer a motor home plugged in a travel trailer plugged in the usuall house hold items except the wife watches tv upstairs and I whatch tv in the theater room.

 

[Hindsight]

Same here came down 4 same 1300 no electric heat 78 a months

1300sqft house $78 a month on equal payments. Bill came down since getting smart meter $4 a month.

 

[fish stalker]

I keep seem to find a bill right now, so dont know kw's. We have a '56 pooly insulated 2 br upper with 2 br suite downstairs with washer and dryer in both. No gas, oil furnace. Our tenant swore up and and down he didnt crank baseboards and said he didnt use two. Last year dec-jan bill hit 498. Cheapest summer month 130. This nov-dec was 160. I am a heat ****. We have no tenant right now. Goes to show he obviously was cranking heat. Plus the hotwater usage.

Im just trying to figure out if I can put in contact that the laundry is for tenants only. Pissed me off to no end seeing friends come over to do laundry. Id rather pull them out and knock 25 bucks of the rent. Dont forget a 6ft base board is 2000w.

 

[lorneparker1]

I keep seem to find a bill right now, so dont know kw's. We have a '56 pooly insulated 2 br upper with 2 br suite downstairs with washer and dryer in both. No gas, oil furnace. Our tenant swore up and and down he didnt crank baseboards and said he didnt use two. Last year dec-jan bill hit 498. Cheapest summer month 130. This nov-dec was 160. I am a heat ****. We have no tenant right now. Goes to show he obviously was cranking heat. Plus the hotwater usage.

Im just trying to figure out if I can put in contact that the laundry is for tenants only. Pissed me off to no end seeing friends come over to do laundry. Id rather pull them out and knock 25 bucks of the rent. Dont forget a 6ft base board is 2000w.

hahaha i am also the power ****! I am constanly following my wife and kid around the house shutting off lights. and if i get up in the middle of the night i will set the heat pump a few degrees lower as the wife is already as leep and wont ***** that its too cold

Lorne

 

[salmonkiller01]

Call hydro and have them come check the meter, they have had faults since they started replacing them.

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

I'm building a rental suite and replacing the existing meter base to a duplex meter base so that the suit will be rented hydro not included. If the tenants are paying their own hydro they will be much easier on the KW. Have an electrician come and advise you on the installation and cost. I think it will be worth it in the long run.

 

[Deewar25]

I'm building a rental suite and replacing the existing meter base to a duplex meter base so that the suit will be rented hydro not included. If the tenants are paying their own hydro they will be much easier on the KW. Have an electrician come and advise you on the installation and cost. I think it will be worth it in the long run.

I have thought about that, but I think my case would be way too expensive - 2 boxes with breakers to both units in each one - a serious cluster.... to try to separate. I am guessing that is a $4k min exercise, and seeing that they pay hydro regardless, not worth it.

As said, they pay their own, and have windows and doors open when its 5 degrees, so it doesn't seem to bother them. Wouldn't be the big deal except that I have been subsidizing downstairs knowing its not fair for them to pay for pigs that are home pretty much 24/7.

 

[scott craven]

As said, they pay their own, and have windows and doors open when its 5 degrees, so it doesn't seem to bother them. Wouldn't be the big deal except that I have been subsidizing downstairs knowing its not fair for them to pay for pigs that are home pretty much 24/7.

Get used to having tenants, they have a different mind set.
although it pisses me off, i'm getting used to seeing the door open
in the middle of January.

 

[Dave S]

Deewar, I'm a residential energy advisor and I have lots of experience diagnosing high energy bills and offer ways to reduce them. If you're interested, pm me and we can discuss your options. I am also a landlord and have experience with hydro ***** tenants.

 

[Deewar25]

Dave, ure PM quota is full, so here be what I was sending u!

hey Dave...yeah, we have had energy advisers come through and gone through the recommended changes. As it seems there aren't many if any comparables to make me believe the smart meter is just ripping everyone off, I think it just comes down to the tenants attitude about it and 'apparent' willingness to just pay at all cost. I make downstairs only pay $100 of it which is 30% of the bill (2 downstairs, 3 upstairs so that is generous) - they get it good, but I haven't really just come out to upstairs and said, you pay the rest! Hard to just tell them they deserve to pay 70% of the bill even though they are home all day, control the heat pump, and have full use of hottub (when our tenancy agreement states 60%). They think they have always been conservationists...lmao

I plan on just sending them the latest hydro bill and seeing if they squawk and want to pursue whats up. Already told them they owe an extra $350 for last year...lol

I guess I want to know things like: if a heat pump was on 24/7, lights on all day and night, and hottub always at 107 say, would that truly increase 'expected' usage 150%??