Cost of winter
01-31-2005, 04:12 PM
#11
I'd laugh if it didn't cost so much. 
I bought two things from Rick's accessories to put into the swap on Saturday, but unfortunately I'm not sure they'll be here in time. Still, I'm sure people will love them.
I figured either car stuff of computer stuff would do the trick, Lainey.
I bought two things from Rick's accessories to put into the swap on Saturday, but unfortunately I'm not sure they'll be here in time. Still, I'm sure people will love them.
I figured either car stuff of computer stuff would do the trick, Lainey.
01-31-2005, 06:32 PM
#13
In the last two years we did a fair amount of home improvements to our "hokey little" all electric house. We had a 17' X 30' attached garage added that has R-12 insulation and the contractor told me that it was "guaranteed not to freeze". I did not believe him, as it has it does not have heat. But, we have been through two winters of singe digit temperatures and the Deer Park water bottle I leave out there has never even had ice in it. So, that means my "baby" stays relatively warm. In fact on Saturday while I was out running errands it starting snowing big time. By Sunday everything had melted off of her. 
We also had a 16' X 18' four season room added that was built on an insulated slab with a through the wall HVAC unit from Sears. Which we run in the heat mode on really cold nights to keep the plants warm.
The big change was our Oxford replacement windows. They are triple pane, argon gas filled and four coated surfaces along with a Oxford replacement front door.
We also use compact fluorescent light bulbs in place of conventional bulbs (I.E. 14 Watts produces the light of a 60 Watt conventional bulb)
We have an all electric house and our last bill was $170, the one before that was only $78 in November.
So I guess that all of this will pay off in the long run. I figure the break even point for ROI to be in the year 2175. 
We also had a 16' X 18' four season room added that was built on an insulated slab with a through the wall HVAC unit from Sears. Which we run in the heat mode on really cold nights to keep the plants warm.
The big change was our Oxford replacement windows. They are triple pane, argon gas filled and four coated surfaces along with a Oxford replacement front door.
We also use compact fluorescent light bulbs in place of conventional bulbs (I.E. 14 Watts produces the light of a 60 Watt conventional bulb)
We have an all electric house and our last bill was $170, the one before that was only $78 in November.
So I guess that all of this will pay off in the long run. I figure the break even point for ROI to be in the year 2175.
01-31-2005, 06:52 PM
#14
Originally Posted by MyBad' date='Jan 31 2005, 09:59 PM
Funny, we don't have that problem here in the South.
How's the archy business? Sorry to say that Wilmington is a little far for a day trip....
02-01-2005, 03:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Lainey8484' date='Jan 31 2005, 06:36 PM
Never heard of that/those?
See you Saturday. Any suggestions for the Yankee Gift swap? What do car nuts usually bring to this sort of thing?
See you Saturday. Any suggestions for the Yankee Gift swap? What do car nuts usually bring to this sort of thing?
A gigajoule (GJ) is the equivalent to 1 billion joules. A joule is a measure of the energy required to send an electrical current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second. One GJ is equal to 277.8 kilowatt hours (kWh), 1.055 million British thermal units (Btu) or 0.17 barrels of oil. Burning 1 million wooden matches completely at one time releases one gigajoule of energy. One GJ of electricity could make 1000 pots of coffee or keep a 60-watt light bulb continuously lit for six months.
A GJ can measure energy from various types of power, such as electricity, natural gas and oil. Similar to equivalent kilowatt hours, the GJ provides a standard measurement that lets you calculate a single energy-intensity figure - a number you can then use to compare with those of other facilities.
To convert from kWh to GJ, multiply by 0.0036. To convert GJ to kWh, multiply by 277.8. There is a GJ calculator at oee.nrcan.gc.ca/eii/tools.cfm.
Get it now?!?!?
By way of reference, the shocks they use to restart a heart (defibrillator) are measured in joules and they probably give around 10-20 to restart a heart.Some gift ideas for swaps (stuff we see with the car clubs): Fleece blankets (nice for covering laps when riding topless), car care items (Zaino....probably not time to order that stuff, though), nice insulated coffee mug (like Starbucks) and/or Starbucks gift card.... just some thoughts.
02-01-2005, 07:14 AM
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A timely article from today's Houston Chronicle:
Move south, people. Life's cheap downhere.
Well, sometimes.
Feb. 1, 2005, 1:07AM
Natural gas bills headed down
CenterPoint customers may get a 15 percent break
By MIRIAM MOYNIHAN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
After watching energy bills climb higher and higher, customers might finally see one come down.
The typical CenterPoint Energy residential customer in Houston can expect a break of about 15 percent, or an average of $7.65 before taxes, beginning this month.
That is based on monthly usage of 4,000 cubic feet of natural gas. Customers who use more will find a larger percentage of savings. Users of 10,000 cubic feet will save about 17 percent, or about $20 a month.
After two natural gas-bill increases in 2004, CenterPoint is lowering the gas-cost adjustment, following a steady decline in prices.
"This is a good time to pass along savings to our customers since gas usage is higher at this time of year due to heating needs," Georgianna Nichols, president of Houston gas operations for CenterPoint Energy, said in a statement.
The adjustment, filed Monday with the city of Houston and Texas Railroad Commission, reflects the fluctuations in the price CenterPoint pays in the marketplace for natural gas.
Similar changes will take place outside of the city.
"It's slightly different outside of Houston, but they're all going to see a reduction," said CenterPoint spokeswoman Leticia Lowe.
The last time the company lowered its gas cost was August 2002.
Natural gas for March delivery on the New York Stock Exchange closed up 6.2 cents on Monday at $6.321. Prices sank to $4.570 on Sept. 10, and surged to $8.752 on Nov. 3. For the past month and a half, they have been wavering between $7 and $6, dipping below $6 in the first week of the new year.
A gas-cost adjustment doesn't need to be approved by the cities affected, but the railroad commission can audit the company's gas prices to determine whether they are justified.
CenterPoint is allowed to pass along cost adjustments to customers as needed, and is prohibited from buying at one rate and selling to customers at a profit.
It makes money from the base rate, which is what it charges for meter reading, customer service and other items.
The base rate is $12.34 for 4,000 cubic feet of gas, or higher when more is used. At 10,000 cubic feet, the base rate is $15.10. It rarely changes, having gone up in early 2004 for the first time in 17 years.
Houston-based CenterPoint serves nearly 5 million customers in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma.
Natural gas bills headed down
CenterPoint customers may get a 15 percent break
By MIRIAM MOYNIHAN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
After watching energy bills climb higher and higher, customers might finally see one come down.
The typical CenterPoint Energy residential customer in Houston can expect a break of about 15 percent, or an average of $7.65 before taxes, beginning this month.
That is based on monthly usage of 4,000 cubic feet of natural gas. Customers who use more will find a larger percentage of savings. Users of 10,000 cubic feet will save about 17 percent, or about $20 a month.
After two natural gas-bill increases in 2004, CenterPoint is lowering the gas-cost adjustment, following a steady decline in prices.
"This is a good time to pass along savings to our customers since gas usage is higher at this time of year due to heating needs," Georgianna Nichols, president of Houston gas operations for CenterPoint Energy, said in a statement.
The adjustment, filed Monday with the city of Houston and Texas Railroad Commission, reflects the fluctuations in the price CenterPoint pays in the marketplace for natural gas.
Similar changes will take place outside of the city.
"It's slightly different outside of Houston, but they're all going to see a reduction," said CenterPoint spokeswoman Leticia Lowe.
The last time the company lowered its gas cost was August 2002.
Natural gas for March delivery on the New York Stock Exchange closed up 6.2 cents on Monday at $6.321. Prices sank to $4.570 on Sept. 10, and surged to $8.752 on Nov. 3. For the past month and a half, they have been wavering between $7 and $6, dipping below $6 in the first week of the new year.
A gas-cost adjustment doesn't need to be approved by the cities affected, but the railroad commission can audit the company's gas prices to determine whether they are justified.
CenterPoint is allowed to pass along cost adjustments to customers as needed, and is prohibited from buying at one rate and selling to customers at a profit.
It makes money from the base rate, which is what it charges for meter reading, customer service and other items.
The base rate is $12.34 for 4,000 cubic feet of gas, or higher when more is used. At 10,000 cubic feet, the base rate is $15.10. It rarely changes, having gone up in early 2004 for the first time in 17 years.
Houston-based CenterPoint serves nearly 5 million customers in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma.
Well, sometimes.
02-01-2005, 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Ulrich' date='Feb 1 2005, 10:14 AM
Move south, people. Life's cheap downhere.
02-01-2005, 07:38 AM
#19
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[quote name='rjosey8385' date='Feb 1 2005, 07:53 AM'] Lainey