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$272 - that's the damage. Not bad. Only about $60 more than the previous month. Now I just want to know how they'll fare in even more extreme cold and how they'll hold up over time.
$272 - that's the damage. Not bad. Only about $60 more than the previous month. Now I just want to know how they'll fare in even more extreme cold and how they'll hold up over time.
Thank you for posting!
IIRC, you keep common areas of the house at 67 and the bedrooms at 62 degrees?
As the price per KWt could be different, as well as different customer charges, transmission, etc - do you mind telling us how many kilowatts was used in January?
It could be more helpful for keepin track as the price of electricity is always changing.
Another helpful attribute to keep track is heating degree days
It was approximately 990 degree days in January 2024 - only Newport is available - unofficial, but seems a reliable site; not sure where you are.
Still trying to load it from the government site - slow
Darn, gov reports weekly, but National Grid reports 1083 for New York - whatever it means.
Thank you for posting!
IIRC, you keep common areas of the house at 67 and the bedrooms at 62 degrees?
As the price per KWt could be different, as well as different customer charges, transmission, etc - do you mind telling us how many kilowatts was used this month?
It could be more helpful for keepin track as the price of electricity is always changing.
Another helpful attribute to keep track is heating degree days
It was approximately 990 degree days in January 2024 - only Newport is available - unofficial, but seems a reliable site; not sure where you are.
Still trying to load it from the government site - slow
PS doesn’t let me rep you! so I thank you again!
Of course!
Generally, yes. That's about what we keep it set to. But we did bump common areas up to 70 and the bedrooms to 65 during the cold snap (extra caution to prevent pipe freezing since we're still learning the house). We used 869KWt and the delivery fees were about $36.
I'm in Providence, but have never tracked HDD. That's good to know! My bill indicates the average temp during the cycle was 31 with a high of 57 and a low of 10.
Generally, yes. That's about what we keep it set to. But we did bump common areas up to 70 and the bedrooms to 65 during the cold snap (extra caution to prevent pipe freezing since we're still learning the house). We used 869KWt and the delivery fees were about $36.
I'm in Providence, but have never tracked HDD. That's good to know! My bill indicates the average temp during the cycle was 31 with a high of 57 and a low of 10.
I just added graphic to my previous post from the gov data: looks like riverside zip shows 981 degree days from Jan 1 to Jan 31 which is lower than usual
It could be even an additional tool to monitor your equipment if the use - the thermostat T is consistent
Last edited by L00k4ward; 02-14-2024 at 01:47 PM..
$272 - that's the damage. Not bad. Only about $60 more than the previous month. Now I just want to know how they'll fare in even more extreme cold and how they'll hold up over time.
Thanks. I think you may find over time, it isn't the heating cost which will determine success of the split, but the performance in very cold weather.
That remains my biggest concern. I was impressed during the January cold snap, but I know we'll have colder stretches in the years to come.
It could be presumptuous of me, but it sounds that your equipment could be oversized for the size of your house and especially that you keep the house on the cooler side.
I like cooler houses too:nothing is wrong to put a sweater or a throw when watching TV.
Think it is healthier too; they even say you may lose more weight if needed in a cooler house
I would try to shut off some of the upstairs heads and see if your larger unit could cope, especially on a milder days? - the heat rises and if you keep the bedrooms doors open - it may be enough to use your main floor unit only?
Alternatively, you could shut off the bedrooms interior units, close all doors - more heat would stay at a lower level - keeping the bedrooms cooler?
Experiment?
It may save you more money.. or if money isn’t an issue -you could be helping the environment by using less energy?
Don’t sweat the very few days of abnormally low temperatures which could be infrequent anyway.
Just dress warmer and in the worst case scenario perhaps use a portable infrared type heater to direct heat at people on those extra-freezing days: that heater would use the same or even less electricity compare to your mini split when it is below rated for that mini split capacity.
It may never even happen in Rhode Island.
Insulate your water pipes - very inexpensive; especially the ones next to exterior walls.
I know of people keeping empty homes over the winter in RI - the temps never fall below 45-47 inside when left without heat over the winter. The pipes don’t freeze- even un-insulated at this temps
Would be interesting to see your kWt usage on cooling degrees days - it is easier on minisplits to cool - so your bills could be much lower
Hope you could let us keep track by posting your kWt usage here.
Our government and utilities definitely push us into the direction of the heat pumps - you are our frontier person!
Thank you!
Last edited by L00k4ward; 02-15-2024 at 07:51 AM..
I'm happy to continue to share KWt use if that's the type of thing there's interest in.
Good tips! We do tend to lean towards cooler in the winter and allow it to be a little warmer in the summer. On top of the financial cost and environmental concerns, we simply don't love a place where the heater or AC is cranking.
We actually have kept the upstairs units off mode during the day for exactly the reasons you mentioned. It works fine. We've even kept them off on some of the nights that have been above freezing and it's been fine. We have a couple of plug in space heaters we can break out in a real pinch.
I'm really happy with the heat pumps so far. I do wonder a little bit about how well suited they are for everyone. Like I said, our house had a full reno to be more energy efficient. New insulation, new windows, etc. We're finding that it's insulated extremely well, and our units have a little extra capacity, so we're probably better candidates than most. Especially on those much colder days.
I'm happy to continue to share KWt use if that's the type of thing there's interest in.
Good tips! We do tend to lean towards cooler in the winter and allow it to be a little warmer in the summer. On top of the financial cost and environmental concerns, we simply don't love a place where the heater or AC is cranking.
We actually have kept the upstairs units off mode during the day for exactly the reasons you mentioned. It works fine. We've even kept them off on some of the nights that have been above freezing and it's been fine. We have a couple of plug in space heaters we can break out in a real pinch.
I'm really happy with the heat pumps so far. I do wonder a little bit about how well suited they are for everyone. Like I said, our house had a full reno to be more energy efficient. New insulation, new windows, etc. We're finding that it's insulated extremely well, and our units have a little extra capacity, so we're probably better candidates than most. Especially on those much colder days.
Think you installed the Cadillac or is it Lamborghini now? of the mini-splits.
Pretty sure that Mitsubishi has a very good corrosion resistance- a bane of all electronics and metals in RI!
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
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I guess this wasn’t really a winter to put your new system to the test, lrfox. Given your first bill, I expect the most recent one was better. Correct?
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so I thank you again!
