What's your monthly heating bill now?

[Candace]

Got my 2nd greenhouse up and running and the propane is rolling through and causing some wallet bleeding. Make me feel better. How much is your gas bill for your g.h. per month in the winter? I know you folks with snow are going to cheer me up really quick!

 

[NYEric]

No heating bill!

 

[Rick]

My electric bill for November was over $400! At least 2/3 should be the GH. My highest November ever (by almost $100), and I don't recall it being exceptionally cold. I just added some internal vinyl curtains for extra insulation so :sob:

One of my two electric heaters was beat up and having problems, so maybe that was the issue. I just replaced them. So maybe that was were it all went.

I also just paid for a 100 lb bottle of propane, so another $80 or so, but I haven't used much of it.

My worst month ever was pushing $600 for the month with a 100 lb of propane on top of that. So we'll see.

I really need to get a real floor (insulated) installed, and get all the free air space filled with tanks of water.

 

[ehanes7612]

150 a month (electric)...green house minimum of 60 with lows outside in low 30's (15 x 12 GH)..using 1500 watt space heater with a backup

 

[jtrmd]

Think my total bill for GH/house was $210 this month,but its not cold yet.

 

[Candace]

No heating bill!

No greenhouse!

 

[Candace]

My electric bill for November was over $400! At least 2/3 should be the GH. My highest November ever (by almost $100), and I don't recall it being exceptionally cold. I just added some internal vinyl curtains for extra insulation so :sob:

One of my two electric heaters was beat up and having problems, so maybe that was the issue. I just replaced them. So maybe that was were it all went.

I also just paid for a 100 lb bottle of propane, so another $80 or so, but I haven't used much of it.

My worst month ever was pushing $600 for the month with a 100 lb of propane on top of that. So we'll see.

I really need to get a real floor (insulated) installed, and get all the free air space filled with tanks of water.

Yeah, I'm going through a lot of propane now and our lows are in the 30's at night. I think right now g.h. #2 is costing me about $45 a week. But, this is an unusual cold snap/month for us. And g.h. #1 is much less since it's on natural gas. But, ouch... I can't imagine how painful it is for you Rick and all the other die hards!

 

[John M]

My bill for November was $260.71. I use natural gas with a separate heater as back-up that runs on propane. December is always the worst because it's colder and there's no sun. So, the heater runs all day as well as all night. In January it's colder which makes the days a lot brighter; so, the heater doesn't run during most days because the sun heats up the greenhouse enough. In fact, the small exhaust fan begins coming on in January at around noon to 2 p.m. on sunny days because the temps get up to 80*F just from the sunshine.

 

[Shiva]

I'm eager to find out how much I actually saved by closing the g/h early in september. I should know in a couple of weeks when I get the bill. I'll be able to compare with last year.

All my plants are now inside the house and I put half of my collection for sale. I intend to keep only phrags and multifloral paphs and a very few other species.

 

[abax]

$118.71 for the month of October and part of November.
We are members of an electric co-op and my bill is never
more than $120.00. Did that make you feel any better,
Candace? My greenhouse is 12' x 28'.

 

[Stone]

If I can sell $1000 worth of orchids per year, I'll cover my gas/power---just
Of course I CANT sell $1000 worth of orchids per year!

 

[labskaus]

My GH is connected to our houses oil heater, I can do only estimates, but oil price has about doubled in the past 5 years. In a cold winter I guessed my part of the bill would be up to 1.000 litre per winter, which cost about 1.000 USD. In a mild winter like this (so far) I might end up with just half of it. Plus 5kWh per day for light, that makes 1,50 USD for electricity. Let's say 150-200 USD per month for oil and power. That for a divided 3x6 meter house, where one half is kept frost free, the other half at 16°C during night (14°C when its lower than -10°C outside).

 

[orchid527]

Old 400 sq ft stand alone greenhouse heated with propane would costs $300/10days in the coldest weather. New 210 sq ft attached greenhouse with electric heat costs $30/month during coldest months. Minimum temp set at 60 degrees F.

Mike

 

[goldenrose]

$118.71 for the month of October and part of November.
We are members of an electric co-op and my bill is never
more than $120.00. Did that make you feel any better,
Candace? My greenhouse is 12' x 28'.

and where do you live? I think that might have made Candace feel worse, I know it did me!
I have a 8' x 12' free standing with natural gas, it was put up in 1993 or 1994. The first winter we noticed a difference of $10 more a month. The gas line runs from the house, so it's all on the same meter, I'm sure there's some device that could measure how much goes to the GH but at this point it makes no difference to me. It's double wall, I added more insulation as gas prices went up. The north wall & the lower half of the west wall is foil bubble wrap, the rest of the GH is commercial bubble wrap, including the ceiling. Night low is 55, minimum daytime high is 70. It averages about $250 a month (Jan/Feb/Mar) for our house(ab.2,000 sq.ft.) & the GH so I can't really complain.

 

[abax]

I live in Corbin, KY zone 6B and keep

my winter temps. minimum at 60F to 75F. The co-op
membership helps and we even get a small dividend at the
end of the year. It also helps that we built my gh and it
it is very insulated. I have two King 220 heaters mounted
high in the gh and 2 52" ceiliing fans constantly recirculating
air downward in winter. All the fans, louvers, heaters, etc.
are automatic and set for temp. control.

Candace, didn't mean to make you feel worse, sweetie.
You live in CA and it's one of the highest energy cost
areas in the country as far as I can tell. You still doing'
those fab quilts?

 

[Candace]

my winter temps. minimum at 60F to 75F. The co-op
membership helps and we even get a small dividend at the
end of the year. It also helps that we built my gh and it
it is very insulated. I have two King 220 heaters mounted
high in the gh and 2 52" ceiliing fans constantly recirculating
air downward in winter. All the fans, louvers, heaters, etc.
are automatic and set for temp. control.

Candace, didn't mean to make you feel worse, sweetie.
You live in CA and it's one of the highest energy cost
areas in the country as far as I can tell. You still doing'
those fab quilts?

Yup, still quilting away:>

You'd think with our climate my heating costs would be really low. But we've had 2-3 weeks of frost and 30 degree weather. That's very unusual for us. Yeah, I know those in the snow are hearing the miniature violins playing... But, I didn't expect the propane to be running like water:< I will have to look into some cost cutting for next winter. I'm sure actually filling up the g.h. more will help.

 

[Heather]

I've really been surprised how cold it has been - last year I never wore socks all winter, just kept in my Birks. The last few weeks I've realized I don't have enough pairs of long pants to get through a work week! It's 64 here right now though so maybe we're back on the upswing.

 

[Shiva]

I've really been surprised how cold it has been - last year I never wore socks all winter, just kept in my Birks. The last few weeks I've realized I don't have enough pairs of long pants to get through a work week! It's 64 here right now though so maybe we're back on the upswing.

Oh! My God! oke:

 

[NYEric]

Pffft!

 

[SlipperFan]

Oh! My God! oke:

We're on the downswing, aren't we, Michel?!

I can't give a monthly figure because the greenhouse and our home are on the same meter. But our gas bill was up $500 for the year since moving into the greenhouse last January. But our electric bill was down nearly $200! (No more "under lights".)