What's your monthly heating bill now?
- Thread starter Candace
- Start date
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Last year was a cold year, and I averaged about $250/month off peak electric and $100/month in propane for a 24' x 32' greenhouse. Things are going a little better this year, so far.
That doesn't sound so bad to me
for Minn. and the size of your greenhouse.
for Minn. and the size of your greenhouse.
T. migratoris
Active Member
I gagged when I opened the last PG&E bill ... $402 total (house+GH). I'm only guessing at the split but based on previous years I'd have to say the GH was $150 of that. We live in the foothills east of the Central Valley at about 1500 feet so it's always pretty cold in the winter, but as Candace pointed out it's different this year. I've gotta switch over to a natural gas heater ... the electric heater's eating me alive!
I'm reasonably satisfied. I put a lot of money up front to reduce costs:
1. In floor off peak electric heat
2. 25mm triple wall polycarbonate
3. North wall a solid wall with foam insulation (R20)
4. Other three walls insullated the same up to 4ft.
5. partially built into hillside (although I would have liked it deeper)
All the custom design raised costs as opposed to a kit, but I think it was worth it. We will see if I have any major design flaws as the years pass.
Candace
Well-Known Member
Ross, this insulation that you use...do you keep it on in the summers as well and does it also help keep the heat out? I'm thinking something like this along my block, kneewalls might help. I figure, right now it's costing me $10 a day right now for g.h. #2 . Which is crazy, ridiculous for Central/northern CA. I'm going to have to come up with something for next season. My husband is not thrilled with an electric heater back up or supplement.
Candace
Well-Known Member
This month will cost me $300, and that's just for g.h. #2....g.h. #1 is on natural gas and is tied into our monthly bill, so it's kind of hard to tell what the real cost of g.h. #1 is. Nuts isn't it???
The north wall and the first four feet of the other three walls are solid, with sprayed insulating foam between the studs. See below
T. migratoris
Active Member
That hurts ... and fast! I know switching to NG will significantly cut my winter heating costs but the work & expense involved in extending gas piping out to the GH is not something I'm ready for just yet. What I really need is to grow a higher value crop ... :evil:
This is California, after all ...
Candace
Well-Known Member
I went through the work of trenching and running NG to g.h. #1. But, g.h. #2 is like 50 ft. away and we have some rock wall garden beds that would have to be destroyed-ain't going to happen. And my kit came with a propane heater that is a $1,000 heater...so, I have to find some other cost saving alternatives. Yeah, the other crop thing wouldn't work for me. I've had police visit once already and I get enough helicopter flybys to make me stay on the straight and narrow:>
around here people try to hide pot plants in other people's corn fields
my uncle was telling me a few years ago the state police were flying over the fields he leases out to some farmers after they had a tip a known druggie had something in there and sure enough, they found some plants in there. my cousin's little son was having a ball telling everyone that the police 'found pot in grampa's cornfield' :rollhappy:Wheeeww! It was so hot last night that I had to open the windows to the 29F temps to cool off the rooms!
Please dont hate!
Candace
Well-Known Member
around here people try to hide pot plants in other people's corn fields
It's amazing what people will do. Lots of folks plant them in N CA. forests and deep in public parks too. Crazy. We're socketed by fog here this morning and it's another week of 30 degree morning temps. I can here my gas drizzling away again.
I'm going to investigate that clear bubble wrap insulation and see if that's cost effective.
