I contacted Xcel Energy today

[eleny]

Even though they raised our budget billing from 219 to 346 a few months ago, we still owed them some extra for the squaring up this month. I wanted to know if they were going to increase the budget billing again. I was advised that my new budget billing was already calculated and would 320 a month.

I then commented that this would not be the end as they were asking for an increase for natural gas. The service rep advised me that they already calculated the proposed gas increase into our budget billing. They must know that the increase is in the bag. So the increases will result in 100 more each month for us.

Hubs and I are already discussing a stove for the living room. Shouldn't be too hard to heat this ranch house with pellets or wood.

[MissMarple]

1. Pellets are a lot cleaner.

Wood ashes are a big mess, as is the wood. I keep a dust buster by our stove.

[eleny]

2. Thanks Miss M

We were researching pellet stoves since someone mentioned them in the DIY group here at DU. They even look easy enough to install ourselves since we're at least handy enough to build a small platform and also drill through our cinder block walls for the chimney deal. I hear that they go straight out and not up for pellet stoves. More research is needed.

[politicat]

3. We've turned off the gas furnace and are using the eheaters exclusively.

One in each office and one in the bedroom. The furnace only comes on when the main house gets to 48 - which isn't often.

The only thing using the gas now is the stove and the water heater, and I'm looking at tankless gas water heaters right now so the water only gets heated when it's in use.

It's keeping the bills lower, but I'm not really all that happy. I'm looking into the permits for a pellet stove, but be warned - a lot of the pellet providers are jacking their prices because they can get it - we use pellets for cat litter, and the price per bag DOUBLED between mid November (when we bought the last bag) and yesterday.