Monthly Archives: December 2007

Congratulations!

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“Your home used less energy than most of the similar homes in your area.” (…and you thought this was going to be about Balki and Mae … phht!)

I guess the ‘average home’ in my area used $207 in gas last month. That seems high, but let’s compare to last year:

2006 = 3.52 CCF/Therms / day
2007 = 2.17 CCF/Therms / day

So if my math is right, that’s about a 38% drop. It’s almost exactly a full gas bill too with the new & improved insulated attic – it’s off 1 day one way or the other. Didn’t quite translate to a 38% savings on my gas bill because gas was a smidge higher.

gas use chart

Now I know you’re thinking “…but how was the weater?” Glad you asked. This November was actually a hair colder than last years. The ‘cooling degree days’ line on the graph shows that. Last November had 732 degree cooling days, this November had 789. The technical goes as such:

  • “Degree Day” is calculated as the difference between the average daily temperature and a basis temperature of 65°F.
  • Example: A winter day with an average temperature of 30°F has 35 heating degree days (and no cooling degree days); while a summer day with an average daily temperature of 85°F has 20 cooling degree days (and no heating degree days).

    Should be interesting to see how we do in the rougher parts of the Winter.  Should only take about a year to pay back what I put in, and I’m saving the environment… or something.