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Octorber bill for me was .13 cents with the surcharge and .10 without. was 5 cents without surcharge in march and 9 cents in august.
I myself was thinking or propane, going to look into it. I actually want to get a solar system.
Posts: 562 | From: NY | Registered: Jul 2005
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TU has doubled, I believe, with another hike pending. Deregulation was supposed to foster competition--ha, now the other providers are going up, too.
I'll be adding more wood-burning stoves (my main heat is a fairly large one, centrally located in front of a thermal-storage masonry wall).
One buddy is looking at those wood-pellet stoves: very efficient, and they use what otherwise would be waste...might even be rigged hot enough for a furnace.
posted
It's hard to deregulate something and open competition when theres someone who already OWNS the damn lines.. Just like CABLE or your phone or electric or gas...
The "competition" still have to use your supply line to distribute the energy or service to you and they buy in bulk..
Add overhead on top and it's very difficult to make for real competition.
It's too bad we don't have a government that was straight enough to take over certain areas like this and stabalize them.
Posts: 562 | From: NY | Registered: Jul 2005
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OK, maybe i better clarify that:D, i'm gonna use propane to fire my glass furnaces...
however, i have to vent exhaust with gas or propane and very little ventilation is required for electric to remove toxic gases that result from melting the raw materials for glass....... so i lose 30% of my energy by firing with either gas or propane. been wanting this computer controlled electric for awhile, but i guess deregulation is gonna put that one on hold til "free market" kikz in... i'm still not clear on how deregultaion was supposed to help consumers in the electricity and natural gas game...
i can't shop for this stuff, or can i? guess i better get another letter off to Lott and Cochran...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by BuyTex: TU has doubled, I believe, with another hike pending. Deregulation was supposed to foster competition--ha, now the other providers are going up, too.
I'll be adding more wood-burning stoves (my main heat is a fairly large one, centrally located in front of a thermal-storage masonry wall).
One buddy is looking at those wood-pellet stoves: very efficient, and they use what otherwise would be waste...might even be rigged hot enough for a furnace.
What's your source of wood? Depending on how you get it can't that be really expensive too?
Posts: 722 | From: Richmond, Va , USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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No you can shop but it sucks. In my area we have like 10 choices.
I switched a few years back and my bill tripled for electric. It was like a variable plan from a certain amount with a ceiling. Well the first month was fine, then the next month it went to the ceiling. Was rediculous.
You can't really shop around and save.
The small companies since have to buy from the big companies wholesale and most must not be able to buy enough or know how much to buy for the next month and the price from month to month swings a lot more from what I've seen.
Posts: 562 | From: NY | Registered: Jul 2005
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I went to total gas, 3 years ago. Stove, dryer, gas pack, water heater. Good thing I kept the old Buck Stove in the barn. Thinking of pulling out the gas logs in the fireplace and putting the stove back in. It is true, no matter how many companies, the one that owns the lines, calls the prices.
Posts: 172 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I'm loading up on firewood for this winter. Once the cold weather hits here in earnest we'll probably have a fire going every night. Only issue is last year when my wife was out one night I damn near burned the house down when I left the fire unattended. Gotta be a bit more careful this year.
Posts: 5729 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2003
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Fur rugs in front of fireplaces have to be replaced way too often. And they stink like something fierce when they smolder.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Bob Frey: Upside your supposed to roll out the fur carpet in front of that fire and keep a close eye on your wife!
Almost killed my dog in the process too. That would've been a tough one to explain away when the wife got home. "Honey, I burned the house down and the dog's dead, still love me?"
Posts: 5729 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2003
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I had a chimney fire the last year I used the wood heater. Sounded like a freight train roaring thru the house. I was running around outside and back in, watching the flames shoot out the chimney. Grabbed two fire extinguishers for inside and drug the hose over to the chimney. Fire dept showed up, just as I was climbing the ladder to start shooting water down the stack. One of the guys yells out, I wouln't do that if I was you. It will crack your chimney wide open when the water hits the bricks, he says. So, he quitely walks in, closed the vents on the heater, wraps blankets around the front and let it die out and cool down naturally. Told me to learn about fire fighting, if I was going to put that much wood in a heater. Then he left...... I give them money every year now.......
Posts: 172 | Registered: Oct 2003
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