How's your electric bill?

I got a call from a customer last night and he was asking me what he should do about his electric bill.  He had just moved into a two-bedroom townhome in Pearl City, Hawaii in June of this year.  The first electric bill was not bad because they didn't have many appliances connected during the first couple of weeks (about $80 for half a month).  The second bill climbed to $200 and the third was $300!  He asked me about my monthly bill. 

We moved into my house in Palolo (a neighborhood in Honolulu) a year ago.  At that time, our monthly electricity bills were about $100.  As energy prices climbed, so did the bills.  We currently pay about $150 per month and use about the same amount of energy as we did a year ago.

The townhome owner and I compared our bills over the phone (see my bill in the photo above).  The $8 customer charge seems to be fixed - both bills had the same amount.  Most of the other line items on the townhome owner's bill were twice as high as mine - including the kilowatts used.  We both wondered if his bill was really supposed to be that high.

Comparing usage, he turns on the air conditioning when he and the family are home.  They use one or two air conditioners, depending on which rooms they're in.  They have a large hot water heater and it's not on a timer.  A big screen TV, computers and printers are also used daily. 

In my home we almost never use the air conditioner and the hot water heater is on a timer.  Solar fans reduce temperatures during the day.

Do these differences account for our electric bill being half of what the townhouse owner pays?  It doesn't seem like it should.  I called another couple who bought a townhome in Makakilo last year.  They said their electric bill runs $200 - $250 per month.  They have a large hot water heater, no timer on it and they don't use air conditioning.  And another lady living in a townhome in Makakilo said their bill last month was $229.   Three people live in that townhome and they don't use air conditioning. 

That seems like a lot of money for a little electricity!  I've left messages with several other homeowners to find out what their bills are like.  As more info comes in I will update this blog.

Conserving energy in Hawaii

Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL's) - This seems like a no-brainer.  Yet I am amazed when I look at homes for sale with customers and see that the occupants are using the old incandescent lightbulbs.  Yeah, they're cheaper at the store, but then they cost the buyer more money to use!  Make sure and change out your lights to compact fluorescents.

Solar Fans - Sunshine is abundant here - you probably already knew that.  The most significant investment we've made is solar skylights.  The skylights have solar panels that power electric fans.  One fan draws hot air out of the attic.  The second fan is connected to a tube which runs into a room that gets the afternoon sun.  These two fans run on every sunny day (almost everyday) and reduce temperatures indoors.  Do they replace air conditioning?  No.  They do make the house bearable on 90 degree days and I can live with a fan blowing on me (which is exactly what's happening as I write this blog).

The Little Gray Box - This timer is similar to those timers that first appeared in the 1970's to turn house lights off and on.  The idea with the first timers was to fool burglars into thinking someone's  home.  The Little Gray Box turns your hot water heater off and on as you program it.  Our hot water heater is turned on for a total of about six hours a day.  It goes on at 6 a.m. and shuts off at 9 a.m.  Then it comes back on at 5 p.m. and shuts off at 8 p.m.  With our 30-gallon water tank, that's enough hot water for two people and occasional guests.

Reduce the temperature on your water heater - When we moved into our house, the hot water temperature was around 140 degrees - scalding hot.  I turned the temperature down to 120 degrees and we really don't notice the difference unless we pour hot water into a pan.  For showering and washing dishes, the lower temperature doesn't make a difference.  It saves us money and reduces wear on the heating element.

Disconnect unused electrical items - Boy, ten years ago we never thought about that!  I have a friend who used to be in charge of information technology (computers) at a retailing company in Honolulu.  Back then, they left all the computers on all the time, so there would be no problems with rebooting and connecting to networks.  Times have changed and we need to conserve.  Now I shut off my computer peripherals with a surge protector, unplug the paper shredder, laptop computer and charging devices.

Buy Energy Star appliances - These include ceiling fans, clothes washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators air conditioners and TV sets.  Hawaiian Electric actually gives customers rebates for buying certain Energy Star appliances.  Visit their website www.heco.com and see what products are eligible.

Use a clothesline - Clotheslines are allowed in older neighborhoods.  They are not always allowed in the newer subdivisions, townhomes and condos.  In a condo or townhome an owner can use a small portable clothesline and hang items in the sun on their lanai.  During a hot day, towels and other heavy laundry can be line dried in about an hour.  When the items are nearly dry, I pop them in the clothes dryer for a few minutes to soften them up.

Conserve now to save money and the environment

In Hawaii, most of our electricity is generated via fossil fuels.  Fuel prices have risen and our electric bills are rising too.  Watch your energy usage and conserve to avoid getting a shocking electric bill.  Another friend of mine lives on Maui.  Her home has central air conditioning.  Several months ago she got a $1,000 electric bill and took drastic measures.  The central air conditioning only goes on for a few hours a day now.

If you're planning a move to Hawaii, keep in mind that utility and fuel prices are generally lower on Oahu compared with the other islands.  Contact me for more information.

Mike Bates Hawaii realtor

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