According to the Old Farmer’s 2012 Almanac, temperatures and rainfall in the Pacific Northwest from November through March will be above normal. Maybe so. So far, that information jibes fairly well with our PUD bill. Our electric usage was actually a tad lower last month than it was for November 2011.
Nevertheless, the amount was considerably higher than the previous month’s amount. I’m pretty sure that the rise in wattage does not reflect (so to speak) our use of lights or appliances. I think it is mostly indicative of increased dependence upon our trusty heat pump to keep the house comfortable. I say that with some authority.
As one of the Oysterville Restoration Foundation Board Members and the wife of the current treasurer of said organization, I had an early glimpse at the church’s PUD bill. The church has no electric lights, no appliances and, except for two electric outlets which are used only rarely, its sole electric expense is the furnace.
The heat is set at 50º-55º and, granted, the building is of single-wall construction and like other 100+ year-old structures is full of air leaks. Still, it serves as a sort of a base line when it comes to comparing usage figures. And sure enough, last month’s electricity bill for the church went up commensurately with ours. Thankfully, the outdoor temperatures haven’t fallen below freezing yet!
It must be the wind blowing through all the cracks and crannies of these old buildings that lowers the temperatures so significantly. Personally, I am past the point in age and need of creature comforts to lower our thermostat and wear more layers. Lord knows, I feel like the Pillsbury Doughboy already with several shirts and one of Nyel’s down vests on – and that’s inside the house during the daytime. So, we’ll have to conserve in another area of the budget.
As for the church – lowering the temperature further is not a choice. Our cold and damp winters easily lead to mildew problems and, should they occur on the wallpaper of the 30-foot-high vaulted ceiling, the church’s financial woes would be even more serious than the heating expense. And so we pray… Perhaps an angel will fill the poor box with coins and specify that they are for keeping the church toasty.
The cold facts of winter are definitely all about difficult choices, especially for old buildings and old people!
We began leaving the heat set at 50 in our cottage during the winter after finding it covered in mildew one spring. Sometimes you can be penny-wise and pound foolish, which I have to remind my husband of each winter when the PUD bills come due. That said, he also concurs with the predictions of a mild winter, but that is not to say that we may not get the odd day of snow.
I’m afraid I cannot help you with your heating bill. I just want you to know I adore the picture of the church. Here in Nokomis, Florida we have a very tiny one room chapel that is rented for small weddings. By comparison, the Oysterville church is a palace.