(01-07-2017 02:09 PM)CatMom Wrote:  I grew up with that white stuff. I walked to school for 9 years (K-8) in snow. We had more than one winter where we couldn't even open our front door (and we had a step up porch) because it was so high and with a 150 foot driveway we had a few times we had to wait to get plowed out; couldn't see our cars and couldn't go to work. (ok, didn't fret over that much)

I'm not an amateur but I sure as heck don't miss it. That means I don't even want the cold now.

Where did you grow up? Was it Jersey?

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(01-07-2017 10:31 PM)SBEagle Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 02:09 PM)CatMom Wrote:  I grew up with that white stuff. I walked to school for 9 years (K-8) in snow. We had more than one winter where we couldn't even open our front door (and we had a step up porch) because it was so high and with a 150 foot driveway we had a few times we had to wait to get plowed out; couldn't see our cars and couldn't go to work. (ok, didn't fret over that much)

I'm not an amateur but I sure as heck don't miss it. That means I don't even want the cold now.

Where did you grow up? Was it Jersey?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Yes

(01-07-2017 10:40 PM)CatMom Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 10:31 PM)SBEagle Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 02:09 PM)CatMom Wrote:  I grew up with that white stuff. I walked to school for 9 years (K-8) in snow. We had more than one winter where we couldn't even open our front door (and we had a step up porch) because it was so high and with a 150 foot driveway we had a few times we had to wait to get plowed out; couldn't see our cars and couldn't go to work. (ok, didn't fret over that much)

I'm not an amateur but I sure as heck don't miss it. That means I don't even want the cold now.

Where did you grow up? Was it Jersey?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Yes

I thought I recalled you stating that somewhere.

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(01-07-2017 09:51 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  We got snow in north east Ark. Thursday night. Just enough to cover the ground. Too dang much in my opinion.

The snow ain't too bad but the temps are quite the change. It's pretty chilly, until my brother calls. He lives in Grand Forks, ND. The other day it warmed up to -18 degrees. That's just insane.

(01-07-2017 10:59 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 09:51 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  We got snow in north east Ark. Thursday night. Just enough to cover the ground. Too dang much in my opinion.

The snow ain't too bad but the temps are quite the change. It's pretty chilly, until my brother calls. He lives in Grand Forks, ND. The other day it warmed up to -18 degrees. That's just insane.

I think it's 16 here now. I know that's 34 degrees warmer than ND...but who could tell?

(01-07-2017 11:18 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 10:59 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 09:51 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  We got snow in north east Ark. Thursday night. Just enough to cover the ground. Too dang much in my opinion.

The snow ain't too bad but the temps are quite the change. It's pretty chilly, until my brother calls. He lives in Grand Forks, ND. The other day it warmed up to -18 degrees. That's just insane.

I think it's 16 here now. I know that's 34 degrees warmer than ND...but who could tell?

His gas bill last month was $2200. LOL
Crazy.

(01-08-2017 12:27 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 11:18 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 10:59 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 09:51 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  We got snow in north east Ark. Thursday night. Just enough to cover the ground. Too dang much in my opinion.

The snow ain't too bad but the temps are quite the change. It's pretty chilly, until my brother calls. He lives in Grand Forks, ND. The other day it warmed up to -18 degrees. That's just insane.

I think it's 16 here now. I know that's 34 degrees warmer than ND...but who could tell?

His gas bill last month was $2200. LOL
Crazy.

I have to ask the size of his house and what is the thermostat set on. Even for ND that seems crazy.

(01-08-2017 02:46 PM)McLeansvilleAppFan Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 12:27 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 11:18 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 10:59 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 09:51 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  We got snow in north east Ark. Thursday night. Just enough to cover the ground. Too dang much in my opinion.

The snow ain't too bad but the temps are quite the change. It's pretty chilly, until my brother calls. He lives in Grand Forks, ND. The other day it warmed up to -18 degrees. That's just insane.

I think it's 16 here now. I know that's 34 degrees warmer than ND...but who could tell?

His gas bill last month was $2200. LOL
Crazy.

I have to ask the size of his house and what is the thermostat set on. Even for ND that seems crazy.

Sounds like his brother runs a motel.

It's an older 4 bedroom, 2-story. Not sure on sq feet, maybe 1800.
He's had $2000 gas bills before.
But when the temps don't get to positive numbers for a week at a time, that equals a lot of gas.

He used to keep everyone on one floor, but with a family of 5 kids, and outside weather at dangerously low temps....all indoor space is 'premium' space.

(01-08-2017 03:45 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  It's an older 4 bedroom, 2-story. Not sure on sq feet, maybe 1800.
He's had $2000 gas bills before.
But when the temps don't get to positive numbers for a week at a time, that equals a lot of gas.

He used to keep everyone on one floor, but with a family of 5 kids, and outside weather at dangerously low temps....all indoor space is 'premium' space.

Has he tried adding insulation? I had an older house in SD, and it was shocking that it was built with almost no wall insulation (looked like about a one inch blanket of jute) and no ceiling insulation. Blew in insulation and it was much more comfortable and lots cheaper to heat. Paid for itself in about a year, and was a selling point when I moved.

LOL...yeah, that's what I told him.
Seriously, he does need more....and he knows it. He used to work construction before he wised up, went back to school and started getting degrees. Now he teaches at UND...but yes, he knows he needs better insulation.

He lives out in the country. Those flat lands and strong winds are brutal.

(01-08-2017 03:45 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  It's an older 4 bedroom, 2-story. Not sure on sq feet, maybe 1800.
He's had $2000 gas bills before.
But when the temps don't get to positive numbers for a week at a time, that equals a lot of gas.

He used to keep everyone on one floor, but with a family of 5 kids, and outside weather at dangerously low temps....all indoor space is 'premium' space.

My parents live in Grand Forks and they rarely have bills for more than $200 a month, both for gas and electricity for a split level 2000 ft2 house. I pay more for heating the same size house in Tennessee, which has poor insulation and windows in comparison. The construction up there is normally so much better, as the house isn't nearly so drafty as down here.

That's shocking. Rarely over $200?!
I'll call and see what's up. I knew his heating bill rose in the winter months but that is dramatic.

(01-08-2017 04:39 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  LOL...yeah, that's what I told him.
Seriously, he does need more....and he knows it. He used to work construction before he wised up, went back to school and started getting degrees. Now he teaches at UND...but yes, he knows he needs better insulation.

He lives out in the country. Those flat lands and strong winds are brutal.

Didn't he understand that the kind of degrees he was getting aren't the kind that heat a home?

For an obviously smart guy he seems frozen in inaction.

(01-08-2017 08:48 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  That's shocking. Rarely over $200?!
I'll call and see what's up. I knew his heating bill rose in the winter months but that is dramatic.

My parents keep the house at 66 F and wear sweaters. They also have built in electrical heat from the basement floor. But their gas and electric bill are together but their windows are relatively new and they have great insulation in the walls and ceiling. Where I live in NE Tenn near Boone, my bills often exceed theirs, especially in the summer but even in a cold month like this one. I guess heat pumps are not as efficient as gas furnaces.

There is a downside to living in a house so tight, but one can run air purifiers.

If a house was built before the 1970s oil crisis, it would need a lot of upgrades if it hasn't happened already.

(01-08-2017 08:48 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  That's shocking. Rarely over $200?!
I'll call and see what's up. I knew his heating bill rose in the winter months but that is dramatic.

Maybe he should switch over to electric and get the tesla solar shingles when they come out.

(01-08-2017 10:20 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 08:48 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  That's shocking. Rarely over $200?!
I'll call and see what's up. I knew his heating bill rose in the winter months but that is dramatic.

My parents keep the house at 66 F and wear sweaters. They also have built in electrical heat from the basement floor. But their gas and electric bill are together but their windows are relatively new and they have great insulation in the walls and ceiling. Where I live in NE Tenn near Boone, my bills often exceed theirs, especially in the summer but even in a cold month like this one. I guess heat pumps are not as efficient as gas furnaces.

There is a downside to living in a house so tight, but one can run air purifiers.

If a house was built before the 1970s oil crisis, it would need a lot of upgrades if it hasn't happened already.

I'm sure it was built in the 40-50s.
I'll try to call him tomorrow. You guys have peaked my curiosity about why it is so high.
I know he planned on reworking the insulation, but geez, short of having picket fence for walls, he's not holding on to any heat.

(01-08-2017 09:20 PM)NotANewbie Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 04:39 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  LOL...yeah, that's what I told him.
Seriously, he does need more....and he knows it. He used to work construction before he wised up, went back to school and started getting degrees. Now he teaches at UND...but yes, he knows he needs better insulation.

He lives out in the country. Those flat lands and strong winds are brutal.

Didn't he understand that the kind of degrees he was getting aren't the kind that heat a home?

For an obviously smart guy he seems frozen in inaction.

He's one semester from a 4th degree.
I never thought he'd take that job up there, but their aviation program is one of the better ones around. He's been up there for 16 or so years now. Still hates the cold but loves the job.

Not long ago, he coached their flight team to a national championship....complete with champ rings and everything. They compete against the military academies and other top flight schools, and routinely win it all.

(01-09-2017 01:38 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 09:20 PM)NotANewbie Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 04:39 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  LOL...yeah, that's what I told him.
Seriously, he does need more....and he knows it. He used to work construction before he wised up, went back to school and started getting degrees. Now he teaches at UND...but yes, he knows he needs better insulation.

He lives out in the country. Those flat lands and strong winds are brutal.

Didn't he understand that the kind of degrees he was getting aren't the kind that heat a home?

For an obviously smart guy he seems frozen in inaction.

He's one semester from a 4th degree.
I never thought he'd take that job up there, but their aviation program is one of the better ones around. He's been up there for 16 or so years now. Still hates the cold but loves the job.

Not long ago, he coached their flight team to a national championship....complete with champ rings and everything. They compete against the military academies and other top flight schools, and routinely win it all.

The College of Aerospace Studies is one of the main cogs of UND. They train pilots for foreign airlines and now it is the foremost training site for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's). It's attracting a lot of attention from defense companies and UAV civilian companies. Seems whenever I wear UND gear on a flight, the pilot or copilot went there for training. Flight people love the atmosphere there!

(01-08-2017 10:20 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(01-08-2017 08:48 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  That's shocking. Rarely over $200?!
I'll call and see what's up. I knew his heating bill rose in the winter months but that is dramatic.

My parents keep the house at 66 F and wear sweaters. They also have built in electrical heat from the basement floor. But their gas and electric bill are together but their windows are relatively new and they have great insulation in the walls and ceiling. Where I live in NE Tenn near Boone, my bills often exceed theirs, especially in the summer but even in a cold month like this one. I guess heat pumps are not as efficient as gas furnaces.

There is a downside to living in a house so tight, but one can run air purifiers.

If a house was built before the 1970s oil crisis, it would need a lot of upgrades if it hasn't happened already.

Heat pumps are no where near as efficient as gas furnaces once it gets under the freezing mark, because there is little heat to pull out. Just the way they are designed to work.

I used to have a roughly 5000 sqft home built in 1906, that was solid heart pine w/ 1 inch thick pine walls, covered with another inch of washed horsehair plaster. Drafty as heck, even though I had reglazed 36 sets of windows. I had 14 fireplaces, 12 of which had been outfitted with gas heat after conversion from coal. I had new central heat/ac heat pumps put in when I bought it in 1996.

My electric bill was around $1000 a month in the worst Georgia winters, and my natural gas bill was around $500 a month. I had a few months where my utilities far exceeded my mortgage.

So I lucked out and sold that house in late 2005, a few months before the market collapsed. Built me a new one (approx 3600sqft) with 1x6 studs and extra insulation. Total electric, except for a fireplace and a second propane powered firebox. Highest electric bill I've had was high $400's in the summer w/ the AC demand, but winter usually is around $225. My wife likes it cold in the summer and hot in the winter, which costs me about $100 more a month than if I set the temp where it would be cost efficient.