Electricity

Part of the lease renewal for the tenants is that they have to pay for their share of the electricity. This is facilitated by the sub-meter I had installed at the lower barn’s subpanel. All electrical usage, including the well pump, on the sub-meter is on our tab. This is a good deal for the tenant as they’re the ones who use most of the water 😏.

I calculate the electrical share shortly after the first of the month. and bill them for the prior month, which they pay with the following month’s rent. While it puts the electrical reimbursement in arrears, it keeps them from writing two checks a month. I’m OK with this.

I took a good look at the electric bill as I paid it today. Without boring you with the actual numbers, this year over last, the total property electrical usage is 25% less month to month. My general contractor has been using heaters in the lower barn and the pump room to dry sheetrock ‘mud’ as the humidity has been high due to rain. These heaters are the antithesis of efficiency, and were not in use last year at this time, yet… the current electrical usage is 25% less than last year. This tells me the tenants were not in any sort of conservation mode regarding electrical usage prior to this change in the lease terms.

I grew up during the energy crisis of the 70’s. You walk out of a room, you turn off the lights. Yeah, everything has been turned over to LED, but you still turn off the lights. You also start heating in October and stop really soon (Mayish). These folks moved back to the Island from Hawaii, and I think she, in particular being at home all day, desired an unreasonably warm environment… It is unaffordable to keep any house at too warm a temperature during the winter… 68º is our go to. As our mama’s said, “Put on a sweater!” Forgive my chaotic rant… I’m feeling taken advantage of, and am SO glad to have made the investment in the sub-meter. It looks like it’ll pay for itself in less than2-years.