Gas Bills

Grundlestiltskin

So I moved into a new apartment in July. One of the first things I noticed is that my stove/oven emits an appreciable amount of heat; like, it's almost hot enough to burn your hand if you put your hand on the stove, and the oven is warm when you open it. When everything is off.

I had expressed concern about this to the landlord a few weeks ago, but he said that it was just the pilot light and that it was normal. Is it normal for it to be generating that much heat? My gas bill has been about $46 a month, despite the fact that I use the oven/stove maybe once every two weeks or so. Am I overpaying because of a malfunctioning appliance? Thoughts?

Szechuanosaurus

Sounds dodgy to me. If it's generating that much heat when not in use it's not as efficient as it could be, even if it's designed to do that.

Unless it's like an oil-burning Aga - they're designed to run always on and take ages to warm up again if the pilot light dies (seriously, one or two Christmases almost ruined when the Aga in our farm-house went down the day before Christmas Eve). But then they contribute to the overall central-heating of your house as well, so there's a pay-off there.

What sort of oven is it? Name or brand on it anywhere? Maybe try and dig up some info on it in google.

Daboohk

Pull the cover off and take a look at the size of your pilot lights. The pilots on your range top should be fairly small (a rule of thumb is they should be big enough to have a small, visible yellow tip, but not more than that). If they are too big, follow the pilot line back to (usually) a tiny screw, where adjustments can be made.

Grundlestiltskin

Daboohk wrote: »

Pull the cover off and take a look at the size of your pilot lights. The pilots on your range top should be fairly small (a rule of thumb is they should be big enough to have a small, visible yellow tip, but not more than that). If they are too big, follow the pilot line back to (usually) a tiny screw, where adjustments can be made.

This sounds like something that could end badly. I'm a bit accident prone and don't want my apartment to blow up >.>

EggyToast

I had a gas stove on a pilot when I was last in an apartment. It was hot directly above the pilot (in between the burners in this case) and slightly warm close to them, otherwise you couldn't tell it was "on." Sounds like something is out of wack -- a pilot should consume only a small amount of gas.

Grundlestiltskin

EggyToast wrote: »

I had a gas stove on a pilot when I was last in an apartment. It was hot directly above the pilot (in between the burners in this case) and slightly warm close to them, otherwise you couldn't tell it was "on." Sounds like something is out of wack -- a pilot should consume only a small amount of gas.

Yeah, this is more like if I left something on top of the stove (say, chocolate) for a few minutes it would melt. While it's off.

Szechuanosaurus

Well, you could always get someone to take a look at it. Gas appliances ought to be checked and serviced once a year or so anyway.

YamiNoSenshi

Grundlestiltskin wrote: »

So I moved into a new apartment in July. One of the first things I noticed is that my stove/oven emits an appreciable amount of heat; like, it's almost hot enough to burn your hand if you put your hand on the stove, and the oven is warm when you open it. When everything is off.

I had expressed concern about this to the landlord a few weeks ago, but he said that it was just the pilot light and that it was normal. Is it normal for it to be generating that much heat? My gas bill has been about $46 a month, despite the fact that I use the oven/stove maybe once every two weeks or so. Am I overpaying because of a malfunctioning appliance? Thoughts?

Either you're massively overpaying, or I'm massively underpaying. My girlfriend and I use the oven to cook dinner at least 5 times a week, some times all seven. Our most recent gas bill was barely over $10. Are you just paying for cooking gas, or are you also paying for anything else that uses that gas? I'm being vague here because every apartment I've lived in has been heat & hot water included, so I just pay cooking gas and power, and I don't know what else would go on a gas bill.

EggyToast

I have a gas water heater, gas oven, and gas furnace. Obviously the furnace isn't getting used right now, but we use the oven/stove daily, and obviously take showers & use hot water regularly. I'm in Baltimore so my rates are on the high side for energy, but my gas bill is usually around $15-$20.

Granted, my oven has, uh, "click starter" thingies, not a live pilot, although my water heater does have a live pilot light. Still, if the gas portion of your bill is 46, something's not right.

Grundlestiltskin

Yeah, I'm in a 5 story apartment building. According to my lease, heat and hot water are included in the rent. I don't have any thermostat that I'm aware of, I have big old metal radiators that seem to turn on and off completely at random. I don't see how my gas bill could be that high unless something was really wrong with my stove/oven.

JaysonFour

I'd tell the manager there's a problem with the stove and to get it replaced. Gas is not something you want to fuck around with if there's a potential problem. If he refuses, get the hell out. The damn thing might have a gas leak, and it's only a matter of time before leak = explosion.

MichaelLC

Call the landlord again, it shouldn't be that hot.

One great thing about gas is the gas company will come out & check stuff usually for free/very small fee. If it's leaking gas, they tagout/lockout the appliance, and the landlord is now on all kinds of naughty lists.

Call landlord again, and if they're stubborn, mention you can just call the gas company if they're too busy.