wintertime electricity cost

[Logz23]

has anyone kept track or calculated the average amount they have spent during the winter heating your tortoises shed?I plan on building an outdoor enclosure before the winter and was wondering an estimated cost.I am housing him in the garage on a table right now.

 

[Tom]

There are a tremendous amount of variables there. What's the room temp? What sort of heating device(s) will be used? How well insulated is the room? Where in the country? Etc...

 

[Laura]

....what TOm said,, and it depends on your Electric company.. and my Tort sheds are out inthe barn so its a little less then the house.. Ag Rates..

 

[Logz23]

Yes i know there are lots of variables, i was looking for people (who have kept track of it) say like i live in ??? and have a 3 X4X3 box, with 1/2 plywood walls with 1/2 in insulation between walls, a 100 heat lamp and a heat mat and ive been paying around ........ just wondering what other people have been paying with their setups.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob lives in an insulated and heated 20X12 shed on the back of my property. It is so well insulated that it stays warm even when the heater is not on. But our temps are dropping now and soon we will have freezing temps and snow. I also have about 25 other turtles and tortoises and my electric bill runs $350 a month. I think that it would be expensive to try a keep a small box, like what you are gonna use, warm in the cold winter. I don't think you can insulate it enough...

 

[chadk]

I think a smaller, well built, well insulated enclosure would actually be much easier and less expensive to heat through the winter.

Also consider where you put it. Full sun exposure will be very helpful. But also keeping it out of direct cold winds... Material and color could factor in as well in helping it absorb the sunlight...

 

[Becki]

Maybe a solar panel on the tort shed to defray some of the costs.

 

[Laura]

Smaller is less costly to heat.. less space to keep warm.
I have boxes for them, but also a covered area so they can come out, cruise, graze if they want and then go back in side. they slow down when it cold.. some days, they dont come out at all.. or if they do,, its a very short amount of time and I dont see them.

 

[Logz23]

i have actually thought about a solar panel.i havent checked into the cost of one but it would be cool.I think a small box can be insulated easily.I plan on insulated all sides, top and bottom with 1 1/2 inch thick insulation board.