One Austin homeowner’s 2025 utility and gas bills are drawing attention for a simple reason: They offer a real-world look at how expensive an older, draftier house can be to run.
Here’s what to know
The homeowner, who said this is their first house, shared on Reddit that the Austin, Texas, property measures 1,800 square feet and was built in 1949. According to the post, it relies on a central HVAC system installed in the 1980s, possibly paired with a newer furnace, and the household includes five residents, a gas stove, and an electric dryer.
They said the pier-and-beam house seems to have air leaking between the crawlspace and the conditioned interior, and they flagged the attic as another major issue…