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[Tuicemen]

Your area of the world is perfect for solar applications... and lighting, and hot water are perfect uses for solar.

I was thinking the same thing, and with a electric bill that size, it would soon pay for its self!

[Gwohi]

We have a gas water heater and a gas stove.  We do have a pool pump that had been running from 7am to 4 pm.  I just cut that back to 9am to 3 pm.  We have a pool heater, but never use it.  We've got a sub zero fridge and a small regular fridge in the garage.  We also have a box freezer in the garage and a small sub zero wine cooler.  Washer and dryer are electric, but are Fisher Paykel, so are supposed to be energy efficient.

I've considered PV, but haven't moved forward on it yet.  My roof is copper shingles, so installing PV may be a challenge, plus it will definately take away from aesthetics of the home. PV is still pretty costly, even with the rebates.

How do you perform an energy audit?  Is that something the electric utility company will do?

[Noam]

The older WS467's  (and it sounds like yours are not new, since you said the house came with them) were notorious for random turn-ons, mainly caused by random electrical noise.
I had four of them in my home, and would routinely have them turn on by themselves. At the time I had NO CFL's in my house, and only a few traditional florescent fixtures in my home (none controlled by X10).

I replaced those switches with SmartHome Insteon ToggleLinc relay switches, and have had no random turn-ons since.

You probably don't need to go to that expense (around $46 each), as SmartHome just introduced a new line of X10 switches. Their relay switch is currently selling for $20.
The relay switches (if you have a neutral wire in the box) should work fine with the CFL's. As long as they don't create enough noise to drown out your X10 signals, they should work fine for you.

[HA Dave]

How do you perform an energy audit?  Is that something the electric utility company will do?

I am not sure. In some areas... yes. At one time the local power co. provided a very nice audit at no cost... then at low cost. I am pretty sure federal dollars have been pumped into many such organizations that now do local energy audits as well as seal and such. You could check your local (digital) yellow pages.

But since "your sure" the pool heater is off (I'd lock its breaker to off). And the hot water is gas... you could do your own with a energy reading device. That will allow you to check refrigerators, freezers, as well as other devices... AND inspect every plug and electric device in the house... all in part of a weekend morning.

Solar (PV) can easily be mounted on a steel stand or support. That would save your roof and can be hidden behind landscaping or the home as well.

I don't advocate environmental issues! But I don't consume a lot of resources myself. I've replaced my nighttime landscape lighting with LED lights (hardwired AC bright ones, not solar) with motion sensing floodlights and cameras for added security. The operating costs are near nothing.

Out of the way inside lighting that could be forgotten and left on Like the garage and laundry room, I've replaced with motion sensors (not X10). We don't have pets that shed and clog condenser coils in our freezer or refrigerators... but I still vacuum them clean twice a year. I use the time-change at spring and fall as a reminder. I also use my compressor to blow clear my electronic air filter then... and seasonally replace the paper filters.

I am sure... with or without X10.... your can get a handle on your power useage. Even at three times normal [mid-western] costs your spending more than twice what I would expect. Your cost is 14+ times of mine.... of course I don't have a pool. But I do have hellishly hot and humid summers and subzero winters. Find out what is costing you what... and then you can make good decisions based on solid math.