Natural Gas is INSANE

[Loren]

We were warned that the price of natural gas was going up this winter. My brother and I had been cautiously awaiting that bill in the mail. The weather here has been pretty mild the last month, so although we'd set the thermostat a couple of degrees higher than last year, we thought we'd be OK.

The bill arrived yesterday. And it was for $442.

Granted, the house we live in is about 5800 square feet. But we don't take the advice about lowering the thermostat to 72; for the last month, we've had it set to fluctuate, depending on the time of day, between 60 and 66. The house is regularly cold. And it's going to get colder, because last night we readjusted the thermostats to bring the house down to the 58-62 range. When we're in the main part of the house, including the kitchen, we'll be wearing sweaters and coats all the time. My brother figures that his fiance's probably not going to visit quite as often.

A good and bad addendum to that is that my part of the house, the upstairs, can be kept warm pretty efficiently. That's because the upstairs is heated with propane, which also means that the $442 does not actually represent all of our heating costs for the last month.

So aside from putting the thermostat at 'chilly,' we're also going to brainstorm other ways to save. He's considering removing the window air conditioners for the winter, because they allow cold air to leak in. Our bill talked about a rebate for a more efficient water heater, but when we checked on it the rebate seems to have expired. We might have to settle for just insulating the water heater better. This last month we used just over 200 therms, which was more than any month last year except March. We've gotta bring that down. Any suggestions?

Any horror stories with your own gas bills?

[StoneGold]

It's currently 8:25 in the AM, and 53 degrees outside. Expected to go up to about 68 degrees today.


I really don't have any heating bills.

[Paradox]

Same here, Loren. We got hit with unseasonable cold late in November up to mid December (usually doesn't get that cold until after January). That and the gas price raise made our bill shoot from its normal around $200 up to nearly $350. Good damn thing we've got three people to split it up.

[gary bolt]

I own a glassblowing studio with four natural gas burning furnaces. My partners and I set up shop in 1997 and by 1993 our utilities costs had doubled primarily because of natural gas costs. I don't see that the rising costs are gonna slow down any time soon (or ever). This past summer we had to turn off one of our glass melting furnaces and lay off two out of seven employees. Our income has gradually increased over the years but our expenses have increased more.

[Winslow]

Our last combined gas/electric was for $350, but we live in the northeast and have 1/3 the size house as you.

I have no idea how people from low or even modest income can afford this . . .

Our bill did not go up from last year, we took precautions such as lowering the thermostat to 65, and adding weather stripping in drafty places.

Loren: 5800 SF! Not to quibble, but for a house that big, $442 seems like a reasonable bill. (I realize Atlanta isn't going to be as cold as Philly). How does that compare to last year?

[Corrina]

In New England, I pay $260 each month on a ten-month payment plan to keep current with my oil bill.

That's $1260 for the winter. I have three heating zones and they all are turned down at night and don't go above 68 degrees during the day--and two of the zones are down during the day.

:sigh:

[Callie]

It's been close to $25 a month for my 800 sq ft apartment. grr. This winter I opted not to use my heating at all. Thank jebus it's been unusually warm; helps me out a lot.

ETA: I know that doesn't sound like a lot at all, but it has steadily risen since I moved into this apartment. I started out paying something more akin to $16 and the gas is only used for the hot water heater and heating.

[Slappy san]

$0

Gas is included. I'd be flat broke if I had to pay the high gas bills people around here pay.

[Loren]

Loren: 5800 SF! Not to quibble, but for a house that big, $442 seems like a reasonable bill. (I realize Atlanta isn't going to be as cold as Philly). How does that compare to last year?

The bill for the same period last year was $166. However, our therm usage nearly doubled (not sure why) from last year, jumping from 110 to 211. The price per therm also went from $1.10 to $1.80.

And the comparison to last month is ridiculous. Last month's bill was for $81, and we only used 26 therms. Our gas usage apparently went up eightfold. I checked the meter, and it looks like we've already used 105 therms in the 19 days since the last reading.

And like I said, the weather was pretty mild for this billing period, from mid-November to mid-December. Since the weather looks to be turning actually cold now, we'll have to find other ways to keep warm.

[Loren]

It's been close to $25 a month for my 800 sq ft apartment. grr. This winter I opted not to use my heating at all. Thank jebus it's been unusually warm; helps me out a lot.

ETA: I know that doesn't sound like a lot at all, but it has steadily risen since I moved into this apartment. I started out paying something more akin to $16 and the gas is only used for the hot water heater and heating.

My apartment at school had a minimum gas bill of about $16. That was roughly the cost of the base charge and customer service charge, before adding the cost of the gas itself.

[Fenris]

The bill for the same period last year was $166. However, our therm usage nearly doubled (not sure why) from last year, jumping from 110 to 211. The price per therm also went from $1.10 to $1.80.

And the comparison to last month is ridiculous. Last month's bill was for $81, and we only used 26 therms. Our gas usage apparently went up eightfold. I checked the meter, and it looks like we've already used 105 therms in the 19 days since the last reading.

That's really weird. Especially since you say the weather hasn't been much colder this month than last month.

Have you considered getting it checked for some kind of leakage? It's hard to believe that your natural usage, without any unusual factors, could cause it to increase by eight times.

õ
Just a thought!

[Winslow]

That's really weird. Especially since you say the weather hasn't been much colder this month than last month.

Have you considered getting it checked for some kind of leakage? It's hard to believe that your natural usage, without any unusual factors, could cause it to increase by eight times.

õ
Just a thought!

Sounds like a meter reading error to me.

[Fenris]

Sounds like a meter reading error to me.

I'd thought of that, too. Except that it sounds like Loren verified it himself, recently.

Oh! Or do you mean that the meter itself is mechanically defective? That would explain a lot.

õ
And it's a lot less hazardous than a gas leak!

[Shellhead]

I can think of several things with insanely high prices right now, compared to just a few years ago:

1. Housing
2. Gasoline
3. Natural Gas
4. Vehicles
5. College Tuition
6. Property Taxes
7. Healthcare
8. Health Insurance

Fortunately, I'm avoiding most of those costs right now. I live in an apartment that includes free heat, I live just five miles from work and drive a decent used car that I've already paid for, I'm done with college, my employer pays 100% of my health insurance, and I'm insanely healthy for my age.

[Paradox]

I'm with Fenris and Winslow, Loren. I can SEE why my bill jumped up. Yours sounds incredibly suspicious. I'd give them a call and ask them to check their meter for malfunctions, because that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Iangould]

I live in a house with about 8 people (it fluctuates), our power bill varies between around US$80 between summer and winter - it helps to live in the subtropics.

[Naldo]

The bill arrived yesterday. And it was for $442.

Granted, the house we live in is about 5800 square feet.


Are you serious? $442 to heat 5800 square feet is NOTHING!

If you had 1500 square feet I'd say that was on the high side. You're getting off cheap.

[DarlingNikki]

loren, the same thing happened to me. my gas bill never went past 70 bucks, even in winter! i get the bill this month and it's 167.00.

i will be using space heaters and wearing alot of clothes from now on. hell, i might even stop cooking (gas stove).

[Paradox]

Naldo needs to note location:

Are you serious? $442 to heat 5800 square feet is NOTHING!

Maybe not in New Jersey, but Atlanta?