What’s Made my Gas Bill this High?
Did you get hit by an unexpectedly pricey GA gas bill this month? Well, you’re not alone! And the good news is, you might not even be doing anything wrong. Plenty of careful, energy-saving Georgia residents are in the same boat. Let’s look at what made things so steep this month. Then, more importantly, let’s see what you can do about that pricey GA gas bill going forwards…
So What’s the Deal with my Expensive Natural Gas Bill?
Well, the answer is (broadly speaking) twofold. Firstly, natural gas prices are simply rising. So everything’s costing a little more than usual. And secondly, it’s just far colder than the mild start we had to winter! This means you’re having to use more of those extra-pricey therms to keep your home, well, homey. And it’s looking likely to stay this way at least through the remainder of the month.
So What do these Rising Gas Bills Look Like?
Let’s take a look at these rising bills in action, because it illustrates a couple of helpful things. To do that, we’re going to pull info from the Public Service Commission’s Gas Marketers Pricing Comparison page, looking at the Variable Rate plans.
Firstly, we’ll look at XOOM’s average bills for the three month period, as they’re regularly the cheapest on the market. These bills went from $123 in November, spiking to $181 in December, then rising again to $195 in January! That’s an eye-watering $72 hike, and a great example of why you’re safest betting on fixed rate options over winter…
Secondly, and most importantly, let’s look at the average therm usage. This figure went from 38 therms in November, way up to 134 therms in December, and up again to 141 therms in January. All told, that’s a 271% increase in therm usage – and that’s really going to drive up your GA gas bill. It’s a great (if galling) example of how weather patterns will directly affect your household expenditure. But this brings us to the good news…
How Can I Reduce my Household Energy Usage?
Many households can, in fact, trim down their usage by ensuring gas-hungry appliances aren’t burning through those precious therms needlessly. Turning down your water heater, and adjusting your thermostat to only run when you really need it, are really simple ways of cutting home energy usage without compromising on home comfort.
How Can I Keep my Energy Bill Low this Season?
So, in summary: energy bills are spiking this month thanks to a nasty combination of cold weather and rising gas prices. This means you’ll need to be careful going forwards. Firstly, ensure you’re on a nice, predictable fixed rate gas plan if you can. And secondly, find out where you can trim down on therm usage in the home – start off with these energy-saving tips. So if you’re asking yourself, why is my GA gas bill so high this month? Well, we’ve got you covered – stick with www.georgiagassavings.com for more help getting through this thorny winter patch…