Expect Significant Increase On Your Heating Bill (64% increase!)

[Roland99]

http://www.wlky.com/money/5040265/detail.html

LOUISVILLE -- If you use natural gas to heat your home, get ready to pay up to 64 percent more for the warmth.

The cost of natural gas has increased by 77 percent on the national market, due in part to the recent hurricanes, WLKY NewsChannel 32 reported.

Friday, Louisville Gas & Electric Co. will submit a proposal to the Kentucky Public Service Commission to pass that cost onto its customers. Speculation is that local utility bills would rise by 64 percent.

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If the rate increase is approved, it will cover a three-month period from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, WLKY reported. Those who live in a typical home whose utility bill was about $88 last winter would pay about $144 this time around.

[halobeam]

1. My bill is budgeted at 180/mth. Just for heating with gas.

They don't change the budgeted amount, right? Then you get your nasty "adjustment bill" when the budget needs review at the end of a year... (Mine is March).. I think that's how it works, anyway...

According to the numbers that will make my monthly bill, 297/month??? OMG.... add that to the electric bill budgeted at 304/month and I'm screwed, and cold.

[Wcross]

3. Damn- you use a considerable amount of energy!

My total electric bill which includes heating/air conditioning and running my well pump averages 90 dollars a month! I was concerned that I was using too much.
What are you doing that uses so much electric? Growing pot or something?????

[halobeam]

6. I live in Long Island NY... as I understand it, our utilities and

property taxes are top 3 in the country, top 3rd WORST!!..

I do not use anything over what you'd think... yes, airconditioner is on for the kids room only (asthma)... heat down to 55 at night all year round... and 65 in the day. Had efficiency check through from power company, all recommendations were done, including replacement windows... lights off after using the room, dishwasher on every other day, lots of laundry though (young kids, family of four here), and some cooking (gas stove), but not even enough cooking (according to my family) LOL...

Had the meters changed updated, because I swore they were defective.

I just plain don't know how to minimize it other than washing less laundry.. but that's really NOT possible. (Allergy related asthma, means washing bedding sleeves and skirts, blankets, sheets, every couple of days.

Any suggestions, would be SO VERY WELCOME.

[Wcross]

9. Does your utility do free energy audits?

Some companies will come out and identify where you you can improve your home to help reduce your useage.
Don't feel too bad though. I have a cousin that rented a house on the coast of Maine and he was paying 600 a month to heat the place in the winter!

[halobeam]

12. Yeah... I had that done.

The only thing we can't do right now is replace all the doors and insulate every outside wall. We are doing it slowly, ourselves, but it costs too much for us right now to do all at once. It will make a big difference in two rooms in particular, so we are starting with those. I don't know how much money it will actually save, I'm curious to find out though. These prices are incredible.

Over 600/mth for a small cape? Freaking crazy.

[Roland99]

4. Well, depends on what your local utility does on rates

Also, are you in an older home?

[halobeam]

5. Home is 50 years old...

[Roland99]

7. I'd be redoing the insulation like mad!

[halobeam]

8. That's a good point, we've been discussing that here at home

the outside walls need re-sheetrocking anyway, best time to insulate also. Insulation has to be completely useless as it's so old...

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. We chopped down two trees last weekend

looks like a fireplace winter here in Tallahassee. Doesn't help the air quality much, though.

[Wcross]

10. That wood isn't going to be fit to burn.

Unless the trees were standing deadwood they won't be fit to burn until next winter.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. We cut this year's wood last year.

These will dry over the next 12 months.

[Wcross]

13. OH, I mis-understood.

I have seen people try to burn green wood and it really makes a mess of the chimney when they get it burning.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

14. Yeah, that and pine. What a mess.