CLEVELAND — Winter is unavoidable in Northeast Ohio and it seems like rising utility bills are too
You either love the winter or hate it but in Northeast Ohio, you can’t avoid it.
“It never ceases to amaze me how cold it gets so quick,” said George Dixon, a Cleveland native.
This winter, though, it seems like you also can’t avoid higher costs to heat your home.
“Everybody is feeling it. We have inflation nationwide. We don’t like the fact that we are paying more,” said Chris Ray, who is visiting Cleveland from the Pacific Northwest.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting about a 6% increase in the number of days heating will be needed.
According to the Energy Information Administration, natural gas customers can expect an average increase in costs of about $200 for the season. If you use electric heating, your bill this winter could rise more than $100 and for propane about $80.
Michael Goldberg, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, said natural gas prices are a real concern.
“It powers our houses. It also powers the electric grid,” he said. “I think there’s concern both at the gas pump as well as natural’s prices that those will get passed to our gas and electric bills as winter approaches.”
Nearly half of houses nationwide use natural gas for heat, according to the Energy Information Administration.
“The continued war in Ukraine causes continued instability in the world energy markets and the supply market so it’s really not clear it’s going to subside anytime soon,” said Goldberg.
But Goldberg suggests shopping around.
“Just going with the default with your provider may not be the best plan,” he said. “Much like any of us, when we are shopping for gas for our cars, we drive until we find a price that is the cheapest. Folks should do the same for natural gas and electric bill.”
Officials also suggest setting your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower while you’re there and when you’re sleeping or away, lower it by 7 or 10 degrees.
Lastly, seal up leaky doors and windows and change your furnace filters.
