Tips for lowering heating bills with natural gas providers expecting increases

Robert Creenan |, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
Updated ·2 min read

Oct. 6—A myriad of factors are expected to cause higher heating bills this winter to their highest levels in more than a decade.

National Fuel expects the average residential customer to pay $1,023 on heating bills this winter from November to March, an increase over the previous year's average of $684. It has not seen customers pay this much for heating since 2008-09.

Last winter saw heating bills begin to spike, but the season was 10% warmer than normal, so bills came in lower than anticipated.

National Fuel attributes the price increases to increased demand for liquified natural gas, caused by geopolitical events such as the war in Ukraine, increased economic activity in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, current natural gas pipelines currently at full capacity, and efforts to build new pipes being impeded by organizations and state governments that oppose natural gas.

National Fuel and NOCO have provided customers with inexpensive ways to potentially reduce customer's heating bills this winter. Guidelines include:

—Use caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing, doors, windows, fans, vents, and electric outlets. Reducing air leaks can cut monthly energy bills by 10%.

—Set thermostats between 65 and 70 degrees during the winter and at 58 degrees when away from the house for more than a few hours.

—Install a programmable thermostat and set temperatures based on your family's schedule so that you are not heating when no one is in the house.

—Change or clean furnace air filters once a month during the heating season.

—Close vents and doors in unused rooms and close dampers on unused fireplaces.

—On sunny days, open curtains and blinds to receive direct sunlight, and close them at night or during cloudy days to insulate them against the cold air outside.

—Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise to trap heat inside to keep rooms warmer during cooler months.

—If radiators are located near cold walls, place a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall to reflect heat back into the room.

—Schedule annual furnace maintenance. Contact your local HVAC technician to make sure your furnace is working properly.

Both National Fuel and NOCO provide energy assistance and maintenance programs. National Fuel's can be reached at 1-800-365-3534 or at www.nationalfuel.com and NOCO's can be reached at 716-614-6610 or at noco.com.