If you warm your home with natural gas, expect higher heating bills this winter

With cold months ahead, your utility bills might be higher than you’re used to. 

National residential natural gas rates rose 12% from June to July and are up more than 30% since the end of August. Every state except Kansas saw an increase.

Delaware is ranked among the top 10 states for most expensive residential natural gas in the country at $24.47 per thousand cubic feet, about 22.7% more than the national average of $19.94 per thousand.  

About 43% of Delaware households rely on natural gas for home heating, according to the Energy Information Administration. 

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Hawaii holds the top spot, with $50.93 per thousand cubic feet, followed by Georgia, Ohio, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Indiana, South Carolina and Missouri.  

Idaho has the lowest residential gas rate at $9.79 per thousand cubic feet.  

According to the Delaware Division of the Public Advocate, the increase is largely due to higher demand and the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. 

Although rates have increased, the price fluctuation mostly comes down to supply and demand, said Jeremy Firestone, a professor with the Biden School and the School of Marine Science and Policy at the University of Delaware.  

“Historically, they’re quite low now,” Firestone said of current natural gas rates. “We’re certainly not at the peaks we were in the past.” 

Despite this, the recent rise in prices foreshadows higher home heating bills this winter.  

What you can do to lower your bills

In addition to the price of natural gas, the condition of your heating and cooling systems, weather and your energy usage habits can influence the size of your bill.

Periods of cold weather like early morning and evening cause heating devices to work harder and use more energy to keep homes warm, said Delmarva spokeswoman Amber Burruezo.  

This increased energy usage, paired with more adults working from home, contribute to higher bills. 

To combat this, Burruezo recommends setting thermostats a few degrees lower in the winter, keeping heat pumps at the same setting throughout the season, changing filters monthly and making fireplaces airtight.  

Homes should also be checked for air leaks annually if you have a forced-air heating system. Small leaks can be easily repaired by covering holes or cracks with duct tapes while bigger ones may require caulking. 

Services to weatherize your home can also be useful in keeping the heat in your home by using weather stripping around windows and doors and insulation in roofs and attics.  

Outside of the colder months, there are still a number of ways to cut unnecessarily high utility costs. 

Unplugging unused electrical devices when you leave a room to conserve energy, dusting or vacuuming radiators to maintain efficiency and regularly tuning up heating and cooling equipment are all ways to lower bills.  

Installing storm windows and opening blinds in the winter to let sunlight in help as well.  

What to do if you can't pay your bills

If you need assistance paying your bills this winter, there are state organizations and charities that can help.

• The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Catholic Charities help families struggling to meet their home energy costs in the form of fuel assistance and crisis assistance. 
• The Good Neighbor Energy Fund is a monetary reserve provided by Delmarva Power that is made up of customer donations and matched by the company. It can be used by any Delmarva power customer in Delaware.  
• The Delaware Housing Assistance Program aids renters impacted by the pandemic. Anyone facing difficulty with late or current utility bills can apply for help.  
• The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control offers a Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income households fix leaky homes with drafty doors or windows, and poorly insulated walls, pipes and crawl spaces. Professionals from the program assess each home and provide weather-stripping, energy efficient light bulbs, insulation and other energy-saving measures free of charge.

WINTER FORECAST: How much snow will we get this winter? We check with the Old Farmer's Almanac for a prediction.

Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.