National Grid: customers will see a ‘slight’ increase in heating costs
Besides turning off the heat, Capital District residents can lower their heating bills this winter by seeking efficient methods to heating their homes.
National Grid said customers locally should expect around a 4 percent increase in their heating costs this winter. During last year’s heating season, from November to March, the average resident used 712 therms and paid around $730 during the five-month period. With the expected 4 percent increase, the average customer would pay about $30 more this year.
We expect for the winter heating season a slight increase in the winter heating bills, said William Flaherty, regional executive for National Grid. `Last year it was fairly flat and this year it is up a little bit. Gas price is very dependent on weather, depending on the market prices of gas.`
Flaherty said an advantage National Grid does is manage a supply portfolio, which insulates customers from the `volatility` by using hedging contracts and buying some gas at the market price and using some stored supply.
`Long term gas prices look to be fairly stable, so we are not anticipating a big spike,` said Flaherty.
Some cost saving measures customers can take to lower their heating bill is having their furnace and heating systems check every two years by a qualified heating contractor; making sure their attic, walls and found are well insulated; and closing gaps around their doors, windows and foundation are well sealed.
Cash rebates are also available for several National Grid Energy Efficiency programs, including Energy Star programmable thermostats, outdoor boiler reset controls, high-efficiency boilers and heaters, high-efficiency water heaters, duct and air sealing, ECM furnace fans and Energy Star windows.
Also, if customers turn down the heat a few degrees, it can yield some substantial savings.
`For every one degree you set back your thermostat you can save 1 to 3 percent on your natural usage,` said Susan M. Crossett, vice president of economic development at National Grid.
Paul and Lorraine Lovell, a Niskayuna couple, took advantage of the rebates offered by National Grid, where the company held their press conference on Thursday, Oct. 6.
The Lovells purchased an Energy Star high-efficiency boiler for $7,400, but received a $560 rebate from National Grid and a $1,500 tax credit offered through the federal government.
John J. Raucci of Adams Heating and Cooling said the Lovells had a 40-year-old boiler in the mid-60 percent efficiency range and installed a Energy Star 90 percent efficient hot water boiler.
After years of replacing parts, the Lovells said the expenses of the old boiler got to the point where it would be better to just buy a new one. They were going to replace the boiler earlier, but the National Grid rebates ended in the spring, but the company started offering them again at the beginning of September.
If the rebates and incentives weren’t offered, the Lovells said their boiler purchase might have been different.
`I don’t know if we would have just replaced it with an 80 percent boiler or spent the extra money for the 90 percent,` said Paul Lovell. `This definitely made our minds up for us.`
Raucci said it really comes down to what a person can afford, but the long-term benefits of high-efficiency products can help save money.
`It all comes down to [a person’s] financial position,` said Raucci. `As owning a home, there is always something to do, being that cost of energy is such so high, anything we can do as homeowners to save on energy is the goal.
He also said between the tax credit and rebates available he’s seen an increase in the amount of people purchasing new equipment that is energy efficient.
`Without these programs they might have made the decision to buy the minimum efficiency just based on an economic point of view,` Raucci. `With these people are able to upgrade, get higher efficiencies and this is an investment that is going to last them for the next 25 years.`
If you aren’t a homeowner there are still some steps you can take to lower your heating and electric bills.
`With renters it is tricky, because some people may be in a dwelling where they are not paying for their heating, but they want to lower their electric bill,` said Crossett. `There are other folks that may be paying for some of the heating systems and sometimes they can find tips and tricks on the website, or maybe talk to landlords to see what they can do.`
For information on National Grid’s energy efficiency programs and energy efficiency tips visit their
website
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