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Heating bills expected to soar
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:40 am
by Apoptosis
Winter heating bills will be a third to a half higher for most families across the country, with the sharpest increases expected for those who heat with natural gas, the Energy Department forecast Wednesday.
The department said natural gas users can expect to pay an average of $350 more during the upcoming winter compared to last year, an increase of 48 percent. Those who heat their homes with fuel oil will pay $378 more, or 32 percent higher than last winter.
A month ago, the EIA said natural gas prices could jump as much as 71 percent in the Midwest, where four of every five homes are heated by gas. It made no such specific assessment this time, but acknowledged that a colder-than-normal winter in the Midwest would produce significantly higher costs.
More than half of all U.S. households heat with natural gas. But many of those who rely on electric heat, nearly a third of the country, may also see bills go up because many power plants run on natural gas. And users of fuel oil, more than half the households in New England, are expected to see their costs jump by a third or more over last winter, according to industry and government estimates
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/heat12.html
Can anyone else say ouch?
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:42 am
by Bio-Hazard
I feel for all those people............
My heating bill won't go up a single penny..................
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:09 am
by T-Shirt
Bio-Hazard wrote: My heating bill won't go up a single penny..................
Firewood or TVA power?
Our electric (heat) rates may actually go down
(after a big jump a few years ago, thanks Enron
) because our county PUD is trying to get out of the (manipulated) high rate contracts Enron caused.
it helps that our power is 90% hydroelectric
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:19 pm
by Tim Burton
Shame the government regulated home heating by coal out of existance. That would be a pretty decent way to go.
Better yet, start drilling in CO, UT and finally Alaska. At the same time build refineries in Yuma, and at 10 military bases, and that should lower the cost.
Oh, and we need to get 5-15 nuke power plants so we can limit the use of gas turbines for electric production.
Shame a few nuts, and a lot of politicians will keep us with high prices and low supply.
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:03 pm
by Nobahar
Go the way I did, invest in some space heaters- then carry it around with you ;p Electric bills do go up, but you save alot more on your gas bills.
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:49 pm
by Sasquatch
I'm glad I have a wood furnace.
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:10 pm
by FZ1
Maybe that's what I can use my Lian-Li case for....
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:36 pm
by Bio-Hazard
Wood heating is the way to go out where I live............
My utility bills go down during the winter.........
This is some of my fire wood for this winter.........
I've still got a few piles to split and stack yet before winter hits.
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:54 am
by infinitevalence
my computers supply plenty of heat for my small apt
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:13 am
by T-Shirt
Tim Burton wrote:Shame the government regulated home heating by coal out of existance. That would be a pretty decent way to go.
Better yet, start drilling in CO, UT and finally Alaska. At the same time build refineries in Yuma, and at 10 military bases, and that should lower the cost.
Oh, and we need to get 5-15 nuke power plants so we can limit the use of gas turbines for electric production.
Shame a few nuts, and a lot of politicians will keep us with high prices and low supply.
Coal burning at home is/was way too dirty, however modern coal fired power plants can be as clean as gas fired.
definately need more refineries
Nukes take along time to build, pose major security risks, and the waste problem is still not solved (even without the waste disposal cost, nuke energy is
NOT cheap.)
best short term solution.....use less.... better insulation, keep the car tuned and the tires full, and think before you make that extra trip.
turning down the thermostat even a couple degrees can save 10-15% of the energy. If everyone did that most of the time the "energy crisis" would disappear overnight.
it's the right thing to do for national security, the economy, and the enviroment (global warming is real) plus
wearing a light sweater could be worth $100's of dollars to you this winter and next
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:25 am
by Bio-Hazard
Well put "T".............
Evne in milder weather when it's to warm for a fire and our heat pump is used, we keep our heat set at 68F, I hate giving my money away to utility companies..................
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:42 am
by Nobahar
I like wood heat as well- I'll definitely be using that whenever I have a place of my own.