Well, it’s that time of year again, when very warm houses and apartments abound amid cold temperatures. As we all know, cold weather is associated with expensive utility bills. Many can still recall when last year Memphis Light Gas and Water’s utility rates skyrocketed as temperatures plummeted. There were homeowners who paid as much as $700 a month for a small, two bedroom home.
According to Bill Bullock of MLGW, the use of natural gas last year was significantly higher than it is this year. “Colder temperatures were a definite factor in last year’s utility rates,” Bullock said.
So how does this affect students who attend The University of Memphis? Isiah Robinson, a commercial music major, said he has been renting in the Brister Oak Apartments for over four months.
“I have been renting in these apartments for some time now and my utility rate is about the same as it was last year,” Robinson said.
Bullock said many people who rent will have the same rates as they had last year because some apartments are not “separately metered”. If they were individually metered, then the rates would differ according to how much of the utilities were used. That means last year’s utility rates for some renters were as high as many homeowners’ rates last year.
How else can your utility rates be affected? The weather, of course, is a huge factor. Chris Darden of the Memphis Weather Service predicts the remainder of this winter’s forecast will be about average. Even though for the past couple of weeks temperatures have generally been 10 to 15 degrees below normal.
For the next 10 to 14 days into January, temperatures will be about average, which is in the upper 40’s to low 50’s. Average lows will be in the mid to higher 30’s. “Nothing out of the ordinary temperature-wise is expected for the rest of the winter season,” Darden said. “ But you might be mindful of coldspells.”
A suggestion that Bullock advised is to regulate your thermostat. When you are not at home during the day, turn down your thermostat. At night, when you and other people in your home are asleep, raise the temperature on your thermostat slightly. To maximize efficiency, try to keep your thermostat set at 68 degrees and wear a sweater if you feel chilled. Each degree above 68 will increase your utility bill by four percent.
Also, during the daytime Bullock suggested opening the drapes and letting the sun shine through. Letting the sun through into your home generates heat in that room. At night, close the drapes so the heat that comes from your heating system is kept insulated.
Another factor is living habits. Long showers, unnecessary usage of lights and dripping faucets are all factors that lead to a high utility bill. If you can afford to, hire a plumber to fix whatever water problems you may have. Bullock said the cost of the plumbing job may seem expensive but it will save you money in the long run.
