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Winter temperatures have fallen throughout the country, and extreme cold has been increasing monthly energy invoices.
In December, 40% of the increase in monthly inflation was attributed to an increase in general energy costs. An exclusive CNET survey found that most households expect to pay $ 688 in energy invoices during the winter months (December to February), with homes in the northeast that they hope to pay an average of $ 804 for the season .
That is not surprising to Wael KanjA senior research associates to recover America. Kanj has been paying much attention to home energy costs, and has noticed a 30% increase in the last four years.
As energy costs increase, six out of 10 (62%) of American adults expect their winter energy invoice Will put a squeeze of your finances. Currently, 11% of American adults (who break down to approximately 28 million Americans) are already behind their energy bills, according to the survey.
“Winter energy costs could be a burden to homes, especially depending on where they live,” Kanj said.
If you are fighting for Present your energy billThere are steps that you can take to reduce your costs without sacrificing your comfort.
Here is a breakdown about how much they expect to pay this winter, solutions and resources for saving expert costs to get help if you have difficulty paying high energy invoices.
Average winter energy invoice costs
Last summer, the Energy Information Administration of the United States They discovered that American adults paid an average of $ 135 per month among the 10 main states with the highest electricity invoices. Winter energy costs are further increasing monthly bills.
Depending on where you live, costs could exceed this amount. Residents in the Northeast hope to pay about $ 288 on average. Those who live in the southern part of the USAs anticipate the lowest energy invoices, almost $ 220 per month.
How the energy invoices of this winter are affecting the finances of American adults
Approximately 62% of American adults expect this winter’s energy bills to sneak their finances. Here is a breakdown of how they plan to pay their energy invoices:
What is increasing energy invoices?
Several factors can affect your winter energy invoice, including the composition of your home, the type of fuel you use and how much you pay for it.
Kanj said that most of his energy invoice is not to execute his appliances or lights, it is how much he will cost to heat his home. It is also as You are heating your home, like the appliances and the fuel you are using.
The climate of your area can also affect the temperature of your thermostat and how often you run your oven. Although the weather is out of control, there are steps that can take to Lower its energy costs.
How American adults plan to keep heat and reduce energy costs
Most energy saving efforts below can help reduce their invoice, but only to some extent depending on appliances and the climate of their home. There is also the possibility that you need to make other long -term efforts to reduce your invoice. Here is a breakdown of how American adults keep us warm while we hope to keep energy costs.
Some of these measures can help you reduce your energy bill, while others are not so effective, Kanj said. For example, using a Intelligent thermostat And lower the temperature of your home while outside you can keep energy and save your money. However, Reed said that you can still save significantly on your energy bill if you can run a lower temperature in the winter, even for a few hours a day while you are at work.
“In the winter, the best way to keep the low heating invoice is to keep its thermostat at 70 degrees or lower,” Reed said.
However, you should not lower your thermostat to an uncomfortable or insecure point, it warned Kanj.
“There is a bass limit must establish your thermostat in the winter. You want to make sure that your home is still warm enough so that your water pipes do not freeze, creating a large headache and expensive repairs, or that it will be Too cold for comfort, “Reed said. “Most thermostats will not be much lower than 60. Keep in mind that it is not worth sacrificing their health, comfort or security.”
Space heaters generally heat up with electric resistance and can heat a small space, such as a room in their home without increasing their energy invoice. “If you only need to keep part of your warmer home at the same time, consider using a space heater while maintaining your lower main thermostat,” Reed said.
Space heaters are an excellent way to heat a part of their home, provided you use them safely. However, if you use multiple space heaters, you could end up increasing your electricity bill, Kanj said.
Read more: We did the calculations and found money savings with a space heater
Over to lower your thermostat and use a space heater, Kanj recommends isolating and examining your home to keep heat inside and prevent cold air from filtering to have the greatest impact on its energy invoice. Verify how well sealed are its doors and windows to prevent heat from filtering. And make sure your attic, basement and walls.
Long -term energy savings steps that can take
It may not seem much that I can do to drastically reduce energy costs at this time, but there are some steps you can take to help you save money in the future.
Long -term energy savings steps that can take
It may not seem much that I can do to drastically reduce energy costs at this time, but there are some steps you can take to help you save money in the future.
Update your appliances: If your appliances are not energetically efficient, it may be time for an update. If you are not sure if your device is efficient, look for the Energy Star label. These products meet the standard efficiency requirements of the government and could save money on your bill.
Consider a heat pump: If your oven approaches at the end of its useful life, Kanj recommends installing a heat pump as a heating and cooling system. A heat pump uses air and water to control the temperature of your home, and savings can add $ 1,000 annually, Kanj said.
Get an energy audit at home: You can schedule a domestic energy audit with your public service provider. An advisor will examine his room per room and review the past energy invoices to identify energy saving improvements. Energy audits can cost a few hundred dollars, but costs can be claimed as a fiscal loan.
Look for community solar programs: You may have access to solar energy without installing panels on your roof. Some areas have a close solar energy farm. You will pay a part of the electricity to use it, but you can save money on your monthly bill.
Some Energy efficiency The recommendations may seem expensive, but Kanj said there are credits and refunds at the state level to reduce initial costs in some energy efficiency appliances. The Mataje Assistance Program uses funds from the Energy Department to cover repairs and energy efficiency updates. RE -WIRING AMERICA can create a Personalized Electrification Plan To show your estimated savings by changing to energy saving appliances.
What to do if you can’t pay your energy bill
If you cannot pay your energy bill, there are programs available to help. First, Kanj recommends verifying if your public service provider offers a public service assistance program. For example, South Carolina residents who have Duke Energy can qualify for the help of the Share the Light Fund To cover reconnection rates, deposits and energy invoices. Your public service provider can also have payment and assistance plans depending on your eligibility.
Some energy suppliers also offer expansion of expiration date, payment plans and service moratoriums to avoid disconnection during the coldest months. For example, Duke Energy electric service moratorium It can prevent the service from disconnecting between December 1 and March 31 for 30 days, with an extension every 30 days, if it meets certain criteria.
Other federal public services assistance programs can help, including Energy Assistance Program at the home of low incomewhich offers assistance that covers energy, air conditioning and repairs and crisis related to energy. Eligibility depends on the State, income and home size.
Methodology
All figures, unless otherwise indicated, are from Yougov. The total sample size was 2,531 adults, of which 1,777 pay their energy bills. The field work was carried out between January 7 to 9, 2025. The survey was conducted online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all American adults (over 18 years old).
