Utilities costs are skyrocketing, here is what you can do about it Date: 2/7/2023 WESTERN MASS. – Heating and electricity costs have gone through the roof this winter.
“Everyone’s feeling the energy crunch – all fuels across the board,” said Joseph Robert, HVAC Sales and consultant for Noonan Energy. “It’s unprecedented.”
Like most things people use every day, Robert explained, fuels are part of a global market. Last year, he said, prices were “definitely impacted by the war in Ukraine and never really rebounded.” He explained the increase in electricity is largely due to an increase in the cost of [natural] gas and oil, which are often used to generate electricity. Robert said the relatively mild January has softened the impact for some. That said, the cold snap that gripped Massachusetts in the first week of February may lead to sticker shock when the next bill arrives.
Energy audits
The first step to saving money on energy is knowing where that energy is going. An energy audit can help with this. Mass Save, a collaborative agency composed of six Massachusetts utilities, offers free energy audits to homeowners. Audit users may be eligible for rebates and incentives through the agency.
If homeowners prefer, they could also do their own energy assessment. An energy audit calculator is available from the federal Department of Energy at https://hes.lbl.gov/consumer. Users fill out a questionnaire and the site calculates how much money can be saved with upgrades and even breaks down which upgrades will provide the highest savings.
DIY energy savers
“It’s up to every homeowner to be conservative” with their energy usage, Robert said. He added that winterizing a home can help ensure “the heat you do produce doesn’t make it through the cracks. The older the home, the larger the home, the more fuel it uses.”
There are steps that can be taken to cut energy consumption immediately. “When you’re not occupying a space, lower the thermostat,” Robert suggested. “Each degree Fahrenheit will save about 1 percent of fuel costs.” There are also programmable thermostats that adjust the temperature automatically. Mass Save recommends installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, washing clothes in cold water, using LED energy-saving light bulbs, unplugging appliances and electric devices when not in use and using advanced power strips. Even putting up thermal lined curtains or drapes can insulate a room.
Lowering the temperature of the hot water heater can also save energy. According to the federal Department of Energy, setting a hot water heater to 120 degrees, rather than 140 degrees can save up to $400 per year. Insulating a hot water heater and pipes can also reduce energy loss. Caulking and weatherstripping around doors and windows limits the heat that escapes a home. More do-it-yourself projects can be found on the Department of Energy’s website, https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects.
Financial assistance
If upgrading a house or apartment is too costly or not possible, there are financial resources available from several federal, state and community sources.
Perhaps the most well-known resource is the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also known as fuel assistance. LIHEAP is a federally funded program that is administered at the local level. The program provides assistance for winter heating costs, whether the home is heated with oil, natural gas, propane or electricity. Residents in Hampden County can call the Valley Opportunity Council at 552-1548 or Springfield Partners for Community Action at 263-6500 for help with applying for fuel assistance. In Hampshire County, Community Action Pioneer Valley can help with fuel assistance, energy audits, heating system repair and weatherization.
If an individual does not meet the income requirements for LIHEAP, the Salvation Army’s Good Neighbor Energy Fund provides one-time grants of up to $500 for those who are eligible. The Good Neighbor Energy Fund has raised over $23.5 million since its creation in 1985 and helped more than 93,000 households, according to the fund’s website, http://www.magoodneighbor.org.
There is also a statewide resource hotline staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that can help people navigate utility assistance. Other resources are also available through this service for conditions that sometimes co-occur with utility struggles, such as food insecurity, housing insecurity and behavioral health issues. The hotline can be reached by calling 211 or 877-211-6277, or by visiting https://mass211.org.
United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) has recently introduced a community-supported program called, “Warming Hearts,” which helps veterans and surviving spouses with fuel assistance. “During these trying times of skyrocketing fuel costs, UWPV wants to provide for the men and women who served our country, who may just need a little help to get through the winter,” Jason Newmark, chair of the UWPV board said in a statement. For more information on how to donate or make use of the fund, visit www.uwpv.org.
Another option is to work directly with the utility. Many heat and power companies offer financial assistance to customers, such as payment plans or discounted rates for those with a demonstrated hardship.
There is good news on the horizon for people who heat with natural gas. On Feb. 2, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) announced that there would be a reduction in gas supply rates for many Massachusetts residents. According to the DPU, the change was made in consideration of market shifts in the price of natural gas. Customers of the Berkshire Gas Company, Liberty Utilities, Fitchburg Gas and Unitil, National Grid and Eversource Energy will see a roughly 4 to 5 percent decrease in their March bills.
Mass Save can be reached at 866-537-7267. For more information on Springfield Partners for Community Action, visit https://www.springfieldpartnersinc.com. Community Action Pioneer Valley can be reached at https://www.communityaction.us. For more state energy assistance programs, visit https://www.mass.gov/housing-energy-programs.
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