Chicago Weather: Tips To Lower Your Gas Bills As Temperatures Drop
CHICAGO (CBS)-- The bitter blast means many of us are trying to stay warm inside and that means higher gas bills.
Mount Prospect resident Jose Botti went to Facebook to voice his frustration, saying, "Gas bill is higher than Snoop Dog this month." Bottis typically pays $97 for gas. This year, he paid almost $200.
"It's been getting higher and higher," he said.
And he's not the only one.
Nicor gas told CBS 2 the cost of natural gas is set by the national market. The price has been up since the pandemic, especially with more people working from home.
Nicor gas said the price they pay is the price the customer pays as well.
But resident Botti says this is not the right time for those higher prices.
There are some things officials at Citizens Utility Board, an advocacy group for utility customers across the state of Illinois, say you can do to help with those high prices.
They recommend setting your thermostat to 68 degrees when you're home. But when you're asleep or out of the house, they advise you drop the temperature by 7 or 10 degrees.
This can save you up to 10% on your heating bill.
Then clean or replace your filters, if you have a forced-air heating system, a filter that's not really working is just a drain on your wallet.
"If it's time to look at your furnace or H-back systems, there are rebates available to make that more efficient," Sarah Moskowitz, deputy director at Citizens Utility Board, said. "Rebates for insulation in the homes. A lot of folks in Chicago land have insufficient insulation, especially in their attics and their walls. That can do a lot for comfort and cost savings."