KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Many Kansas citizens have noticed higher heating bills than in years past.
To find out how customers can save money, the KSHB 41 I-Team spoke with Spire and Kansas Gas Service.
“What we hear from clients is that in this inflationary environment, any increase has an impact,” Scott Weitzel said with Spire.
Both companies contribute to the increase to two main factors: higher energy consumption because it is the middle of winter also coupled with the rising cost of natural gas.
Inflation and the Russia-Ukraine conflict are also factors, but the impact of a winter storm in 2021 is the largest component.
“Winter Storm Uri has taken a toll on the energy market and caused extremely high prices, whether it’s for electricity or natural gas, and we’ve seen it,” Weitzel said.
To save money, customers can protect their homes from the elements with a smart thermostat and clean oven.
“What we do know is that a clean filter can reduce your energy use by 5% to 15%, so it can definitely make a difference to your natural gas bill,” said Dawn Tripp of the Kansas Gas Service.
Knowing what price to expect each month can be helpful for budgeting.
Both companies have programs that customers can sign up for based on a 12-month rolling average of past bills.
