MEMPHIS, TN – Heating your home with natural gas could be cheaper this winter. A watchdog organization called the "Energy Information Administration" says a mild winter and lower natural gas costs could add up to big savings. The agency expects average heating costs could drop as much as 8 percent from last year, but a spokesman for Memphis Light Gas and Water says variables such as weather and demand make a big impact on those costs.
"At this point it looks like the MLGW prices are going to be lower,” said Chris Stanley, a spokesman for Memphis Light Gas and Water. “Now, that’s good news assuming that we have a winter that’s an average winter or warmer than normal, but if it’s colder you’re going to use more, and that means you may not see the savings.”
He said that’s why conservation “is always a big key."
"Make sure that your furnace is inspected and cleaned by a licensed contractor and make sure that you change that filter out regularly,” Stanley advised. “Those are quick, small things that you can do that's going to add up."
That’s the message John Conway, of Conway Services, preaches to the customers who call his heating, cooling, and plumbing company. And he said maintenance is just as important.
"You always want to check your vent pipe for any debris,” said Conway. “A lot of the time, the venting system on your heating system has not been used in six months and so it’s kind of a favorite home for birds or wasps."
He also said customers should "have a professional contractor come out and do a thorough inspection and evaluation and cleaning of their heating system."
“This is also a good time of year to have a safety inspection done -- checking for carbon monoxide or any leaks that you may have,” Conway added. “And your filter is a key component to the heating system, so just make sure you have that changed.”
Stanley says just how much money natural gas users could save depends on a few variables.
"The biggest variable is going to be the demand, how much gas is needed, and is the industrial usage going to increase,” Stanley said. “Weather is a huge factor."
But those factors are variable, Stanley said, which complicates winter cost predictions.
This is the first time that I’ve seen even the national organizations that are the watchdogs not know how the prices are going to fall because of these factors,” he said. “Because of those factors -- because of the weather, because of consumption – do what you can now to conserve. That's going to make a big difference in your bills this winter."
