Gas and electricity bills are expected to double this January and February in Southern California. While the West Coast is dealing with a wet winter, other parts of the East and Midwest are expecting surprisingly higher than average temperatures causing a drop in energy use. Quite the opposite of what we’re used to seeing.

Below, we outline why energy costs will go up the next couple months and 12 ways that you can cut down use to save on costs at home.

Why are energy bills increasing?

Historically high wholesale gas prices due to heightened demand from cold weather, low inventory on the West Coast, and supply constraints are reasons for the increase.

The Pacific Northwest exports hydroelectric power to California, but due to cold and dry weather, fewer megawatts of power were sent, leaving California more reliant on power plants fueled by natural gas.

A monthly bill of $65 last January is expected to rise to about $160 this month for a SoCalGas household, and a $130 bill is expected to rise to about $315.

Here are 12 tips to conserve energy at home

1. Do full loads of laundry in cold water. This can save up to 10% on water heating costs.

2. Lower your thermostat on water heaters to 120 degrees.

3. Use a humidifier to keep your home humidity between 30-50%. Humidity in the air will make your home feel warmer.

4. Lower your thermostat 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day. This can save as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling.

5. Reduce use of non-essential appliances such as spas, pool heaters and fireplaces which can use a significant amount of gas or electricity.

6. Add insulation, weather-stripping and energy efficient windows and doors to keep the cold out and the warm in.

7. Open curtains and blinds in the day to warm your home and close them at night to keep the cold out.

8. Use space heaters that have tip-over safety switches (and don’t forget to turn them off when you leave the room).

9. Move furniture or other objects if they are blocking your heating vents.

10. Upgrade lighting to LED light bulbs and Energy Star light fixtures which use less energy.

11. Check your furnace filter once a month and replace it regularly as dirty filters can increase energy costs.

12. Turn off lights, computers, TV’s and other electronic devices while not in use to cut back on energy use.

It’s unclear if gas and electricity prices will go down once the weather starts to warm up, but we are hopeful that they do and that these tips will help you save on utility bills for the next couple months and into the future as well!

Contact us at russellandtony@compass.com or 310.230.5771 with any questions!