What factors influence natural gas use?
Several factors can influence monthly natural gas use. These factors can be measured by
MGU, and we summarize them on
your monthly bill.
- Billing days
- MGU makes every effort to read your meter once a month. The number of days between monthly meter readings may vary slightly — it won't be exactly 30 or 31 days each time. Your bill shows the number of billing days.
- Average daily usage
- Your bill shows the average daily usage for this bill compared with last year.
- Seasonal changes
- Cold weather and reduced sunlight mean more energy is needed for heating, not only for the furnace but also for the water heater.
- Efficiency of appliances
- Older, less efficient appliances use more energy. Replacing them with high-efficiency units can significantly reduce your natural gas costs.
- Changes in living habits
- Keeping guests comfortable during an extended winter stay can mean turning up the thermostat. Have you been washing more clothes or taking more baths or showers lately? Did that new gourmet cooking show prompt you to cook more often? These kinds of lifestyle changes can increase your natural gas use.
- Gas cost recovery
- Natural gas rates are adjusted periodically because of increases and decreases in the prices charged by
the companies that supply the gas we deliver to you. These changes are reflected on your bill as Gas Cost
Recovery (GCR). We do not mark up the prices we pay these suppliers for the gas.
