Gas usage: How many therms per month do you use?

[WesternKyVol]

I live in a 900 square foot apartment in Knoxville. (I would say anyone in the state and many from surrounding states would have had similar weather for the last month.) In the period between mid-November and December we ran our heat a lot. Then we got our first big bill. We had used 102 therms of gas. We bought a space heater and cut WAY back. Admittedly, it was colder. But we set our thermostat to 63 degrees. Since we are in an apartment building with others insulating us, our heat rarely comes on. I NEVER hear it running. However, we got our bill back for mid-December to mid-January. And yet out therms went UP to 105.

I was just wondering how many therms of gas you guys use each month. Is 105 crazy high for our size apartment? Anyone have any ideas as what we can do. I am kind of frustrated. We froze our tails off last month and the bill is higher. The electric bill jumped up 20 bucks too--since we used the heater. But that was expected and I don't have a problem with that.

Is it possible we have a leak? Or would we smell that? I don't know how gas works. Could it be leaking somewhere besides IN the apartment. We don't smell anything.

Thanks in advance.

 

[flyfishinvol]

Do you have a gas or electric water heater?
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[hmanvolfan]

Space heaters use energy too. Unless you get one that runs on kerosene or propane and then you have costs for the fuel (but it's probably cheaper than the electricity to run the space heater).

 

[WesternKyVol]

I have a little electric heater. I'm sorry. The electric bill went up 20 bucks. That's what I meant when I said space heater--my bad. Water is heated by electricity. We had no gas bill until November.

 

[VolsNSkinsFan]

For a 1900 Sq foot home in ATL, I used 171.024 Therms for the month of December.

Gas can leak, but is mixed with methane so you would smell it asap. You may want to check your water heater b/c thats most likely Nat Gas. If it is, you can adjust the temp on that. I have mine barely above "Vacation mode". 63 is pretty cold, and you are running danger close to possibly freezing a pipe. I do know that Apts are notorious for being cheaply built and skimping on insulation. One thing u can do is keep the Apt "tight" by closing doors to rooms/bathrooms/closets not being used. The windows in your Apt, are probably really cheap. Are they Drafty? If so, hang a sheet or something over the windows to reduce airflow