It’s that time of year again.
Cold weather means you might see your KUB bill go up. You may have already noticed it on your November KUB bill.
Last year, the KUB Board voted on a fixed increase on the basic service charge for the next three years.
Natural gas customers pay $0.75 more and electric customers pay a $1.50 more. KUB says that’s a smaller part of your bill.
“Your basic service charge only accounts for 16 percent of the average bill, so that means 84 percent of the average bill is based on utility consumption,” KUB spokesperson Stephanie Midgett said.
KUB says the key to helping prevent your bill from fluctuating this winter is conservation. Here are some tips from the utility.
That means sealing your drafty doors and windows and layering up.
The Department of Energy says keep your thermostat on 68 for best savings.
KUB says every degree you lower your thermostat means one percent of savings.
Another tip? Keep it consistent.
“The best course of action is to only lower your thermostat a few degrees whenever you leave the home,” Midgett said.
And don’t forget about your pipes. Make sure you let those drip when it’s below freezing, open your cabinets and cover the outdoor faucet.
KUB says you can also sign up for levelized billing, and that will average your bill throughout the year so you don’t get surprised with spikes.
Finally, you can help other people out. You can donate to Project Help with the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee to help those in need pay for their heating. You can donate on the back of your KUB bill.