Equal Billing - Enbridge

[speedyforme]

Being lazy as I am and instead of searching. Can someone tell me:

1) I bought my first home in Sept and signed up for equal billing
2) my highest month ever resulted in a bill of $161 and then the next one was $151 and stayed there even though I have been using less and less gas each subsequent month. (Say Nov was my highest, Dec was lower and I am VERY certain Jan is lower)
3) I called to check my account and it says my new bill is only $91.

Q) When equal billing occurs, when do they adjust any overages or credit you may have accumulated in that time period? I assume that even though I used less, they would still charge me $151 until my account adjusts. Does it say how often it adjusts?

[CSK'sMom]

You need to understand how equal billing works. You pay the same amount 11 months of the year. The way it works is that the months you use less gas you are building a reserve fund. The months you use more gas you are still paying the same but the difference is coming from the reserve fund. Now with that said it's usually adjusted in about March and again in about June. The equal billing amount can be adjusted if you owe too much or the reseve is too high. By July the equal billing reserve fund should be at $0 and in August the bill is only for actual gas used...

[speedyforme]

You need to understand how equal billing works. You pay the same amount 11 months of the year. The way it works is that the months you use less gas you are building a reserve fund. The months you use more gas you are still paying the same but the difference is coming from the reserve fund. Now with that said it's usually adjusted in about March and again in about June. The equal billing amount can be adjusted if you owe too much or the reseve is too high. By July the equal billing reserve fund should be at $0 and in August the bill is only for actual gas used...

I figured. Just not sure why my account is only about 4 months old and the difference is $60 less from one month to another during the coldest months since I had my account.

I guess I will find out when I get my bill in the mail. I just called total and it said $91 for this month which is shocking since I am used to paying $151.

[phonzy]

What would you do!!! Quick Info...

Completed some renovation over the last two months... Replaced furnace - 96% Efficient. New Windows- Brick to Brick, added additional insulaton in the attic & minor air sealing....

Here is how much I have saved over 1 month should i stay on equal...

2006
Jan - 456m3
Feb - 537m3

2007
Jan - 548m3
Feb - 656m3

2008
Jan - 547m3
Feb - 680m3

AFTER UPGRADES -

2009
Jan - 287m3
Feb - ???

Would I be better off going of Equal billing...... Paying for what I use!!

[sockboy]

You pay for what you use regardless. It is just a matter of when you pay for it. With equal billing they charge you the same amount every month and then balance the difference in the summer. Without, you pay what you use each month. Over the course of a year there is no "savings" one way or the other.

[speedyforme]

OK so I finally got my bill for Jan. They gave me most of my "credit" back because I had accumulated about $180 so I guess they just deducted that amount from my current bill.

What I was most surprised was that it was estimated that I used up 440m3 in Jan and I only used 210 in December (actual). Almost double!

December, my average temp setting was 17 and in January my average setting was 16! Was January THAT cold of a month for my gas usage to almost double?

Thoughts?

[CSK'sMom]

Yes it's been that cold over last year. Also if it's your first year in the house the estimated gas usuage will be from last year and the previous owners...

[speedyforme]

Yes it's been that cold over last year. Also if it's your first year in the house the estimated gas usuage will be from last year and the previous owners...

OH...makes sense now

You know it's weird, my "chart/graph" says every other month, they do an estimated and every other month they do an actual...lazy SOBs, lol

So technically, the estimated is not my usage but based on the previous owner's Jan? Makes sense now, I was so scared how I used almost double from Dec!

Thanks!

[CSK'sMom]

Be thankful you get your meter read every other month. We're lucky if we get our meter read 3 times a year here. I end up calling in readings semi-regularly..

[speedyforme]

Luckily the cost of gas has gone down quite a bit; or says so the flyer they included in my bill.

[enigma54]

Luckily the cost of gas has gone down quite a bit; or says so the flyer they included in my bill.

Mine says, "As of Jan 1/09, your gas supply rate is 30.3652 cents/m^3" - does that sound about right?

[speedyforme]

Mine says, "As of Jan 1/09, your gas supply rate is 30.3652 cents/m^3" - does that sound about right?

yep

[guessguy]

December, my average temp setting was 17 and in January my average setting was 16! Was January THAT cold of a month for my gas usage to almost double?

Thoughts?

you keep your house at 16? are you wearing a touque and gloves at times? We keep ours at 23

[gman]

you keep your house at 16? are you wearing a touque and gloves at times? We keep ours at 23

23 is way too high. For my house, 20 before midnight, 17 after. 20 around 6am, 17 after 9am, ...
I am wearing T shirt and shorts.

[leonk]

2009
Jan - 287m3
Feb - ???

what a difference!!! What do you think gave you the best bank for your buck? Insulation? windows, or new furnace?

that's like 2/3 off!!