CNET Survey: Winter Power Payments Are Straining 62% of US Adults’ Funds

Winter temperatures have dropped throughout the nation, and the intense chilly has been pushing up month-to-month vitality payments.
In December, 40% of the month-to-month inflation improve was attributed to an increase in total vitality prices. An unique CNET survey discovered that almost all households anticipate to pay $688 on vitality payments over the course of the winter months (December via February), with households within the northeast anticipating to pay a median of $804 for the season.

That is not shocking to Wael Kanj, a senior analysis affiliate for Rewiring America. Kanj has been paying shut consideration to family vitality prices, and he is seen a 30% improve over the previous 4 years. 

As vitality prices rise, six in 10 (62%) of US adults anticipate their winter vitality invoice will put a squeeze on their funds. At the moment, 11% of US adults (which breaks right down to roughly 28 million People) are already behind on their vitality payments, in keeping with the survey. 

“Winter vitality prices could possibly be a burden for households, particularly relying on the place they reside,” Kanj stated. 

In the event you’re struggling to afford your vitality invoice, there are steps you possibly can take to decrease your prices with out sacrificing your consolation. 

This is a breakdown on how a lot individuals anticipate to pay this winter, skilled cost-saving options and sources to get assist if you happen to’re struggling to pay excessive vitality payments. 

Common winter vitality invoice prices

Final summer time, the US Power Info Administration discovered that US adults paid a median of $135 per 30 days among the many prime 10 states with the very best electrical energy payments. Winter vitality prices are driving up month-to-month payments much more.

Relying on the place you reside, prices might exceed this quantity. Residents within the northeast anticipate to pay near $288 on common. These residing within the southern a part of the US anticipate the bottom vitality payments, at almost $220 per 30 days.

How this winter’s vitality payments are affecting US adults’ funds

Roughly 62% of US adults anticipate this winter’s vitality payments to pressure their funds. This is a breakdown of how they plan to afford their vitality payments:

What’s driving up vitality payments?

A number of elements can influence your winter vitality invoice, together with the make-up of your property, the kind of gas you employ and the way a lot you pay for it.

Kanj stated the majority of your vitality invoice is not from working your home equipment or lights — it is how a lot it will price to warmth your property. It is also how you are heating your property — such because the home equipment and gas you are utilizing. 

Your space’s local weather may influence your thermostat temperature and the way typically you run your furnace. Regardless that the climate is out of your management, there are steps you possibly can take to decrease your vitality prices. 

How US adults plan to remain heat and scale back vitality prices 

Many of the energy-saving efforts beneath may help decrease your invoice, however solely to a sure extent relying on your property’s home equipment and weatherization. There’s additionally an opportunity that you will have to make different long-term efforts to decrease your invoice. This is a breakdown of how US adults are staying heat whereas hoping to maintain their vitality prices down. 

A few of these measures may help you decrease your vitality invoice, whereas others aren’t as efficient, Kanj stated. For instance, utilizing a sensible thermostat and reducing your property’s temperature when you’re away can preserve vitality and save your cash. Nonetheless, Reed stated that you could be nonetheless save considerably in your vitality invoice if you happen to’re capable of run a decrease temperature within the winter, even for a number of hours a day when you’re at work. 

“Within the winter, one of the simplest ways to maintain your heating invoice down is to maintain your thermostat at 70 levels or decrease,” Reed stated. 

You should not decrease your thermostat to an uncomfortable or unsafe level, nonetheless, warned Kanj.

“There is a restrict to how low you need to set your thermostat within the winter. You need to be sure that your property remains to be heat sufficient that your water pipes will not freeze, creating an enormous headache and expensive repairs, or that you will be too chilly for consolation,” Reed stated. “Most thermostats will not go a lot decrease than 60. Remember the fact that no quantity of vitality financial savings is value sacrificing your well being, consolation or security.”

House heaters are usually heated with electrical resistance, and may warmth a small area — like one room in your house with out driving up your vitality invoice. “In the event you solely have to hold a part of your property hotter at one time, think about using an area heater whereas conserving your principal thermostat setting decrease,” Reed stated. 

House heaters are a good way to heat one a part of your property, so long as you employ them safely. Nonetheless, if you happen to use a number of area heaters, you might find yourself growing your electrical invoice, Kanj stated. 

Learn extra: We Did the Math and Discovered Cash Financial savings With a House Heater

Outdoors of reducing your thermostat and utilizing an area heater, Kanj recommends insulating and weatherizing your property to maintain warmth inside and forestall chilly air from leaking in to make the most important influence in your vitality invoice. Verify how well-sealed your doorways and home windows are to forestall warmth from seeping out. And ensure your attic, basement and partitions.

Lengthy-term energy-saving steps you possibly can take 

There might not appear to be a lot you are able to do to drastically decrease vitality prices proper now, however there are some steps you possibly can take that will help you get monetary savings sooner or later. 

Some vitality effectivity suggestions could appear pricey, however Kanj famous that there are credit and state-level rebates to scale back upfront prices on some energy-efficient home equipment. The Weatherization Help Program makes use of funding from the Division of Power to cowl energy-efficient repairs and upgrades. Rewiring America can create a customized electrification plan to point out you your estimated financial savings by switching to energy-saving home equipment. 

What to do if you cannot afford to pay your vitality invoice 

If you cannot afford to pay your vitality invoice, there are applications out there to assist. First, Kanj recommends checking to see in case your utility supplier affords a utility help program. For instance, South Carolina residents who’ve Duke Power might qualify for assist from the Share the Mild Fund to cowl reconnection charges, deposits and vitality payments. Your utility supplier may have fee plans and help relying in your eligibility. 

Some vitality suppliers additionally provide due date extensions, fee installment plans, and repair moratoriums to forestall disconnection through the colder months. For instance, Duke Power’s Electrical Service Moratorium might hold service from being disconnected between Dec. 1 and March 31 for 30 days — with an extension each 30 days — if you happen to meet sure standards. 

Different federal utility help applications may help, together with the Low Earnings Dwelling Power Help Program, which affords help overlaying vitality payments, weatherization, and energy-related repairs and crises. Eligibility will depend on the state, earnings and family dimension. 

Methodology

All figures, except in any other case said, are from YouGov. Complete pattern dimension was 2,531 adults, of whom 1,777 pay their house vitality payments. Fieldwork was undertaken between Jan. 7-9, 2025.  The survey was carried out on-line. The figures have been weighted and are consultant of all US adults (aged 18 and older).