Your utility bill arrives every month, right on schedule, and you probably take the time to look at the amount and quickly pay it off. However, if you take a closer look at your utility bill, you might be surprised to find out just how much information is available from that one statement.

By decoding your utility bills, including your electric bill and gas bill, you can better understand your home energy usage and develop a plan for improving the efficiency of your home.

Understanding Your Electric Bill

Depending on where you live in Massachusetts, you will receive your electric bill from companies such as Eversource or National Grid. Regardless of which company supplies you with electricity, you will find a variety of information on each statement you receive, including:

  • Balance Due — This is likely the part of your electric bill that you pay the most attention to because it identifies how much you must pay that month.
  • Breakdown of Charges — There is often a breakdown of charges on the bill, identifying the cost for the amount of energy used as well as the cost for delivering that electricity.
  • Historical Usage — The historical usage chart will showcase how much electricity you have used in the past, which helps you better understand how your usage impacts your overall rates.
  • Energy Efficiency Charge — The energy efficiency charge is a charge that is placed on every electric bill in Massachusetts, and it helps fund the Mass Save program.

These are just a few of the items that will be found on your monthly statement, but they provide you with the most valuable information. You can use the data found on your bill to evaluate your usage and determine where you can minimize the amount of electricity that you use within your home. When you reduce your usage, you will lower your monthly utility costs while working toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

Understanding Your Gas Bill

National Grid, Eversource, and Columbia Gas are a few of the utility companies that provide Massachusetts residents with natural gas. When you receive your monthly bill, you will want to review it in order to get a better understanding of your gas usage and subsequent costs. This is some of the information you will want to consider when looking at your statement:

  • Summary of Charges — The summary of charges identifies how much you owe that month for your gas usage.
  • Itemized Bill — Your itemized bill breaks down the information that was collected at the last several meter readings and explains how the monthly balance is determined.
  • Gas Use History — The gas use history section showcases how much gas was used during each month in the past year, allowing you to see when you historically use more gas and when you use less gas.
  • Next Scheduled Reading — This provides you with information as to when the meter reader will take the next reading at your home.

It is recommended that you study your gas bill each month to make sure that the meter readings were accurate and that you are paying the correct amount. You can use the data on your bill to make adjustments to your lifestyle that could reduce both your energy usage and costs.

Why You Should Take Advantage of the Mass Save Program

The Mass Save program provides residents with a variety of no-cost, energy-efficiency services including home energy audits and rebates on new energy equipment. As a utility user in Massachusetts, you pay into this program every month through the Energy Efficiency charge, so it’s important that you take advantage of its benefits.

The Mass Save Program is a unique opportunity for Massachusetts residents, and if you are ready to take advantage of some of its discounts and rebates, you will need to find the right contractor. Only approved contractors can complete work for the Mass Save program. Fortunately, HomeWorks Energy is an approved contractor, and we are ready to help you become a more efficient homeowner.

For more information on how you can take advantage of Mass Save and begin realizing energy savings in your own home, schedule your no-cost home energy assessment with us today.