Hey everyone! I recently bought an older home and I'm currently remodeling it. Here's some info that might help: it has a natural gas furnace from the 1960s, along with a gas dryer, a gas range, and a gas water heater. I noticed my gas bill indicated that I was using about 1 therm of gas daily, despite nobody living in the house. After shutting off the gas main during the renovations, my usage dropped to zero.
For comparison, I live in a condo with similar gas appliances, and my summer gas usage is only about 0.2 therms a day. It's currently 80 degrees, so the furnace isn't running at all and I only use the dryer weekly. There shouldn't be any gas usage from removed laundry appliances, and the water heater is fairly new. I've never detected a strong gas smell while inspecting the home before renovations began.
Could this high consumption indicate a gas leak? Also, is it common for older gas appliances to use more gas just keeping the pilot light on? Thanks in advance for your insights!
1 Answer
If you think there's a leak, definitely reach out to the gas company. They can send an inspector to check for any issues. Since your usage dropped to zero after shutting off the gas, it seems likely that the problem is within your home. There could be multiple factors at play, from appliance malfunctions to even gas theft. It’s tough to pinpoint without a professional looking at it.
Thanks for the advice! I’m leaning towards believing the issue is inside my house. I’ll check with my contractor for a more thorough inspection.