Shopping for the best natural gas price in Columbus Ohio is an important part of taking control of your utility bills. Natural gas is deregulated in your utility market. That means you can shop for a low gas price in Columbus, and lock in a fixed rate plan.
In this city profile, you’ll find out more about the utility company in your area, how to find the best natural gas rate for your Columbus home, and the average gas bill in Columbus.
Moving to Columbus? Find out more about setting up natural gas service in your new home.
What is the Gas Utility Company in Columbus Ohio?
If you live in Columbus Ohio, the natural gas utility company is Columbia Gas of Ohio. Columbia Gas is headquartered in Columbus and actively gives back to the community.
If you live in Columbus Ohio, you can choose your supplier for natural gas.
You can choose to stay with Columbia Gas for your natural gas supply. If you stay with Columbia for your natural gas supply, you pay the Standard Choice Offer (SCO). That’s a price that changes monthly. So you never know how much your natural gas bill will be.
Or you can choose your gas supplier in the list of gas companies that serve Columbus Ohio , and get a fixed rate plan. That protects you from rate changes and gives you more stability.
No matter who supplies your gas, Columbia Gas of Ohio is who you contact to start or stop service or in the case of a gas emergency.
NOTE: A small number of customers in Columbus Ohio may be served by Vectron Gas.
Shop for Best Natural Gas Rates in Columbus Ohio
How to Find the Best Natural Gas Rates in Columbus Ohio
When most people say they want to find the best gas rates, they are looking for the cheapest option. But there are other things you should also consider, like the type of gas plan, the term and charitable donations.
Time needed: 10 minutes
How to find the best natural gas prices in Columbus Ohio
- Get a copy of your most recent gas bill.
You’ll need this for 2 reasons. First, you’ll need your account number on the front of the bill. Second, you’ll want to look at the back of the bill and confirm the end date of your current supply contract (if any).
- Enter your zip code.
Enter your zip code on NaturalGasPlans.com to view current gas rates in Columbus.
- Select “Fixed Rate” for the type of plan.
Always look for a fixed rate plan for your natural gas. Variable rates can change monthly with no upper cap. And introductory rates usually go sky high after 3 months.
- Compare the price per CCF.
Look at the price per CCF. That’s how much you will pay per unit of gas. Select the cheapest available gas price.
- Complete your enrollment.
Complete your enrollment for the natural gas plan you have selected.
NOTE: Watch out for bait and switch offers! When you see a fixed rate plan on NaturalGasPlans.com and the supplier offers you a lower rate if you agree to a variable price? That’s a bait and switch. We never recommend a variable rate for your natural gas supply. Always look for a fixed price for natural gas. (You can read more on the types of plans in our blog on How to Shop for Natural Gas in Ohio.)
What’s the Average Natural Gas Bill in Cleveland Ohio?
The average home in Columbus Ohio uses 1510 CCF of natural gas annually, based on data from Columbia Gas of Ohio. The price you pay for those units of gas will vary, and depends on picking the best supplier.
To find out your average gas bill, divide 1510 by 12 months. That’s an average gas bill for 125 CCF each month. Multiply that by the cheapest natural gas rate above to see around what you will pay each month.
But, we all know that your natural gas usage varies by month! Your winter bills (December through March) will account for around half of your annual gas usage. That’s because if you are like most households in Ohio, you use natural gas to heat your home (66% of homes in Ohio use natural gas for heat).
One of the benefits of a fixed rate plan? It’s the ability to budget. Assuming we don’t have another polar vortex this year, you can assume your natural gas usage will be around the same as it was last year. When you lock in a fixed rate plan (instead of the roller coaster rates with the utility), you can plan ahead and budget for your winter heating bills.
Ohio Electricity — the Other Part of Your Heating Costs
Now lets talk about the other part of winter utility bills — electricity.
If you use electricity to heat your home (and 22% of homes in Ohio do) your natural gas bill will stay about the same in the winter, but your power bill will go up substantially.
And even if you heat using natural gas, your central HVAC system uses electricity to blow that hot air out of your furnace and into your home.
Plus, 20% of Ohio homeowners use portable electric heaters to supplement their central heat!
That’s why we recommend that you lock in a fixed rate for your Ohio electricity, in addition to shopping for Ohio natural gas.