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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my bill vary from month to month?
The cost of your services varies with seasonal use. Typically, there is more consumption during the summer and winter months rather than fall and spring. Summer heat usually causes increased usage of air conditioners and winter cold usually causes increased usage in heating as well as additional cooking. Nights are also longer in the winter and that requires use of lights about twice as long as in summer months.
Why is my neighbor’s bill much lower or higher than mine?
When comparing your CPW utility bill with that of a neighbor, friend or relative, keep in mind a couple of important factors. Since all of CPW's utilities are usually included in the same bill, this type of bill will not compare directly with other systems’ billing. Customers of other utilities may receive separate power, gas, water and sewer bills depending on where they live. When comparing, be sure you are using the combination of all the utilities they have that are on your bill from CPW.
Another factor is insulation and efficiency. This can be influenced by the age of the home or major appliances. Personal comfort levels can vary greatly, and since most energy in a home or business is consumed for heating and cooling, the thermostat settings can be a major factor. CPW recommends looking for ways to improve insulation and efficiency for winter as well as summer energy usage. Seasonal tips are available on our home page, or click on the individual utility pages for more cost saving tips.
What is a therm?
A therm is a term used to describe the consumption of natural gas. One therm is equal to 100 cubic feet of gas. A therm will produce 100,000 Btu's of energy. Market prices for natural gas are set through open trading similar to the stock market.
What are all the different color paint marks in my yard?
When any type of proposed excavation is to occur all of the underground utilities in the excavation area must be marked. Electric lines will be marked in red, gas lines in yellow, communication and CATV in orange, water lines in blue and your sewer lines in green. Remember that a locator is not going to mark your private lines you have installed yourself. These include septic tank lines and underground electric to garages or pools.
Why do I have to pay the County/City for an inspection when the gas company performs a secondary inspection?
City/County/CPW inspections are based on the Southern Building Code Congress International Standard Gas Codes. CPW's inspection is more of a courtesy inspection in hopes that if the county or the city does not find the problem that we will and be able to correct it.
If I apply for services today when will they be turned on?
If an application is made, all necessary information obtained, and all fees paid by 1:00 pm then you may receive same day service. In certain times of the year when demand is high, however, there may be a slight delay in starting service.
Can I sign up by phone?
Yes you can in most cases. All you need is access to a fax machine so you can fax information we need and a major credit card so we can charge your account. Just call 864.848.5500 and ask for one our customer service representatives.
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