Similar apartments, different gas bills?

Hi all — we just renovated a brownstone that’s divided into 2 duplexes and are living in the bottom one while renting out the top. We’re now on our second gas bill and for both months, our tenant’s bill is double ours.

– The only things on the gas are hot water and stove/oven. Each apartment has 2 full bathrooms, a kitchen sink, a stove, a dishwasher, and a washer/dryer (dryers are electric).
– Both of the hot water heaters are brand new and identical, and both are set to the same temperature.
– I triple-checked that everyone’s gas is hooked up to the right meters and everyone’s taps are hooked up to the right hot water heaters.
– There’s a recirculator pump on our hot water line but it’s turned off.
– The gas meter seems to run up almost the same amount when the tenant is out of town so it’s not a question of usage.

What am I missing? Could the water heater be installed or insulated incorrectly? Is there definitely a giant leak somewhere in one of the walls?

Thanks!

Guest User | 5 years and 5 months ago

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yudashasom | 5 years and 5 months ago

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I agree with sticker. Make sure the accounts are being billed at the same rate. One might be bill for heat and hot water, and the other for residential use. Compare the bills and the cost per therm.

Guest User | 5 years and 5 months ago

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Could be the efficiency of the mechanicals.. Older equipment is less efficient.

Guest User | 5 years and 5 months ago

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I used a refrigerator of one brand for 5 years, then I decided to move a new refrigerator to a new house and it worked differently. Although all the parameters were identical. This is influenced by a lot of factors, both in the device itself and in the house itself.

Guest User | 5 years and 5 months ago

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And yes, same rate, actual metered gas usage is double.

Guest User | 5 years and 5 months ago

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I don’t think it’s just usage because the bill keeps going up when they’re all away. But I turned everything off and there’s no leak so that limits the possibilities. Either their hot water heater is just half as efficient somehow…or their meter is running fast…I have no idea what it could be at this point!

stevecym | 5 years and 5 months ago

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i am a tea drinker and for years, i boiled water for tea in a kettle on the gas stove. about 8 years ago we got an electric kettle. the gas bill, which is for cooking and the dryer only, immediately got cut in half. could there be very different cooking habits?

GreenThinker | 5 years and 5 months ago

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How many people are in the rental apartment. How many showers do they take and for how long. It’s not unheard of for people to take 2 showers a day that are longer than needed. Perhaps they also cook often, and do laundry often.

mozeeatupu | 5 years and 5 months ago

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So actually usage on the bill is double also for the same amount of days?

stickerhappy | 5 years and 5 months ago

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Could they be being billed at different rates or different rate categories?
Just like electrical costs for the hall/common areas are charged At a different rate from the apartment electric.