Why Are Electrical Utility Bills Rising in New Jersey?

New Jersey homeowners have seen a significant increase in their monthly utility bills—as of June 1, 2025, rates increased by 17% to 20%—and it’s not just seasonal usage.

As New Jersey struggles to transition its energy infrastructure, the state relies more heavily on electricity purchased from outside its borders. That added dependence can lead to rate volatility that homeowners cannot control. At the same time, modern households are simply using more power than ever. Between HVAC systems, appliances, electronics, and home offices, energy demand keeps climbing.

While homeowners can’t control the energy market, they can control how efficiently their home uses energy. That’s where Comfort Now by Bob McAllister comes in. We help Garden State residents reduce energy waste through proper air sealing, insulation, and HVAC system sizing.

The Hidden Reason Your Home Uses More Energy Than It Should

Many homes lose a surprising amount of conditioned air through small gaps and poorly sealed areas—especially in attics and crawl spaces. These hidden leaks allow outdoor air to move freely in and out of the home, forcing your HVAC system to work harder and longer just to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Common areas of energy loss include:

Individually, these issues may seem minor, but together they create constant energy drain.

Open gaps around electrical wiring
Unsealed plumbing stacks
Poorly insulated attic floors
Leaky crawl spaces
Outdated or incorrectly sized HVAC systems

How Air Leakage Drives Up Utility Costs

During the summer, hot, humid air pushes its way inside through these weak points. In winter, the warm air you’ve paid to heat your home escapes upward and out.

Over time, this leads to noticeable problems: rooms that are too hot or too cold, inconsistent temperatures between floors, longer HVAC runtimes, and higher overall electrical usage. Even small gaps around pipes, wires, or duct openings can significantly increase energy loss when left unaddressed.

Home Energy Audit: Find Where Energy Is Being Lost

If your utility bills keep climbing, the problem often isn’t just energy rates—it’s energy loss inside your home.

A professional home energy audit from Comfort Now takes the guesswork out of efficiency improvements. Instead of relying on assumptions, our team evaluates how your home actually uses energy and pinpoints the exact areas where it’s being lost. This detailed assessment allows homeowners to focus on solutions that deliver real, measurable savings.

What Our Energy Audit Looks For

During an energy efficiency evaluation, we assess common sources of energy waste, including:

Air leaks around electrical wiring and plumbing penetrations
Gaps and insulation deficiencies in the attic
Crawl space air leakage and moisture issues
Uneven temperatures throughout the home
HVAC system sizing and performance

These issues allow hot air in during summer, cold air in during winter, and conditioned air to escape year-round.

Why an Energy Audit Matters

An energy audit provides a clear, actionable roadmap for improving your home’s performance. By identifying where air leakage, insulation gaps, and system inefficiencies occur, homeowners can make smarter upgrades that directly impact comfort and monthly costs.

Rather than replacing HVAC equipment prematurely or adding insulation blindly, improvements are made where they matter most. The result is lower utility bills, improved indoor comfort, reduced strain on heating and cooling equipment, and better long-term value for your home.

From Audit to Action: A Smarter Approach to Lowering Energy Bills

Once problem areas are identified, Comfort Now recommends targeted solutions designed to work together—not just temporary fixes. These improvements help your home operate efficiently year-round.

1. Attic Encapsulation and Air Sealing

We use professional foam sealing to close gaps and penetrations around electrical wiring, plumbing stacks, and duct openings. This prevents uncontrolled airflow, improves energy efficiency, and helps maintain consistent indoor comfort year-round.

2. Reinsulation and Blown Insulation

Once sealed, the attic is reinsulated correctly and topped off with blown insulation to meet or exceed recommended R-values, creating a strong thermal barrier that keeps indoor temperatures stable.

3. Crawl Space Sealing and Insulation

Crawl spaces are another significant source of energy loss. Crawl space sealing and insulation further reduce energy loss while also improving moisture control, indoor air quality, and floor comfort during colder months.

4. Proper HVAC System Sizing

An oversized or undersized HVAC system wastes energy. A properly sized system:

Matches the home’s square footage
Considers insulation levels
Runs more efficiently
Maintains consistent comfort
Uses less electricity

When insulation and air sealing are corrected first, HVAC equipment can be sized accurately, rather than oversized to compensate for energy loss.

Take Control of Your Energy Costs

A professional home energy-efficiency evaluation can identify exactly where energy is being wasted—and provide clear, proven solutions to fix it. Sealing, insulating, and properly sizing your HVAC system isn’t just an upgrade; it’s an investment in lower bills, better comfort, and long-term peace of mind.

Take the first step toward a more efficient home today. Comfort Now believes our customers throughout

Atlantic County, Cape May County, and surrounding communities deserve comfort now. Don’t wait any longer; contact us to schedule your home energy assessment by calling (609)400-1005 or request service online. Your future utility bills will thank you.

Energy Education