I get that PG&E has minimum bill charges (something like $10/month) and if you don't use at least $10/month worth of electricity, you will get billed about $10 anyway. But what happens for gas service? Are the minimum bill charges for gas and electricity together, or is there a separate minimum bill for gas?
Scenario: HVAC system is on its last leg. Thinking of going with a heat pump. Currently use a gas furnace and gas water heater. Options for new HVAC system are to get an air handler with electric backup heat, or a dual fuel system with a gas furnace as the emergency heat. Gas would be cheaper BUT, if I were to get rid of the gas water heater and go with a heat pump water heater, and not use any gas at all on most months, would I be stuck paying a minimum bill for the gas part, just to have the gas available for backup heat (which probably won't be used very much in the SF Bay Area)? If a separate minimum applies for gas service, it might be better to go with the air handler and electric backup heat, while if not, I wouldn't see an issue with getting a gas furnace as the backup, since it's actually a little cheaper than the air handler with electric backup heat, even if the gas doesn't get used very much at all.
Scenario: HVAC system is on its last leg. Thinking of going with a heat pump. Currently use a gas furnace and gas water heater. Options for new HVAC system are to get an air handler with electric backup heat, or a dual fuel system with a gas furnace as the emergency heat. Gas would be cheaper BUT, if I were to get rid of the gas water heater and go with a heat pump water heater, and not use any gas at all on most months, would I be stuck paying a minimum bill for the gas part, just to have the gas available for backup heat (which probably won't be used very much in the SF Bay Area)? If a separate minimum applies for gas service, it might be better to go with the air handler and electric backup heat, while if not, I wouldn't see an issue with getting a gas furnace as the backup, since it's actually a little cheaper than the air handler with electric backup heat, even if the gas doesn't get used very much at all.