Common Causes of High Electric Bills
If you heat or cool your home with an electrically powered HVAC unit, the price of your electric bills may change with the seasons. Even with this variability, you may notice the bill is exponentially higher in some months.
While the actual reason for this may vary from home to home, there are common reasons that your bill may spike. Understanding the cause can help you find a remedy and lower your electric costs.
You’ve increased your appliance usage
Everyone loves technology. The problem is that it takes a lot of power to adequately run everything from smart home devices to your gaming systems. Additionally, some electric appliances, like the oven and dryer, consume a great deal of energy. Even your power strips and laptop charger, left plugged in and turned on without anything to charge, consume power without much return.
If you have recently gotten a new electrical device or changed the way that you use devices, this may be part of the reason for higher bills. Many electrical companies offer hour-by-hour usage charts to show you exactly when the high-power devices are causing changes to your system. This can help you pinpoint the high-energy device or the activities that are causing the increase.
Lack of adjustment during seasonal changes
Some months require less energy for heating and cooling than others. When you have your thermostat set to a fixed temperature year-round, your costs will be higher in certain months than others. If you want lower bills, consider adjusting the thermostat seasonally or turning off your HVAC unit during the temperate time of year.
You’re using outdated appliances
Not only does having too many electronics plugged in can make your bills sky high, but having older appliances can also drain power, subsequently leading to higher expenses.
Older appliances have what’s called phantom power drainage, which is when your appliances aren’t running but having them plugged in causes them to use power. This is most common in appliances with heating and cooling abilities.
Typically, these include appliances you can turn off like the refrigerator. If this is the case, you can invest in newer energy-efficient appliances. There is an additional cost, but efficient appliances will significantly affect your monthly bills. If you need assistance in choosing the best energy-saving appliances, hire professionals like Dierkes Heating & Air Conditioning before buying. As an added benefit, many utility companies offer cash rebates when you upgrade to an energy-smart appliance.
Your electric meter is broken
Sometimes, you’ll have high electric bills at no fault of your own. Although you’re practicing energy-saving techniques, there’s a possibility your meter is malfunctioning. What your meter says dictates the cost of your bill to your energy provider, so making sure it’s working is important.
Broken meters often go unnoticed because it's hard to detect that it’s broken without professional confirmation. One thing you can try is to turn off every breaker in your home, temporarily, and see if the numbers on your meter are still spinning.
Saving money on energy costs is always a bonus. If you notice a sudden spike in your energy bills, the previously mentioned tips can help you get your costs down. Are you interested in finding more ways to improve your home? Be sure to check us out on TheHomeMag on Facebook and Instagram today.
