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Billing Questions
What are some causes of higher-than-normal bills?
If you receive a bill that is higher than normal, the first
thing to look for is how many days of service were included in
that billing period. Find the average daily cost for service
on the lower portion of your bill. Compare that number to
previous bills for the past few months.
If it's significantly different, stop to think if you have
added a major appliance or altered your lifestyle in some
way that would account for the increased usage.
Why do my bills vary when I don't have any new electrical
equipment?
Many factors can cause your electric bills to vary. Most
commonly they include weather and changes of habits or
lifestyles.
In hotter weather there can be increased usage
due to air conditioning or even window fans. Hotter weather
also leads to higher humidity so some dehumidifiers may run
more often and for long periods of time.
In colder weather electric consumption can be increased by
use of central heating equipment or space heaters. Typically
during the colder parts of the year it gets dark earlier and
people stay inside more. This leads to more use of lights,
televisions, radios and other electronic equipment.
Changes in habits or lifestyles can also lead to varying
electric bills. During the holidays your family may cook
more. Your may have overnight guests. Cooking and guests
can lead to more use of water (and hot water). If you have
a well and/or an electric water heater this will lead to
more electric usage.
Another major change may be the addition of a new family
member. Bringing a baby into a home usually adds to more
laundry being washed, higher desired room temperatures and
more lighting on at night.
Why does my oil or natural gas furnace contribute to my
higher electric bills in the winter?
Furnaces have electric blower fans that operate when the
furnace is on, and continue to run until the furnace cools
past a preset level and then shuts off.
Other FAQs
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