Have you ever opened your electrical bill and thought the electrical company sent it to the wrong client? Unfortunately, getting such a high bill is common in most homes and people do not know the reason why. As it happens to more and more households in recent times, most people are seeking to find ways to minimize their electrical use. Of course, everyone wants to use the latest appliances and goes ahead and purchase electric appliances that use a lot of energy in the home. Below are other reasons why your electric bill has skyrocketed.
1. Energy theft
If your electricity bill spikes out of the blue, the culprit is likely to be your neighbor and not your appliances. Despite the immediate cost implication of a higher bill, electricity theft has far more dangerous implications including fires, explosions, and fatal electric shocks often caused by exposed wires. Take note of any changes to wiring, sparks from sockets or switches, or when numbers on your meter are running backward or not moving at all. It is better to call licensed electrician from st Louis Missouri for help if you notice anything amiss and they will send out a tech to trace the fault and correct the issue.
2. Old appliances
One of the biggest reasons why your electric bill is considerably higher is because of using appliances past their optimal functionality period. Your old dishwasher, fridge, dryer, washing machine, and even the more overlooked incandescent light bulbs are likely the reasons for your current headache. It is advisable to upgrade your appliances every few years with newer energy-efficient models.
3. Appliances on standby mode
With the current on-the-go lifestyle of needing things done quickly, we seldom want to keep connecting computers, printers, or TVs each time we need to use them. Conversely, leaving these appliances plugged in and on standby mode will continue to draw a small amount of electricity even when not in use, thereby raising your electric bill. For this reason, it might be wise to unplug electronics that you won’t be using for several hours to conserve electricity. Alternatively, you can connect devices to power strips and turn off the power strips when they are not in use.
4. Leaving lights and fans on
Leaving lights and fans on when not in use will raise your electricity bill. Ceiling lights are often used to affect the brightness of an entire room yet they are less effective than individual lamps. Where the latter is used to provide specialized lighting to a specific area. Use specialized lighting for specific areas occupied and turn them off when you leave. When nobody’s in the room, turn off the ceiling fan as well to reduce costs.
5. Plugged in chargers
Laptops charger, cell phone chargers, tablet pcs, portable games, and similar devices are almost always plugged in and ready to go. However, such device adapters and chargers continue to use electricity whether or not they are in use. To prolong battery life, only charge devices when needed, and remember to unplug device adapters and chargers when you are not actively charging devices.
6. Electricity drawing appliances
Appliances such as electric furnaces, washing machines, dishwashers, and laundry dryers are notorious for draining electricity. Regularly changing the filters on your electric furnace will make it more cost-efficient. One laundry day a week and filling loads to capacity will ensure you use your washing machine effectively. Also, remember to select low heat on the dryer when required or just hang your clothes on a clothesline. Fill your dishwasher too before running it to reduce energy costs.
Aside from the fact that the cost of energy is substantially higher. Overall, you do not need to feel overwhelmed the next time you receive a high electricity bill. Sometimes it is as simple as reducing your water heater temperatures to help you save on the heating expenses you incur. Just check out which one of the above is the cause of your high bill. Also, you can seek advice from your local electrician on ideas on how you can lower your electrical bill. In this way, you can reduce the energy use in your home.
