Has it ever happened that you noticed an inexplicable rise in your electricity bill in spite of using the same appliances for the same amount of time that you generally do? No, the neighbor’s bill didn’t get delivered to you accidentally and neither is it the fault of your electrical services provider. There might be a number of other reasons behind a rise in your bill amount, which generally aren’t taken into account by a majority of people. Let’s take a look at them

  1. Faulty Appliances

    If your domestic appliances like washing machines, air conditioners, dishwashers, etc, are faulty, they will consume more energy than normal. Also, faulty wiring can damage the appliances in the long term, lead to electric fires or even get electrically charged, which may give you life-threatening shocks if you come in their direct contact.

    electric range

  2. Leaking or Cracked Ducts

    A leak in the ductwork or cables and wires will cause the AC unit or furnace to run more often than normal, which further causes increased electrical costs.

  3. Increased Use of Seasonal Appliances

    The use of air conditioners goes up during summers, space heaters and hot tubs enjoy their limelight as the temperatures dip, dehumidifiers are used more during certain periods of the year. The increased use of these appliances will drive up electricity bills in those seasons.

    air conditioner

  4. Overused Appliances

    If you leave the lights and fans on when you are not present in the room, set the air conditioner to an extremely cool temperature, really crank up the heat, or leave chargers and appliances plugged in when not in use, big numbers on your electricity bills are guaranteed.

    Microwave

  5. Leaking Hot Water Pipe

    If your hot water pipe starts leaking, it will put the water heater in an overdrive mode to heat up the water. This will reflect through an increased electric bill. Check for leaks regularly.

    water leaking

  6. Poor Insulation of Home

    If you stay in cold regions, ensure that your house is well insulated to keep the heat within the house. Insulate the roof or attic to protect the heat in winters and it will cut down the work of the heating systems.

  7. Drafty House

    If you have a drafty house, the outside elements make it harder for your HVAC system to maintain interior temperature, thus making the system work more. Identify all the drafts by cobwebs and extreme temperatures. Double-pane the windows and use weather stripping on doors and windows.

    drafty house

  8. Appliances drawing Phantom Power

    Your appliances may still draw power even after they are turned off. This phantom power adds up and shows up on your bill. Use power bars which allow you to fully turn off electronics when you aren’t using them.

  9. Defective Wiring

    Look out for frayed or damaged wires as they will impact your electric bill. Damaged electrical wiring can cause the connected appliance to heat up and consume extra electricity. A situation like this calls for an inspection by a licensed electrician right away.

    reasons to replace old wiring

  10. Damaged Thermostat Wiring

    This isn’t common but if there is faulty wiring in your HVAC system, it will cause the heating and cooling systems to run at the same time. This means, you will not only draw twice as much as the required power but both the systems may run almost continuously as they compete to achieve the designated temperature. This mostly happens when people DIY their new thermostat installation.

  11. Old Wiring

    Old wiring can cause fire hazards and arc faults. They can’t handle the electrical draw of modern appliances and modern electrical needs. If your house is more than a decade old, call a licensed electrician who can conduct a complete inspection of your system to identify any old wire that may cause damage.

    Damaged wire

    Image Source: affleckservices.co.uk

  12. Circuit Breaker Short

    If there are no identifiable reasons of a rise in the electric bill, then there could be trouble with the circuit breaker. At times, shorts can occur in the circuit breaker that can drain power, which means a rise in the bill amount. Turn off all the individual circuits in your breaker and turn on one at a time and watch the disc spin. If you see one particular circuit with a very fast spinning disc, it needs to be addressed.

    circuit breaker tripping

  13. Underground Wiring Problems

    If the underground wires are not installed properly or if the location’s continuous freeze and thaw cycles bring a shift in the underground rocks to puncture underground wiring, it will result in a short.

Now that you know about the various ways which might be causing a rise in your electricity bill, look properly to locate the actual reason and take immediate action to address it accordingly. Also, if you are battling with faulty wiring or unsafe electrical construction materials, reach us at D&F Liquidators and our team of experts will be happy to help you!