High Electric Usage
Here are some items to check when your Electric Usage is higher
than normal:
- Check your electric meter to see if the dial is spinning.
- Shut all breakers off at the panel box. See if your meter
stops spinning. It should.
- Turn the breakers on one by one and see which one starts the
meter dial moving. Then see what the breaker controls (hot water,
freezer, etc,). This will give you an idea of what is using electricity
in your home.
- Read your meter each day at the same time for three or four
days. This will show you how many kilowatt-hours you use per
day.
Common Causes of High Usage:
- Electric Heat: Some thermostats will only
set the heat back to 55 degrees even though it may appear "off".
The heat will come on when the temperature is lower than 55 degrees.
Colder than normal weather will cause your heat to be on longer.
- Forced Air Systems: Make sure the filter
and return air grill are clean. The ductwork may need insulation
and sealing. Crossover ducts in mobile homes may be disconnected.
- Thermostats: Thermostats may be inaccurate,
especially the bi-metallic type common with ceiling heat and
baseboard heaters. Digital thermostats may lose their programmed
settings when the power goes off.
- Water Heaters: If you don't have an efficient
newer model water heater you can be using more electricity than
necessary. If an element is burned out or sediment has built
up inside the tank, your usage can be high.
- Water leaks: Water leaks in pipes, especially
hot water leaks, can cause your water pump and water heater to
operate more than normal.
- Water pumps: If your pressure tank becomes
water-logged it will cause your pump to run. Usually the pump
is a distance away from the house and you won't hear the pump
cycling on and off.
In addition to the items above, the usage graph shown below can
help understand home electric usage:
Typical Household Electric Use
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