Last month I moved to a new apartment. In the old place I was using around 250-300 KwH of power and the bill was usually around $40. BTW, I had an 8KBTU window A/C at the old place. I do not have an A/C in the new place yet. I just got my first bill here and it's for over 1,300 KwH of power and over $150. Before I go ballistic on the power company, is there any rational explanation for this huge increase? It's more than double any previous electric bills I have received, and those were at places running A/C most of the time. I live alone and for the past month have been basically unpacking boxes, etc., not doing anything that should draw any large amounts of power. TV set, lights, computer, that 's about it. Any ideas? What approach do you recommend I take with the power company? I'm sure their first reaction will be "Well, you're in a new place, you're obviously using more power somehow."
Shocking Electric Bill
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Electric water heating? Electric range and dryer?
No, no, no.
jtr1962
Flashaholic
An old refrigerator perhaps? That can suck up over 300 kW-hr a month all by itself. Also, are most of your lights incandescent? If you've had lots of incandescent lights on a lot all month while unpacking that could account for it.
If it's none of those things then maybe another apartment is on your meter. That usage does seem excessive. We have three small A/Cs running at least 12 hours a day, the light in the kitchen (4x32W T8 fluorescent) on about 15 hours a day, my computer on all the time, plus a few hours a night of TV. Even with all that, we're only around 1000 to 1200 kW-hr per month.
BTW, lucky you that 1300 kW-hr is only $150. For us it's closer to $350.
If it's none of those things then maybe another apartment is on your meter. That usage does seem excessive. We have three small A/Cs running at least 12 hours a day, the light in the kitchen (4x32W T8 fluorescent) on about 15 hours a day, my computer on all the time, plus a few hours a night of TV. Even with all that, we're only around 1000 to 1200 kW-hr per month.
BTW, lucky you that 1300 kW-hr is only $150. For us it's closer to $350.
Nope. The frig is only 3 years old and seems to run fine. I use don't use much light and have mostly CFLs plugged in. This bill is WAY off the charts. There's no way I could have used that much power unless my landlord is piggy-backing on my meter or something, since it's a 2-flat. And I doubt that.
Illum
Flashaholic
no to draw any conclusions...but is it possible someones tapping your lines unintentionally by routing the wrong extension line?
heard of something like this before...but the other case was an apartment renovation where another household tapped the wrong propane line on the same level
heard of something like this before...but the other case was an apartment renovation where another household tapped the wrong propane line on the same level
TedTheLed
Flashlight Enthusiast
interesting.. I'd try shutting off the electricity using the house circuit breakers, just to see if that stops the meter from spinning.
electric baseboard heating circuit on by mistake? hot tub? hydroponic halide garden in sub basement?
electric baseboard heating circuit on by mistake? hot tub? hydroponic halide garden in sub basement?
Illum
Flashaholic
electrically heated apartment? sounds expensive...
check downstairs for a boiler unit
check downstairs for a boiler unit
BB
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have seen several places where meters/branch circuits were not connected correctly.
One, an old apartment in San Francisco (decades ago)--the electric gate was connected to a co-worker's meter.
The second, an electrician wired a small commercial building for large A/C (when computer's needed to be kept cold to be reliable).
My suggestions--turn off/unplug everything in your apartment and see if the meter is still spinning. If it is, now start turning off each breaker (or unscrew each fuse) until you find the branch circuit that, when disconnected, stops the meter from running. Leave that branch circuit disconnected and restart everything else and see if all of your things are running correctly. Contact the landlord/owner about problem.
If your meter stops spinning when everything is turned off--you might have to work harder to find the problem.
If you are being billed for about 1,000 kWhr per month more than you should be using--that works about to about a 1,400 watt load running 24x7.
Your meter should be spinning pretty obviously with that amount of load (and everything else off)--if it is not spinning, I would talk with the power company and ask them if they can check the meter and see if it has any problems.
Also, check the meter readings with the bill... It is not unknown that a meter reader could have written the numbers incorrectly and the "computer" adjusted the reading to what it thought made sense...
Another way you can have problems... Example, you meter is read on the 15th, but you move in on the 1st and get new service. The old customer uses 5x the power that you do. The utility does not send anyone to read the meter on the 1st when you move in--but does their normal reading on the next 1st. Now, you have 2 weeks of the old tenant, and 2 weeks of yours. The utility sends 1/2 the bill to you and 1/2 the bill to the old tenant. You get screwed because the old tenant used 5x the amount of power vs your usage--but instead of the old tenant getting 5/6's of the kWh and you getting 1/6 of the billing--you each get 1/2.
Both of the above happened to me when I got my new service connected (old tenant used 5x+ my power), and when I went solar PV Grid Tie (computer "auto-adjusted" the meter reading)... My meter does run backwards (because of solar PV Grid Tie) and during much of the year I generate more power than I consume. In my case, the computer thought that the meter reader made a mistake and simply added 1,000 kWhrs to my bill to make up for the "error" (real problem was that they did not acknowledge the cross over between solar going live and a new TOU meter I had installed under the solar program).
Lastly, I have also seen issues where a meter is difficult to read (behind locked gate, covered, dirty, etc.). And when the service is updated for the new customer, the estimated usage is "adjusted" to match with the actual meter reading--sometimes giving a big surprise when the meter is actually read.
It will probably take some detective work on your part, and you may need to show them a copy of the old bills (or give them your old address/account number if same utility) to get them to adjust your first bill.
Hope this gives you some ideas to check out.
-Bill
One, an old apartment in San Francisco (decades ago)--the electric gate was connected to a co-worker's meter.
The second, an electrician wired a small commercial building for large A/C (when computer's needed to be kept cold to be reliable).
My suggestions--turn off/unplug everything in your apartment and see if the meter is still spinning. If it is, now start turning off each breaker (or unscrew each fuse) until you find the branch circuit that, when disconnected, stops the meter from running. Leave that branch circuit disconnected and restart everything else and see if all of your things are running correctly. Contact the landlord/owner about problem.
If your meter stops spinning when everything is turned off--you might have to work harder to find the problem.
If you are being billed for about 1,000 kWhr per month more than you should be using--that works about to about a 1,400 watt load running 24x7.
Your meter should be spinning pretty obviously with that amount of load (and everything else off)--if it is not spinning, I would talk with the power company and ask them if they can check the meter and see if it has any problems.
Also, check the meter readings with the bill... It is not unknown that a meter reader could have written the numbers incorrectly and the "computer" adjusted the reading to what it thought made sense...
Another way you can have problems... Example, you meter is read on the 15th, but you move in on the 1st and get new service. The old customer uses 5x the power that you do. The utility does not send anyone to read the meter on the 1st when you move in--but does their normal reading on the next 1st. Now, you have 2 weeks of the old tenant, and 2 weeks of yours. The utility sends 1/2 the bill to you and 1/2 the bill to the old tenant. You get screwed because the old tenant used 5x the amount of power vs your usage--but instead of the old tenant getting 5/6's of the kWh and you getting 1/6 of the billing--you each get 1/2.
Both of the above happened to me when I got my new service connected (old tenant used 5x+ my power), and when I went solar PV Grid Tie (computer "auto-adjusted" the meter reading)... My meter does run backwards (because of solar PV Grid Tie) and during much of the year I generate more power than I consume. In my case, the computer thought that the meter reader made a mistake and simply added 1,000 kWhrs to my bill to make up for the "error" (real problem was that they did not acknowledge the cross over between solar going live and a new TOU meter I had installed under the solar program).
Lastly, I have also seen issues where a meter is difficult to read (behind locked gate, covered, dirty, etc.). And when the service is updated for the new customer, the estimated usage is "adjusted" to match with the actual meter reading--sometimes giving a big surprise when the meter is actually read.
It will probably take some detective work on your part, and you may need to show them a copy of the old bills (or give them your old address/account number if same utility) to get them to adjust your first bill.
Hope this gives you some ideas to check out.
-Bill
greenLED
Flashaholic
check with your landlord. If there were some repairs done to the apartment prior to moving in, it's likely you're being billed for the power tool usage.
UncleFester
Flashaholic*,
I have heard stories where a friend's meter had frozen bearings and didn't turn. Obviously the meter wouldl't show any energy usage. Yet the bill came every month ... and not jus the basic maintenence chage..
Maybe the meter reader didn't even read your meter and just guessed based on the previous tennant's usage..... maybe the meter is mislabled and you're paying someone else's bill.......
Maybe the meter reader didn't even read your meter and just guessed based on the previous tennant's usage..... maybe the meter is mislabled and you're paying someone else's bill.......
parnass
Flashlight Enthusiast
You live in Illinois. The Illinois state government approved a large electric utility rate increase for ComEd customers.
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GrnXnham
Enlightened
I agree with one of BB's points.
I know someone who got charged for the electricity from the person who had the apt before them and never paid it.
I know someone who got charged for the electricity from the person who had the apt before them and never paid it.
That already came down a few months ago. It would only affect the billing rate, not the usage rate. There's no way I used 4X as much power as usual, WITHOUT an A/C.
I would love an electric bill that low!
Groundhog66
Banned
My highest electric bill was $670 (2 months ago). Highest Gas was $780
greg_in_canada
Flashlight Enthusiast
An old or defective refridgerator would be one of my guesses.
I second the vote for unplugging everything / switching things off and seeing if the meter is still spinning.
Greg
I second the vote for unplugging everything / switching things off and seeing if the meter is still spinning.
Greg
270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
my electric+gas bill was 18 dollars last month.
sorry to add salt to injury.
definitely complain to the owner and the powercompany and make them check the wiring. it sounds way too wrong.
BTW does Illinois have a progressive rate? in California in some areas if you use certain utilities the more you use the more you get charged per unit of service. If you reach a certain threshold they double the rate. purely speculation that is.
sorry to add salt to injury.
definitely complain to the owner and the powercompany and make them check the wiring. it sounds way too wrong.
BTW does Illinois have a progressive rate? in California in some areas if you use certain utilities the more you use the more you get charged per unit of service. If you reach a certain threshold they double the rate. purely speculation that is.
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jrmcferren
Enlightened
They may have estimated this month's usage based on the previous tenant. If this is the case you may receive an electric bill for $0.00 next month as your meter may actually read less than this month's estimate. If the company thinks the usage is too low between meter readings they usually replace the meter. This is common practice back home in Waynesboro, Pa.
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