7 Telltale Signs Your Electricity Bill is Too High

If any of these warning signs sound all too familiar, it may be time to start thinking about smart ways to reduce daily energy consumption levels. 

1. The Energy Bills Keep Getting Bigger

If a household finds that their cost of electricity is always on the rise, there are lots of great ways to take a proactive approach and nip the issue in the bud. While rising electricity costs may certainly factor in, there is often also a consumption issue that is contributing to the problem. 

Rather than assuming a passive stance in the face of increasingly large electricity bills, use this as a clear indicator that it is time to take action to reduce your daily consumption. Firstly, check to make sure that there isn’t an issue that is causing the bills to rise. For example, maybe the seal on the refrigerator is worn out, causing it to have to work extra hard. Alternatively, maybe an air conditioning unit hasn’t been serviced recently and therefore is consuming more power than it needs to be. 

At the same time, make sure the whole family is briefed on the problem. Maybe people have gotten into the habit of leaving lights on or heating units running when they are out of the home. Encourage everybody to work together to pull up their socks and be more aware of the energy that they are consuming on a regular basis. 

2. The Air Conditioner or Heater is Often Switched to On

Temperature control in the home is one of the biggest culprits in terms of electrical usage. It’s all too easy to become complacent and use heating and cooling devices more than necessary. That said, it is becoming more and more important for people to not only be fiscally responsible with how they choose to consume energy, but environmentally responsible as well. 

Try making it a policy to always turn off any temperature control devices when away from the home. Some digital thermostats even have times you can program your system to automatically turn on and off. For instance, have it automatically turn on about an hour before you come home from work and power off at the time the sun usually goes down. No unnecessary usage. Just like that, you can watch those electricity bills drop.

3. Outdated Appliances

Energy efficiency standards have risen by leaps and bounds in recent years, and this is why continuing to use dated appliances, even if they are still functioning properly, is such a waste. Many people resist upgrading their old home appliances until they experience a breakdown, wrongly believing that it will be more fiscally responsible to use the machine until it quits. In reality, with all the incentives and energy savings, there is very often little to lose, and a lot to gain. Even better, shiny new appliances will improve the overall look and feel of a home and can go a long way toward modernizing a dated decorating scheme. 

4. It is Unclear How Much Electricity is Being Consumed By What

If homeowners are unaware of exactly why they are paying so much for electricity every month, it is time to take advantage of the energy audit system sooner rather than later. People are often incredibly surprised to find out what types of energy usage they are pumping the most of their hard-earned money into. Once the target is pinpointed, people are more than willing to cut down or improve their consumption habits. 

5. The Attic Area is Always Hot (or Cold)

Many people don’t realize how much the temperature of their attic affects the overall temperature of their home. In the hot summer months, attics are often inclined to overheat, and this excess heat will quickly sink down into the lower levels of the home. Even worse, improper temperature control of attics and other spaces directly under the roof encourage the build-up of mold and mildew. This can lead to incredibly expensive structural repairs further down the line if left unaddressed for too long. 

Thankfully, there is an easy solution to this all too common hidden energy waster. By installing an energy-efficient or solar-powered attic fan in Los Angeles, homeowners can enjoy the comfort of a naturally cooler home environment. Therefore, dramatically cutting down on the need to resort to using excess air conditioning. Even better, these systems can also be installed with whole house fans that will naturally improve the overall air quality.

6. Ghost Power is a Hidden Culprit

It’s all too easy to get into the habit of leaving appliances and household items that are only used intermittently plugged in day in and day out. When an electrical item is left plugged in, it will still continue to consume a certain amount of electricity. Many people brush this excess consumption off as minor. However, when it is happening throughout the house, this “ghost power” consumption will really add up quickly.

The good news is there are easy solutions for this common problem. It can be a pain making it a rule to unplug and store away all those hair dryers, blenders and video game consoles that are not in use. To remedy this, families can use power bars with on-off switches to conveniently switch off multiple electrical appliances all in one shot.

7. Not Making Use of Natural Light Sources

In homes with inadequate natural lighting, families often resort to leaving light bulbs running day and night. Many people underestimate the energy impact of just a single lightbulb, let alone having multiple lights switched on throughout the house at all times. 

Thankfully, there are lots of easy ways to boost the effectiveness of natural light sources to the home and cut down on daytime power usage. A home that is already outfitted with skylights can upgrade with a skylight replacement in Los Angeles. With updated, energy-efficient skylight materials, everybody is basking in as much natural light as possible. Heat transfer and worries associated with outdated skylights is a thing of the past. Innovative natural light tubes are also a fantastic solution for homes where the roof is blocked off by an attic.

For more information on how to decrease your monthly energy bill and utilize natural lighting and solar ventilation systems in your home, contact one of our service areas.

San Diego: 619-319-9426
Orange County: 714-835-8391
Los Angeles: 323-886-2271