Energy Bill Mysteries: 10 Secret Factors Spiking Your Usage
Every month, the dreaded time comes to open your utility statements and make the corresponding payments. To make matters worse, sometimes your bill is much higher than you expected, leaving you wondering what could have changed in the last few weeks to cause such a drastic difference.
While there are some elements you can’t control regarding utility costs, you can reduce your energy usage in many ways to help your wallet.
Check out these 10 reasons you might be facing higher energy bills.
1. Increases in Fees, Taxes and Distribution
One of the most apparent reasons for rising energy bills is the increase in fees, taxes and distribution costs associated with utilities. 2023 reports showed electricity bills increasing by 2% every month when compared to 2022 statistics.
Although you may be unable to control the current prices, reducing your energy usage and finding alternative ways to support your home and lifestyle can help keep costs manageable.
2. Air Leaks Wasting Your Energy
Air leaks can be a significant energy sucker for many people. Holes and gaps throughout your home’s structure can allow air to escape or enter from the outside when you don’t want it to.
Air leaks prompt you to run your appliances for longer to achieve desired temperatures, and you’ll often need to use them more frequently to maintain your comfort. This usage creates a near-endless cycle of powering on and off that leaves you with higher bills.
3. Vampire Sources Sucking Up Power
Vampire sources refer to appliances or devices that require energy even when you’re not using them. For example, your kitchen appliances, smart speakers, televisions and computers are vampire sources. While some of these sources require constant streams of power, others do not.
Consider your computer. Leaving it plugged into the charger consumes energy well after your device reaches a full charge, causing you to waste power and money. Some estimates show that vampire sources could contribute to as much as 20% of monthly electricity bills.
4. Light Bulb Inefficiencies
Your light bulbs might not be the first thing that come to mind when you think about energy usage, but these small components can pack a big punch. In fact, nearly 15% of home electricity usage results from lighting.
With so many choices on the market, it’s worth considering your current lighting and how you can improve your energy usage and spending. For example, LED bulbs are much more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, allowing you to save hundreds of dollars a year just by making this simple switch alone. In many cases, you’ll even find LED lights to be more desirable for lighting capabilities, allowing you to experience multiple benefits at once.
5. Less Efficient Appliance Usage
In the age of technology, tons of devices and appliances can reduce your energy usage while adding daily convenience. Older appliances typically require much more energy than newer ones and often don’t provide the same quality results. If you’ve noticed a sudden spike in energy bills, it may be worth looking at your appliances for problems or replacing outdated models with more efficient ones.
If you think you can get a little more use out of your existing appliances, there are strategies you can implement to increase energy efficiency. For example, clogged dryer vents can significantly reduce energy efficiency, causing higher utility bills and increasing drying time. Simply implementing a cleaning schedule can make a big difference for your clothes and wallet.
6. Insufficient Insulation
It’s a common mistake to forget about the elements of your home that you can’t see — like your insulation. However, insulation can be a significant contributor to rising energy bills. Your insulation should help your home maintain desired temperatures.
However, poor insulation from low-quality materials or problems like moisture damage can impact your insulation’s ability to perform. Signs like constant temperature fluctuations, frozen pipes in cold months, attic water drips and drafts can indicate insufficient insulation.
7. Energy Usage Changes
It may seem obvious that your energy bills will change as your usage habits change, but it can be challenging to pinpoint just how much impact this factor has on your monthly statement. You might assume you use the same amount of energy each month, but even small changes can lead to significant differences over time.
Tracking your usage for a few weeks can be a great indicator of whether your natural habits cause fluctuations or if you have a larger problem. Keep in mind that actions like hosting events and inviting family and friends to your home can have a big impact. For instance, beyond keeping temperatures a little more extreme to accommodate the people in your space, you’re also more likely to use appliances more often when cooking, leave lights on or have more devices powered on at one time.
8. Irregular Thermostat Usage
Your thermostat is another opportunity to raise or lower your energy bill. While you want to be comfortable in your home, it’s worth implementing strategies to reduce your usage or maximize thermostat impacts when you need them most. For example, many people leave their thermostats running at all times. While this may seem like a great way to ensure your perfect temperature at any time, you end up wasting significant energy.
If your thermostat is running when you’re completing errands or working, you’ll have wasted hours worth of energy when no one is home to experience it. Integrating smart controls or devices like timers to start and stop thermostat usage is an excellent way to ensure you experience at-home comfort while reducing usage when you don’t need it.
9. Climate Change and Extreme Weather
Another uncontrollable element that can impact your energy usage and bills is extreme weather and climate change. If you live somewhere with very hot summers or freezing winters, you’ll likely see increases in peak usage times and find yourself reaching for the thermostat more often. While it’s important to stay safe and comfortable at home, it’s worth considering alternatives for reaching your desired temperatures.
For example, a space heater can help you lower heating costs while keeping you warm. Alternatively, embracing cross-breezes and using your ceiling fan in the summer can maintain coolness while reducing energy usage.
10. Peak-Time Energy Usage
Another element you may not be aware of is peak-time energy usage. Unfortunately, energy rates change depending on various factors, including weather conditions, power plant costs, fuels, regulations and distribution systems.
Additionally, electricity prices usually hit their peak in the summer months. The time of day can also impact energy prices, making it important to follow energy tariffs for your area and determine strategies for reducing energy usage during these times to lower your bills.
Stay Informed and Comfortable
Reducing your energy usage is beneficial for your wallet and the environment. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can minimize your impact.
Whether investing in environmentally friendly appliances, implementing energy-saving techniques or staying informed about peak energy usage and best practices for energy reduction, you can make a great effort to save the planet and your wallet.
