Electric bill

[Packard]

My electric bill (2 month intervals) generally ranges from $150.00 to $250.00 in the summer when I run the A.C.

In the winter, it generally runs about $80.00 to $120.00.

My bill arrived (it is winter here) and it came to $506.00.  Roughly 5 times what I would expect.

There have been two changes recently.

1.  I had a new, high efficiency oil burner installed.  Is there any way that could account for the increased electric drain?

2.  A house flipper has bought the house next door to mine.  He is in the middle of what looks like a slap-dash remodel.  Is there any way he could be tapped into my meter?

How do I go about investigating this?  Do I call an electrician?  Will the electric company send someone to investigate?

I can afford to pay the bill.  But the huge jump is pretty upsetting.  Any ideas?  Suggestions?

 

[peter halle]

Call your electrical utility and explain.  Ask for a re-read of your meter.  Also bring up the house next door.

 

[Holzhacker]

A couple notes that may or may not be applicable.
- Around here they used to 'estimate' the electric bill based on past usage when a meter reader didn't manage to come around in the latest billing cycle; think winter, crappy weather etc.
- If your utility has gone to smart meters, that could be an issue. Reportedly there have been issues with smart meters not being so smart.
- And of course since it is winter, did someone in the household plug in an electric heater somewhere in the house, porch, garage that never got turned off.

 

[Holzhacker]

And as far as the scumbag flipper rehab next door, call the AHJ
You will be doing a community service. Happens all too often that new young buyers get sucked into a pretty rehab that doesn't hold up well. These tend to be financial nightmares for buyers while the flipper runs off with the profits.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I don’t know if this is even possible but, could the new boiler installation have inadvertently resulted in a low grade (too little to trip a breaker) short to ground that 24/7 draws current?

 

[rvieceli]

Packard, call your utility and ask for a re-read of your meter.

I'm in Illinois, as the state has taken coal fired generation plants offline it has caused a shortfall in the amount of electricity generated locally. As a result the utilities in our area have had to go to the open market and purchase energy. this has caused the rates in our area to go up to consumers from 4-5 times and more than their normal bill.

Take a look at your bill. The bill usually outlines how many kilowatt hours you used in the billing period and the rate per kWh. HAs your usage gone up a lot or has the rate?

Ron

 

[hdv]

In your post you reflect on the price increase, but was there a significant increase in the amount of kWh you used in that period? That would be a better indication of "weird" things going on.

 

[Packard]

There are all kinds of complaints about Central Hudson’s estimated billing practice, including some lawsuits and some politicians looking into their practices. 

I will make a phone call in the morning.  Today (MLK Day) did not seem like a good time for this. 

It could be that I was getting estimated bills for the last few billing cycles and this bill reflects an adjustment.

I would love for it to be the flipper.  I wouldn’t mention the issue with him.  Instead I would put a lien on the property.  Then when they have a buyer they will have to beg me to take their money (plus any legal fees).

I’ll make that call in the morning.  I’ll let you guys know how it goes.

 

[festal]

Turn your main panel off and see if your meter spins.  that should tell you if anyone is using it.

Do you have emergency electric backup on your new furnance?  Sometimes high effeciancy units have emergency electric backup in case it gets really cold.  Sometimes those are misconfigured and used on regular basis instead of emergency cold.
Check the bill and make sure readings are actual not estimated. Also check prior bills for the same.  Sometimes when they can't read meters, they estimate usage and then when its read, they catch up.

 

[timwors]

You could also try taking your own meter readings every day for a week, and see if the readings are consistent with the average kWh/day the energy company is providing. Maybe there is a pattern of much higher usage on some days?

If there is a steady constant drain, try turning off individual circuits on the breaker panel to see if you can narrow down the culprit.

Have you bought anything else that's new which may be a high drain appliance (or accidentally left switched on)?

Could also be an incorrect meter reading. My father once had a bill for over £10,000 because the meter reader had mis-read a digit and was out by 100,000kWh. [eek]

 

[Packard]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I will start with a phone call to Central Hudson and see what they say.

 

[Vondawg]

I’m in Ontario county and my bill doubled this month!
Other than that it’s a great day !

 

[twistsol1]

I'm on the other side of that problem. We have "Smart" meters and my gas meter hasn't sent anything since April so I've had 0 usage. I've been calling since August and can't get anyone out to fix it so I'm dreading the bill once they catch up. It's -19 this morning so I'm certain we're using some gas.

My nephew bought a terrible flip in Sioux Falls, I've had to help him and consult on repairs on just about everything in his house. He sent me this picture over the weekend. The basement hand rail was attached with screws and drywall anchors. Looking for the bright spot in everything, he's learned a lot about home repairs and maintenance.

[attachimg=1]

 

[Packard]

TV has made flipping seem easy.  Ben and Erin have made flippers seem honorable. 

I think that is why flipping is where it is today.

 

[smorgasbord]

TV has made flipping seem easy.  Ben and Erin have made flippers seem honorable. 

I think that is why flipping is where it is today.

I wouldn't surprised to see localities increase mandatory inspections and the like. The DIY thing has grown enormously and most aren't educated in what's really needed, much less what codes require. Used to be one would do their own because they wanted it done better than they could hire, since as the owner you cared more than the contractor who wanted to get it done as quickly as possible. Now, it's people trying to save money without the knowledge that is often necessary.

That said, even contractors often need prodding. At a previous home, the contractor installed a toilet exactly 18" from the right wall, when there was plenty of room to center it in the space and have like 22" on each side. I pointed that out and he said "code says 18 inches." I replied that code was the bare minimum. There used to be a thing called "Code Plus" but don't know if that caught on....

 

[Packard]

I called Central Hudson this morning. I spoke to a representative who made me trudge out in the snow and read the meter number and the current meter reading.

She said it looked like the charge did not match up well with my billing history and then said she was putting me through to another person who would look into it. 

I was on hold for an hour (that’s my time limit for holding) and didn’t get to speak to anyone. I am hoping this is just because it was the day after a national holiday.  I will try again tomorrow.  Or maybe I will see if there is a walk in facility that I can get some face time with. 

 

[Cheese]

There used to be a thing called "Code Plus" but don't know if that caught on....

There also used to be a thing called "common sense" and I don't think that's caught on either...  [huh]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

There also used to be a thing called "common sense" and I don't think that's caught on either...  [huh]

I have gone to calling it "good sense", because sense is not "common" anymore  [eek]

 

[Packard]

When I was a kid in the late 1950s, a neighbor hired a carpenter to convert his basement into a “finished basement”. 

The basement had what we called “Lally columns”, steel posts filled with concrete.  There were two to support a single steel I-beam.

So the carpenter obligingly removed both columns.  The consequences were highly predictable. (But the house was saved.  Replacement columns were installed.)

Apparently, neither the homeowner nor the carpenter watched HGTV or they would have known. [big grin]

Common sense (which was not yet on the endangered species list in the 1950s) would have saved the day.  It was apparently not such an easy deal to fix as location of the original posts were now hidden and flooring had to be ripped up and ceilings had to be torn out. 

Real carpenters would not have ripped out the posts.  “Handymen” were abundant and worked cheaper.  That may have played into the whole thing.

 

[Cheese]

It was apparently not such an easy deal to fix as location of the original posts were now hidden and flooring had to be ripped up and ceilings had to be torn out. 

More importantly, those lally columns need to be placed on concrete footers that are the requisite size and extend at least 12" deep and those footers are then built on a compacted base. If the contractor simply just placed the new lally columns on the 4"-6" thick concrete floor...the sad story may not be over yet.  [sad]