Why Is My Energy Bill So High? Common Home Problems to Check

The bill drops, and the numbers don't add up. Everything at home looks the same, but your light bill is going up or keeps going up, and the concern you have is: Why is my energy bill so high? Most high energy bills come from rising rates, extreme weather, or excessive usage.

If none of those is the case, the culprit is often something in your home: a malfunctioning HVAC system, leaky ducts, insufficient insulation or equipment that won’t turn off. Here is a guide to high electric costs and gas bills. You’ll get rid of basic causes, find out what’s sucking up electricity, look for eight house concerns, and know when to call a pro.

The most expensive culprits are typically hidden, running silently in attics, basements and walls while your meter just keeps counting.Before you blame your home, rule out the basic causes. Sometimes the expensive charge has nothing to do with a repair.

What Causes a High Electric Bill? Rule Out These Common Reasons First

Start by checking which bill went up, gas or electric. And there are many reasons your electric bill is rising that have nothing to do with repairs. Weather is the most common cause. A high heating bill for a gas furnace is shown on the gas bill, and heat pumps and AC increase the electric bill.

Heat pumps also have a secret backup setting that can double winter costs. Compare kWh used for the same month last year, not just dollars, to see what drives your power costs most. If kWh stayed the same and the total went up, your rate went up.

Why Is My Electric Bill Suddenly So High This Month?

A quick jump usually has one obvious source, such as a heat wave, a new appliance, or an estimated reading. Is your charge "actual" or "estimated"? But a bill that doubles with nothing altered is different. Something might be operating that shouldn't be.

What Causes a High Electric Bill? Check Your Bill Pattern

If it's not the rates, the weather or the bills, the answer is someplace in your home. The next step is to determine exactly where.

How to Find Out What Is Using So Much Electricity in Your House

Start with the utility app. Often, the daily usage graphs show when the spike started, and that date often corresponds to a change. If nothing stands out, a breaker test can show what is using so much electricity in your house. Before you start: skip this test if your panel is warm, buzzing, wet, or rusted, or if anyone relies on powered medical equipment. Never remove the panel cover.

• Step 1: Turn off the main breaker and watch your meter. It should show no usage.
• Step 2: Restore the main power. Turn off all breakers. Turn them on one at a time, watching the meter after each one. Your problem circuit is the one that, if it is drawing power, nothing on that circuit is running.

Could My Electric Meter Be Wrong? If the meter still indicates usage with the main breaker off, the fault is on the utility side. Call your utility. Do not adjust the meter. Bad meters are rare, but approximate readings are common.

Why Is My Electricity Bill High When I'm Not Using Much?

Some equipment runs unnoticed 24/7. Common culprits include a well or sump pump that won’t turn off, a leaking water heater, or a garage fridge. If a circuit consumes electricity although you’re not operating anything on it, the problem could be electrical. What the exam reveals generally indicates one of eight home problems:

• Old AC or furnace or dirty filter
• Bad thermostat or heat pump stuck in backup heat
• Leaking Ductwork or Blocked Vents
• Poor insulation and air leaks
• Water heater troubleshooting
• Energy-sapping or faulty appliances
• Pumps or equipment functioning in stalled mode
• Electrical faults

The largest of the eight is also the most common: the system that heats and cools your home.

Can a Bad HVAC System Cause a High Electric Bill?

Yes. Since heating and cooling make up the largest share of total household energy in most homes, even small efficiency losses show up fast. Gas furnaces have the same issues that will increase your gas costs. The equipment fails, the controls fail, the air pathways fail.

Dirty Air Filters and Old AC Units

A dirty HVAC filter limits airflow, requiring your system to work harder and longer. Change filters every 1-3 months. Replacing a dirty filter can reduce AC energy use by 5-15%, the Department of Energy states. This is the cheapest fix here.

An older air conditioner or furnace that is over 15 years old runs far less efficiently. Listen for continuous running, fluctuating temperatures, or increasing loudness. Costs also come from hidden flaws. Low refrigerant shows up as heated air, icy lines, or hissing.

A bad capacitor or motor usually causes humming and rough starts. A dirty outside coil retains heat. Refrigerant should only be handled by a professional HVAC expert.

Can a Faulty Thermostat Raise Your Electric Bill?

A faulty thermostat can definitely run up your electric cost. Long run times or frequent cycling can be caused by wrong settings, a fading battery or a sensor sat in sunlight. And that secret winter setting.

Heat pumps feature extra electric heat strips, and they are expensive to operate. People forget to turn EM Heat off. EM Heat is turned on manually. AUX Heat will come on automatically in chilly conditions. If your outside unit or reversing valve breaks, your system may heat on those strips alone. This usually costs two to three times more. Check your settings and see if the EM or AUX light is on. If it does, call in an HVAC tech.

Leaky Ductwork and Closed Vents

Leaking ductwork wastes the air you pay to heat or cool. According to ENERGY STAR, a typical duct system leaks 20–30% of the air passing through it. Look for hot or cold rooms, dusty air and ducts going through the attic or crawl area. One note of caution: Shutting off vents in unused rooms does not save money. It boosts pressure, causes duct leakage and stresses the system. Leave ’em open. And those ducts in the attic lead to the next difficulty.

HVAC Problems That Raise Your Energy Bill

Do you have any of these signs? Compare HVAC Technicians on GoGeter before your next bill comes.Even a perfectly tuned HVAC system is a tough sell if the house can’t keep the air it creates. This is where the less noticeable drains start.

What Else Makes Your Electric Bill Go Up?

Besides HVAC, four other factors can drive an exceptionally high energy bill: the building itself, the water heater, appliances, and equipment left running.

Poor Insulation and Air Leaks in Your House You know those attic ducts? Poor insulation makes that heat loss worse. Most US homes are under-insulated. Air leaks in your house show up as drafts around doors and windows, rooms that don't feel right, and high costs in both seasons. Weatherstripping and caulking are easy DIY solutions. Schedule a home energy audit that includes a blower door test to check attic insulation and find hidden leaks.

Can an Old Water Heater Cause a High Electric Bill?

Old water heaters can increase your electric bill because water heaters are always on, whether you're using hot water or not. Many tanks are preset at 140°F. temperature at 120°F saves energy and decreases the risk of scorching, although families with someone who is immunocompromised may need a higher temperature. If you hear rumbling or popping, notice a gradual leak, or your tank is over 10-12 years old, call a plumber. Gas models only add to the gas expense.

What Appliance Uses the Most Electricity in a House?

Anything that creates heat is the largest electricity user: backup heat strips, electric furnaces, water heaters, dryers, ovens and space heaters. Old appliances also cost extra. Older fridges require way more than an ENERGY STAR model, and a garage fridge works even harder. Yearly standby power consumption adds up but rarely causes a spike. If an appliance runs hotter or longer than it should, it could be on the way out.

Pumps That Never Shut Off: The quietest method to quadruple an electric bill is to run a pump all the time. A defective pressure switch, waterlogged tank, or hidden leak can cause a well pump to run continually. Sump pumps stick on clogged floats; pool pumps run too long on malfunctioning timers. This explains most occurrences of "my electric bill doubled for no reason". The biggest electric bill increase comes from heat. A 1500 W space heater running 8 hours per day uses about 360 kWh per month, or about $61.

How Much Electricity Common Home Equipment Uses

Is the water heater or pump acting up? Plumbers on GoGeter. Compare.If one circuit is still drawing power with nothing running on it, there is one thing left to do.

Can Faulty Wiring or Electrical Problems Increase Your Electric Bill?

Here is what most articles get wrong: faulty wiring usually doesn't contribute that much to the electricity bill. Loose or damaged wiring is a fire threat, not an energy drain. But some electrical problems do lead to a high energy bill. A ground fault occurs when current escapes into the ground . Often this is through a well pump , water heater element , or outdoor wiring . It does not necessarily trip a normal breaker.

The same is true of a shorted appliance or a circuit feeding equipment that never turns off. Watch for a circuit breaker that constantly tripping, outlets that are warm to the touch, switch plates or lights that flicker, or a buzzing or burning smell.

If a circuit is pulling power and nothing is running on it, have an electrician check it. Do not try to remove the panel cover yourself. Hot outlet or switch If the panel looks normal, turn off the breaker for that circuit, then call an electrician.

Do not touch the panel if it is hot, buzzing, sparking or smoking. Get out of the home and contact 911. Rotten egg smell: go outside without touching any switches, then call your gas utility or 9-1-1. Emergency electrician on GoGeter. Now you know where the big bills come from. The final step is determining what you can manage and what requires a professional.

What to Do If Your Electric Bill Is Too High

You don’t need to fix everything at once. Start with the free checks, then call in a pro just where the signs point. How to Lower a High Electric Bill Yourself? Start with the free fixes. Change the HVAC filter, open any closed vents, and turn the water heater down to 120°F (unless someone in the house is immunocompromised). Unplug the garage fridge; weatherstrip drafty doors. If the problem is paying the bill, the federal LIHEAP program supports qualifying households.

Should I Call an Electrician or HVAC Tech for a High Electric Bill?

Match the pro with the clue. HVAC warning signs = HVAC technician. Leaks, rumbling or a constant pump means a plumber. If a circuit is drawing power and nothing is running, it's an electrician. GoGetter compares HVAC techs, plumbers and electricians. Get the reason diagnosed before the next big cost arrives.

DIY Fix vs. Book a Pro vs. Urgent

Some questions come up in practically every high-bill talk. Here are quick responses.

Why Your Energy Bill Is So High, and How to Bring It Back Down

So why is my energy bill so big? Number one - Get rid of pricing, weather, and billing. If none of those explains it, a breaker test will usually point to your HVAC system, air leaks, a water heater, or equipment stuck running.

And from here it's easy. See which bill went up, compare to the same month last year, do the breaker test and do the free DIY fixes. If the signs indicate an actual fault, get the proper pro on GoGeter. High energy bills are not bad luck. Your house is telling you something is running quietly in the background, and now you know exactly how to find it.