Existence is expensive, especially if you enjoy things like heat and clean water.
We turn the thermostats up or down depending on the seasons and we try not to waste water unnecessarily.
So when a shockingly high utility bill shows up, its cause for panicand an investigation.
Heres how to figure out whats going on.
Note changes
Your first step is to examine your behaviors and usage patterns for recent changes.
A few things to consider:
New devices or appliances.Have you added new electronics to your home?
Replaced an old appliance recently?
Try disconnecting the new stuff and see if the spike in usage stops.
Different patterns.Life isnt static.
If your utility bills are suddenly higher, ask yourself if your patterns have changed.
Did you have guests in the house, swelling water and power usage?
Have you started working from home, using more resources than normal?
Has the weather been more extreme?
Sometimes an unusually hot or cold period can lead to a shocking utility bill.
Recent projects.Did you recently renovate part of your home?
Your super-high bill might be the result of a meter thats gone wonky.
You should also ask them to review your bill to ensure that mistakes werent made on their end.
Check all the toilets in the house for leaks.
If you have toilets that run constantly, thats wasting water and costing you money.
They may need repair or replacement.
Check all the faucets in the house.
Check your supplier.Utility bills typically show three fundamental costs: Delivery costs, taxes, and supply costs.
These rates are usually set by the government and dont change often.
Taxes also dont change often.
The supply cost, however, can change dramatically if you change suppliers.
Utility theft.Its rare, but it does happen: Someone may be stealing your utilities.
