Why is my bill higher than normal?
The primary factor impacting your bill is the cost to heat or cool your home. Weather plays a big part in this; however, there are things you can do to ensure you are using energy as efficiently as possible.
When a bill is estimated, it is based on usage from the same time last year, and it can often result in your estimated usage being lower or higher than your actual usage. Your next bill, based on an actual read, will bring your account back in line with the current reading on your meter. If your previous estimated bill was too low, your next bill may be higher than you expected. Similarly, if your bills have been overestimated, you will eventually receive a reduced bill.
You will see your energy usage for the previous twelve months on your bill. This allows you to compare your usage to see when you use the most energy. To understand why you may have used more energy, look at the billing dates on the bill and think about what happened during that period.
- Did someone in your household spend more time than usual at home, or did you have guests staying?
- Did you use more heating during a cold period?
- Did you use more hot water, or did you cook with gas more than you normally do?
- Did you buy or use any additional appliances?
- Are you supplementing your home heating with a space heater? Space heaters do increase your electric usage and you may notice this increase in your utility bill.