Why is my electric bill so high?

Determining why your electricity bill is so high requires you to take a long, hard look at your usage habits. Electricity bills rarely soar due to an increase in cost of electricity, and the situation can usually be remedied by a little bit of vigilance.

Compare past and current electric bills to see if there is a spike in your usage. This can be determined by reviewing how many kilowatt hours (kWh) appear on your bill. If your current usage is much higher, consider if you’ve recently purchased any high-voltage appliances or add-ons (like central A/C or a jacuzzi) that may be contributing to it.

Cutting back on your electricity use can be as simple as turning off lights when not in use or performing some of the following:

• Adjust the temperature of your refrigerator (temp should be between 38 and 42 degrees).
• Use warm water (or cold) instead of hot water when you do your laundry.
• Allow your dishes to air dry instead of heat dry.
• Replace your furnace filters at the start of every winter.

For more ideas on how you can cut electricity use, contact your power company for other potential solutions.