Why Is My Electric Bill So High?

Have you ever looked at your electric bill and wondered why it is so high? It may seem like a mystery hitting your finances once a month or so, but the truth is you can do something about it.

In this article, RG Electric will try to glimpse the interplay of factors that may affect your electric bill. Our Los Angeles Electrician team is continuously being asked this question, and we’ve helped many of our clients to spend less on electricity. However, saving electricity can be achieved by daily lifestyle changes as well.

Read on for the reasons for high electric bills, and let’s reduce the utility bill and make your home a bit energy-efficient.

Ignoring Regular Inspection and Maintenance Service

You would be surprised what a qualified electrician will find when they come to inspect your home. Our Los Angeles electricians are used to seeing things like worn-out iron core lighting transformers that eat up a lot of energy, and exhaust fans that are clotted with dirt and, as a result, work inadequately. Besides, we often reveal hazardous old wiring that, while it doesn’t make your appliances consume more power, can lead to potentially dangerous fire or shock!

Scheduled maintenance from your electrical contractor in the LA Metro Area is the surest way to make sure the electrical system in your home is safe while reducing your electric bill at the same time.

Not Using Energy-Efficient Lighting

In the US, there has been a mass exodus from conventional lighting primarily due to the fact that it uses too much power. One of the reasons your electric bill is so high is incandescent light bulbs that need lots of watts to emit the light. Can you change this? Yes, and very easily with so many greener options available.

So if you live in an older home, switching to new technologies will make a big difference on your electrical bill. An electrician can install LED bulbs to help lower energy bills.

Not Using Energy-Efficient Appliances

Old appliances are not green, which means they drain far more power than necessary these days. Maybe the time has come to replace them with the new ones with a better energy rating. Although you are likely to pay more for modern appliances, they will pay for themselves by consuming less power.

An electrician near you can help you install green appliances ensuring that everything is wired for optimum efficiency.

Another thing to consider is whether you need an extra fridge or freezer, let’s say in a garage. Perhaps you can do with one most of the time while keeping the other turned off when not in use.

Not Using Smart Technology

As you see, tech innovations are great because they truly make our life better. And relevant to our subject, they help us cut down the electrical bill. You should definitely consider it if you still don’t have a programmable thermostat to preserve a steady temperature adjusted to your lifestyle.

A programmable thermostat will heat and cool your home when you are present in the house. With this smart technology, you can forget about the worry of leaving an AC on when you are rushing to work while being hit by a huge bill.

Making Use of Solar Energy Wrongly

We live in a sun-blessed state, so getting solar installed on your home has become natural for most Los Angeles county residents. Even with solar panels, your electric bill can still be high. And this is why:

Your washing machine and dishwasher run in the evening or night instead of the middle of the day;
Similarly, if you have a pool, the pumps operate at night and not in the middle of the day;
Your electric hot water storage heater heats up at night and not when the sun is up.
You use your EV to charge a car, not during the day;

But what if you use a lot of power at night or early in the morning? In this case, we recommend considering getting a solar battery installed in your home.