Common Causes of Bill Variations

Conditions Beyond Your Control

• Seasons of the year
• Weather extremes
• Daylight Savings Time
• Days between meter readings
• Fluctuations in the weather over time are measured in heating degree days (HDD) which can help you account for higher heating costs. Examples:
  
  
  • Scenario 1: 30 days when the outside temperature averaged 20 degrees below the desired indoor temperature (30 x 20 = 600 heating degree days for the month.
  • Scenario 2: 30 days when the outside temperature averaged 40 degrees below the desired indoor temperature (30x40 = 1200 heating degree days for the second month.
  • Not only would the heating system be consuming more energy in Scenario 2, but if the home relied upon a heat pump with temperatures at or below freezing, then another factor comes into play. A heat pump quits exchanging air around 30 degrees and switches to resistance heat which is much less efficient and up to three times more expensive.
  More information about heating degree days.

Changes in Normal Living Conditions

• Holidays & visiting relatives
• Guests and entertainment
• Therapeutics & special diets
• Repairs or renovations
• Sickness or convalescence
• Changes in living habits
• Average age & size of family
• Vacations

Appliances

• New appliances installed
• Excessive house heating, such as thermostat control setting
• Inefficient use of oven for house heating
• Use of older or defective appliances
• Lack of maintenance, such as clogged air filters in furnace
• Leaking of hot water faucets
• Frost on refrigerator unit or shortage of regrigerant
• Excessive use of hot water

New home or apartment

• Less weatherstripping, fewer draperies
• Manual heating controls
• Larger than former home
• Less shade from trees
• More heat leakage through windows
• Ceilings not adequately insulated
• Larger water heater
• Windier or colder location
• Larger heating/cooling equipment