Electric Meters - False Reading?? Why?

[lisaengel]

Our house has two electric meters because part used to be rented out. For the last year, the one meter has read 3.8 kWh per month. However, for the last two months, it now reads 30.7 kWh. Needless to say, this is significantly more expensive.

Only two things happened which might affect the usage: 1) I am cooking much more and 2) the water people came out and changed their meter.

If you have any ideas, please let me know. I had a similar experience one month in our other house and it was a misread. This time though, it's twice now.

[birdie40]

Originally Posted by lisaengel

Our house has two electric meters because part used to be rented out. For the last year, the one meter has read 3.8 kWh per month. However, for the last two months, it now reads 30.7 kWh. Needless to say, this is significantly more expensive.

Only two things happened which might affect the usage: 1) I am cooking much more and 2) the water people came out and changed their meter.

If you have any ideas, please let me know. I had a similar experience one month in our other house and it was a misread. This time though, it's twice now.

I work for an electric/gas utility and I might be able to help. 1) How do you heat? I'm not sure where you live, but this has been a pretty cold past couple months. If you are on a budget plan, where the usage is averaged and you are billed the same monthly, it may have adjusted up to accommodate the colder winter. 2) have you been receiving Regular readings? Your bill should state whether the readings are regular or estimated. 3) Could they have mixed up the readings on the two meters? Just a few ideas. I'd be happy to look at the usage pattern if it would help. I doubt you live in our service territory but the idea is the same anywhere.

[birdie40]

Originally Posted by lisaengel

Our house has two electric meters because part used to be rented out. For the last year, the one meter has read 3.8 kWh per month. However, for the last two months, it now reads 30.7 kWh. Needless to say, this is significantly more expensive.

Only two things happened which might affect the usage: 1) I am cooking much more and 2) the water people came out and changed their meter.

If you have any ideas, please let me know. I had a similar experience one month in our other house and it was a misread. This time though, it's twice now.

By the way, 3.8 kwh/month is extremely low usage - as an example, one 60-watt lightbulb if left on 24 hrs/day for one month uses approx. 45 kwhs! You're only using 3.8 kwh in a month? That means there's hardly anything at all running off of that meter.

Here's a site you can use for estimating usage and cost of running certain types of appliances, bulbs, heating/cooling units:
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

[tuckersmom20]

That is really low...

I just checked my bill....i know im in Canada....but i would htink that usage is usage.

Anyway for the month of January....we used 655 kWh @ 5.8 cents.

Also per day... i use 22 kWh

[lisaengel]

I'm sorry. NO! Bad me! The DAILY average kWh for the last 12 months was 3.8 - now it's 30.7 on the second meter. Most of the usage on that one is lighting and electrical outlets. That box used to run all of the stuff for an apartment in the basement which we ripped out years ago (including the furnace for that area). All of the major stuff is read by the first meter which went from 34.5 daily average last year to 46.5 this year. That makes sense to me because the furnace runs off of that one.

The readings are actual, not estimated.

[aday]

that website is pretty cool! i have those CFL bulbs and i can see how much $ i actually save!

ohh....i was gonna say... sometimes the electric company will just charge you by their "estimates" instead of doing an actual reading....then a couple months later, a meter reading will be done and then you get hit with a big bill.

[lisaengel]

Good site! Thank you! I think I figured it out. A plumber told me to put space heaters by the drain pipe in the attic and basement. Guess how much that costs? Yep. Just about $100 a month.

YIKES!

I'm turning that down to low.

[aday]

dang! what are you trying to heat?

[lisaengel]

Originally Posted by aday

dang! what are you trying to heat?

He told me the drain pipe would freeze if I didn't. It's just two space heaters - but look them up on that site - holy cow! Come to think of it, we lost power during an ice storm last year and the drain pipe was fine. Hmmmm.

[birdie40]

Yep...I think you figured it out... space heaters do run high usage. We actually put a couple of lights - like desk lamps facing toward one area in our crawl space where there are pipes exposed to the outside wall - and we keep a huge thermometer in there and keep an eye on the temp. The bulbs do the trick... in extreme cold you may want to put the space heater on but only extreme cold...like below zero wind chill blowing right toward the pipe.... but a few light bulbs would use up less kwh...

[Baffle]

One thing to consider.....the meter might be broken (or working up to a final death).

Our meter allowed us to get two $25 bills in a row.....we're definitely a triple-digit billing home. When we checked the meter, we saw where it had stopped. Bob called our electric company, confirmed that those two bills had been estimated, and asked that the company check into our meter.

Sure enough...the meter had broken and was replaced (it took them another two months or so to get out to us).

Barb

[tuckersmom20]

Originally Posted by aday

that website is pretty cool! i have those CFL bulbs and i can see how much $ i actually save!

ohh....i was gonna say... sometimes the electric company will just charge you by their "estimates" instead of doing an actual reading....then a couple months later, a meter reading will be done and then you get hit with a big bill.

The big bill just happened to me with gas.

They estimated for 2 months or so....then january they did actual and hit me with $116 instead of the usual $62.

[Baffle]

Originally Posted by tuckersmom20

The big bill just happened to me with gas.

They estimated for 2 months or so....then january they did actual and hit me with $116 instead of the usual $62.

Considering your other post....can you just hook your appliances up to Tucker???

Sorry.

Barb

[aday]

Originally Posted by Baffle

Considering your other post....can you just hook your appliances up to Tucker???

Sorry.

Barb

and i'm sure there's a study somewhere about how methane gas can be gathered & used to power appliances!