High Electricity Bill? Ask These 5 Questions

Have you had a power bill arrive lately? If not, then prepare yourself for a shock – because they’re only going up, up, up. And multiple Australian consumer groups are predicting a lot more pain to come, as some of them predict rises in the order of 30 percent over the next 12 months at least. But because prices are rising so much, it can actually be hard to tell if it’s just part of the general trend or if something is going wrong on your side of the meter box. We all know that Covid-19, soaring fuel prices, climate change policies and the general state of the economy are sending prices skywards – but does that fully answer the question that’s asked more and more often these days: “Why do I have a high electricity bill?”

Why is my electricity bill so high?

So while keeping inflation of electricity prices in mind, ask yourself these questions – because it could just explain why your electricity bill is suddenly very high:

1. Is it just seasonal?

Across Australia, some people get power bills every month – while others get one in their mailbox, or email inbox, every two or three months. And those on monthly plans will readily tell you that sometimes they get high electricity bills, and sometimes they’re lower – it just depends on the time of year.

So if it’s been a while since you had one, perhaps it’s just a seasonal thing. For instance, if you burn wood for heat in the winter but run an air conditioner a lot in the summer, that’s obviously going to seasonally affect your power bill in rather a big way. Electric heaters can cause your bills to go up in the winter.

2. Have your habits changed?

Are there more people using power at your place than before? Got some sort of new power-hungry appliance like a dishwasher, or switched from gas to electricity for your hot water? Operating a new home office? Are you using power in the day more than before, and therefore not benefiting from off-peak tariff rates? There are plenty of ways in which simple lifestyle changes can really hit that power bill hard.

3. Has an appliance gone wrong?

Unfortunately, there are many ways in which a simple appliance fault can suddenly spike those power bills. Sometimes, simple wear & tear just means it runs less efficiently, while others just have to keep working harder 100% of the time because of problems such as overheating.

4. Could the meter be at fault?

Another possibility is that you haven’t actually used more electricity than before – and rising prices aren’t the problem either. Rather, it could be that your electricity meter has a fault that is resulting in inaccurate readings. If the meter has stopped working altogether, or there’s another reason why the meter reader can’t get the numbers they need, your retailer may actually have just estimated your bill – and their estimate could be way too high.

5. Are your power bills high after installing solar?

Installing solar panels can be a great way to reduce your energy costs and decrease your carbon footprint. However, it’s possible to have a high power bill even with solar panels installed. IF you are consuming a lot of power at night, then your solar panels aren’t helping as the energy is consumed when it’s generated during the day. It’s also possible your system has a problem or it’s not running efficiently. In this case organise for an expert to provide a inspection and solar cleaning services so you know if there’s any issues with your solar power.

Still struggling to explain that high electricity bill?

Do you need an experienced electrical expert to dive deeper into why higher electricity bills are suddenly giving you a massive headache? Sounds like you need one of the best electricians in Sydney, or a top rated Brisbane electrician to stop by and figure out the problem. Across most of Australia, Tradie Near Me can help solve your electricity bill mystery!

We connect 5-star, fully-licensed local tradies keen to serve their local areas with people like you who need swift and affordable professional attention for their issues at home and at work. So let us know your details, hit ‘submit’ – and we’ll handle the rest! Give Tradie Near Me a try today.