Solar Reviews demonstrates that the average electrical bill in the U.S. is around $144 per kilowatt hour (kWh). Of course, how much your light bill is depends on where you live, your appliances, and your house size.

You might think $144 a month sounds great for an electrical bill because yours is around twice that. Every month you ponder, “Why is my energy bill so high?”

There are various reasons why your bill may be more expensive than normal. Below are possible explanations for your expensive bill and energy-saving techniques.

Why Is My Energy Bill So High?

The first possible reason your energy bill is expensive is that you might be using older and less efficient appliances. New appliances don’t instantly grant lower utility bills.

You could be using your appliances inefficiently. Other potential reasons your energy bill is high may include constantly changing thermostat settings between high and low and using inefficient HVAC systems.

Your Appliances Are Old and Inefficient

Appliances will degrade over time as new technologies are integrated into our homes. There is also the matter of older appliances, not meeting modern efficiency standards.

The solution is getting energy-efficient appliances. ENERGY STAR appliances meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and are built to use less electricity than standard products.

You’re Using Your Appliances Inefficiently

Many appliances draw electricity even when they’re not in use. They’re not using as much power as when they’re being used, but the energy still adds up and increases your bill.

You can cut power usage by cleaning your appliances. For example, your refrigerator’s condenser coils and AC filter may need cleaning to improve operation. 

Using washing machines and dishwashers at full capacity may help. You’ll get more out of each wash cycle if you clean as much as possible at a given time. Power strips and turning things off you’re not using may help.

You Constantly Change the Thermostat Settings

The best-recommended summer and winter temperatures are 70°F and 68 to 70°F, respectively. Continuously running your HVAC at higher or lower than recommended temperatures increases your energy consumption.

Consider installing a smart thermostat. It’ll keep your HVAC unit’s temperature set to a specific, consistent temperature and only cycle on when needed. 

The second of our heating efficiency tips is getting a newer HVAC unit. Older models don’t heat as well and use more energy. Heat pumps are good at warming homes in cold weather.

How Can You Reduce Energy Consumption?

“Why is my energy bill so high?” We hope we’ve provided possible answers for why that is with our guide on energy-saving techniques.

You can do many things to reduce energy consumption alone, but MetFab Heating and Cooling can help too. MetFab Heating and Cooling has around 50 years of industry experience.

We service and install most makes and models of heating and cooling units. The MetFab team also installs ductless heat pumps and smart thermostat systems.

Are you prepared for the Vancouver winter? Contact us to ensure your HVAC runs well during the cold months.