High Bill Concern & Home Energy Audits
United Power's Energy Management Experts are available to help you uncover your greatest energy usage and to help you find the right energy solutions for your home and budget.
High Bill Concern
Did you have a higher than average bill this month? Your electric bill can fluctuate for a variety of reasons. Before you contact United Power about your high bill, look into these possible reasons that may explain why your bill was higher than average:
Conduct Your Own Home Energy Audit
 As a member of a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative you receive free access to an online energy audit tool. This powerful software tool allows you to perform a comprehensive audit of your power usage, and provides you with recommendations for improvements you can make to reduce your energy use. Created by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, it is one of the nation's highest rated audit tools available.
Conduct a Free On-line Home Energy Audit
Free United Power Home Energy Audit
A free home energy audit by United Power's Energy Experts just might save you more than you think. Over the years, our experts have uncovered inefficient equipment, lifestyle adjustments that add up, and a hot water leak costing a member hundreds of dollars per year.Our Experts are here to help you make the most of the energy you use.
Contact our Energy Management Experts at 303-659-0551
Longer Billing Period
United Power's billing cycles do not exactly correspond with the calendar months, so cycle lengths can vary. Sometimes holidays and meter reading schedules can shorten or extend a billing cycle. Look carefully at your bill to determine the number of days you were billed for.
Increased Heating and Cooling
When extreme weather conditions exist outside, the temperature inside is adjusted. During the hottest months of the summer and the coldest months of the winter, our members often increase their energy use. Even if you did not adjust the temperature on your thermostat, colder or warmer than average weather probably had your system working overtime to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.
Check out our Energy Saving Tips for more information on heating and cooling efficiently.
Addition of New Household Appliances or Lifestyle Changes
When looking at your electric bill, consider any recent purchases or upgrades that may be drawing additional power in your home.
Electronics and other gadgets are making us more 'plugged' in each year. Televisions account for about 4 percent of annual residential electricity, and the newer, high-definition TVs (HDTVs) draw even more power. One 50-inch plasma high-definition TV (HDTV) uses approximately 679 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. A 32-inch liquid-crystal display with HDTV capability was pegged at 387 kWh per year. By contrast, an older analog 34-inch TV was estimated to use just 209 kWh per year. And don't forget about that DVD player, digital cable box and surround-sound system.
Electronics aren't the only culprits either. Home upgrades may also be adding to your electric bill. Hot tubs, and water features and fountains often surprise homeowners when they learn how much electricity they really use.
Also consider how much time you are spending at home. When the kids are out of school during the summer, they may operate the TV longer during the day, or when the whole family is at home for the holidays, your energy usage may increase.
Inefficient Appliances and Needed Repairs
The efficiency of household appliances like air conditioners, washers and dryers has dramatically increased over the last few years. However, older appliances in your home may be losing efficiency, or a needed repair may be what's drawing more power.
Just a small leak in your water heater could make your water heater work overtime as it refills and continuosly reheats. That old refrigerator in your garage may be worth turning off if it's not being put to good use.
If it's time to shop for new household appliances, choose those that have earned the government's ENERGY STAR® rating. United Power also offers rebates on select electric appliances.
Can a Meter Malfunction?
Customers often ask us if their higher than average electric bill could be due to a meter that is malfunctioning? Because of the mechanics of your electric meter, a malfunctioning meter can actually be to your benefit.
Meters operate using a series of disks and moving parts. Like any other mechanical device, a mechanical electric meter tends to slow down with age, not speed up. That's due to wear on the gears and other mechanical parts. If your meter goes bad, you'll likely benefit from it.
Meter malfunction is rarely the reason your electric bill rises. In fact, your meter is actually your greatest tool in helping track down inefficient or malfunctioning appliances. An Energy Management Expert can show you how you can read your meter and determine what's making the biggest impact on your electric bill. Contact one of our experts today by calling 303-659-0551.
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