Possible Reasons for High Electric Bills

[James L. Evers]

Hello-
We have a manufactured home in Montgomery, Texas that is always generating high bills. Any season, the bills are about $400. per month for a 3 br unit. We have elect ac and heat, a well, and the usual household appliances. We checked the well and it is running correctly.
My question is, is it possible that we have a bad meter ? Any other ideas you have from the Member's vast experience here is greatly appreciated.

Regards-
James

[Wayne B. Wilson]

I would get a infra red inspection to see where the cold area's are

[lfoster]

How effecient is your electric air / heat? SEER rating, etc.?

[Wayne B. Wilson]

how old is the home also
any way possible posting some pictures

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by James L. Evers

Hello-
We have a manufactured home in Montgomery, Texas that is always generating high bills. Any season, the bills are about $400. per month for a 3 br unit. We have elect ac and heat, a well, and the usual household appliances. We checked the well and it is running correctly.
My question is, is it possible that we have a bad meter ? Any other ideas you have from the Member's vast experience here is greatly appreciated.

Regards-
James

"Bad" meters are a rare phenomenon. A meter may be more likely to slow down due to friction/drag on the bearings/wheels.

Have an experienced electrician and a good HVAC tech come and check out the loads and equipment operation. Check for unknown current leakage to ground. If they find nothing, then analyze the building envelope for air leakage/missing insulation

[Bruce A. King]

What is the cost per kwh there?

Around here its about 7 cents and your power bill sounds way out of line.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Electric heat or heat pump? Electric heat is like running a giant toaster day and night.

[Bruce A. King]

My worst power bills are in the winter and include running 6.5 tons of heat pump (3600sf at 71/72 deg), outside two person hot tub @104 deg, occasional electric strip heat for 1000sf detached shop, all electric house, water heater with instant hot recirc loop on timer.

At approx 7 cents per kwh I pay an average of $190 in the winter months and $100 average the rest of the year with 2 of us living there.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by bking

...outside two person hot tub @104 deg...

You gotta trade that hot tub for a 1 man, 3 woman model.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by James L. Evers

Hello-
We have a manufactured home in Montgomery, Texas that is always generating high bills. Any season, the bills are about $400. per month for a 3 br unit. We have elect ac and heat, a well, and the usual household appliances. We checked the well and it is running correctly.
My question is, is it possible that we have a bad meter ? Any other ideas you have from the Member's vast experience here is greatly appreciated.

Regards-
James

Check the readings on the meter yourself,as one of our own members was getting his neighbors bills and visa versa.

Meter clock reading should be right on the bill.

[Bruce A. King]

I had one of those at my first house and was single then, wish I had some pictures, maybe the neighbors have some.....

[kweiss]

Even with our mild winters in Texas, electric bills with electric resistance type furnaces tend to be can be higher than our AC bills in the summer. Have you lived here through past winters and this bill is out of line from what you used to have?

I used to have a 20 yo condo with electric heat. My winter bills were always higher, even though I like it cool and didn't run it much in the winter / did run the AC in the summer.

An Infrared efficiency scan would be helpful in identifying problem areas.

[James L. Evers]

Thanks to everyone for their input. The utility provider is coming out today to check the nuetral and all the connections from the pole to the meter, and we'll start from there.
I was told that aluminum service wires are more likely to come loose than copper.

[Chuck Evans]

Hi James,

I'm local to you. Give me a call if you need help.

Chuck

[James L. Evers]

Thanks to everyone for their input on our problem. I hired an electrician that specializes in troubleshooting and he was great. It was Adams Electircal at 281-357-8078 , very reasonable rates and here's what we found.
1. Loose nuetral at the panel.
2. Loose nuetral connection in the crawlspace.
3. Other loose connections in the panel.
4. Checked all voltages at sources and they were good.

The lights all are nice and even now and no more flickering.
Utility company checked out there connections first from the pole to the meter.

Thanks again.