Common Causes of High Bills

To gain control over your energy consumption, it’s helpful to understand the most common causes of high bills. They are:

1.Weather – Weather is the No. 1 cause of high bills.
◦Hot weather – Even if you never change your thermostat, cooling can account for half or more of your electric bill during hotter weather. When you lower your thermostat to stay comfortable in humid weather, it causes your A/C to run longer, which increases energy use. To save energy, cool your home at 78 degrees or warmer with the thermostat fan switch on "auto." For additional savings, raise your thermostat to 82 degrees or warmer when you're away from home. Also, clean or replace your air conditioner's filter every month to trim your cooling costs and help your unit run more efficiently.
◦Cold weather – During periods of cold weather, strip heating and portable heaters are among the highest sources of electric demand. In fact, strip or electric resistance-based heating requires two to three times more energy than air conditioning. That is why for every two degrees you lower your thermostat, i.e. setting your thermostat from 68 degrees to 66 degrees, we estimate you will save approximately 20 percent on the heating portion of your bill. Also, people tend to take longer showers in colder weather, which increases water heating costs. View more cold weather tips.

2.Electronics and appliances* – Many electronic devices continue to draw power even when they are not in use. So, consider either plugging these devices into a power strip with an on/off button or unplugging items when not in use. This includes:
◦TVs (Larger and plasma TVs use more electricity and produce more heat, which makes your A/C operate more.)
◦Stereos
◦DVDs and DVRs
◦Cell phone or battery chargers
*Caution: Shutting some items off may require reprogramming.

3.Household – House guests, including kids home from college, can use a lot more electricity — more showers, laundry, cooking and dishes, all of which use hot water. In addition, the size, age and type of house you live in can impact the amount of energy you consume.

4.Length of billing cycle – A billing cycle is the number of days in each bill. Normally, your meter is read on the same day every month, but some months are longer than others and weekends and holidays can sometimes get in the way. Occasionally, an FPL employee can't get to your meter because a gate is locked or a dog is in the backyard, and it’s not safe to enter. As a result, some monthly bills cover as few as 25 days and some as many as 35 days.