What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Electric bill is out of whack - what to do? (1 Viewer)

elguapo07

elguapo07

Footballguy
My brothers apartment. 1 of 4 apts in multi family dwelling 

200yr old multi family home,  1000 sq ft for his apt 

Gas stove but electric heat with 3 floor heaters

4 ACs running in the summer Fridge Wash & Dryer in apt 

Monthly bill is $ 300-$350 this month it is $475

4 units and the apt across the hall is comparable is their bill is < $100 per month

4 electric boxes plus a house box which is for hall and flood lights

This has been going on for 5 yrs now. A few years ago they contacted consumer affairs who contacted Natl Grid.

Natl Grid checked the box and said it was fine

There has to be a solution to this. Suggestions welcome 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
elguapo07 said:
My brothers apartment.

200yr old multi family home 1000 sq ft

Gas stove but electric heat with 3 floor heaters

4 ACs running in the summer Fridge Wash & Dryer in apt 

Monthly bill is $ 300-$350 this month it is $475

4 units and the apt across the hall is comparable is their bill is < $100 per month

4 electric boxes plus a house box which is for hall and flood lights

This has been going on for 5 yrs now. A few years ago they contacted consumer affairs who contacted Natl Grid.

Natl Grid checked the box and said it was fine

There has to be a solution to this. Suggestions welcome 
Click to expand...
Use less electrical power.

 
That's an outrageous bill. That warrants having the electric company come out and investigate. Or hire an electrician to check out the entire house. Will save money in the long run no matter what that costs.

 
I'm confused.

Is your brother in an apartment or in a home?

Are the 4 ACs in your brother's apartment or spread out throughout the house?

Are the 4 ACs currently in use or not? (You said they were used in summer, but it's not summer yet)

 
gianmarco said:
That's an outrageous bill. That warrants having the electric company come out and investigate. Or hire an electrician to check out the entire house. Will save money in the long run no matter what that costs.
Click to expand...
This, the electrician. Sounds like your brother is probably paying for someone else's electricity. 

 
[scooter] said:
I'm confused.

Is your brother in an apartment or in a home?

Are the 4 ACs in your brother's apartment or spread out throughout the house?

Are the 4 ACs currently in use or not? (You said they were used in summer, but it's not summer yet)
Click to expand...
200 year old house split into 4 apartments. Probably near the Southern part of East Coast.

 
gianmarco said:
That's an outrageous bill. That warrants having the electric company come out and investigate. Or hire an electrician to check out the entire house. Will save money in the long run no matter what that costs.
Click to expand...
Natl Grid checked it out and said box was fine. I think there is a possibility of some stuff from other apts wired to his box.  I agree that an electrician needs to check it out but who has to pay his bill? The tenant or the landlord?

 
elguapo07 said:
Natl Grid checked it out and said box was fine. I think there is a possibility of some stuff from other apts wired to his box.  I agree that an electrician needs to check it out but who has to pay his bill? The tenant or the landlord?
Click to expand...
Your brother will probably pay the electrician to come out. If it turns out the wiring is wrong that's on the owners.

 
elguapo07 said:
gianmarco said:
That's an outrageous bill. That warrants having the electric company come out and investigate. Or hire an electrician to check out the entire house. Will save money in the long run no matter what that costs.
Click to expand...
Natl Grid checked it out and said box was fine. I think there is a possibility of some stuff from other apts wired to his box.  I agree that an electrician needs to check it out but who has to pay his bill? The tenant or the landlord?
Click to expand...
The ideal solution is for your brother to hire the electrician, then document the fraudulent wiring, then sue the landlord for back rent.

If you sit around waiting for the landlord to pay, then A) the landlord will never do anything about it (why should he? He has no incentive), and B) even if the landlord fixes the wiring, your brother probably won't be told about it or compensated for it.

 
[scooter] said:
I'm confused.

Is your brother in an apartment or in a home?

Are the 4 ACs in your brother's apartment or spread out throughout the house?

Are the 4 ACs currently in use or not? (You said they were used in summer, but it's not summer yet)
Click to expand...
All in his apt and only used in Summer. Apt in Boston area.  Currently not in use 

 
Unplug everything, except for fridge, for a month and see what the bill is. Electric company might have some explaining to do. If I ever had a bill over $200, I'd wonder.

 
Ignoramus said:
[scooter] said:
Can your brother shut off his power for a month? Get a portable generator and use that for a month and see what happens.
Click to expand...
:lmao:

wat?
Click to expand...
:shrug:

I've done it before. A battery-powered fridge, a Coleman stove, and a couple of portable power stations. Shower at the gym. Do laundry at the laundromat. Watch TV on my iPad. It's not an ideal way to live but it's not exactly the life of a savage.

 
Is it really that bad though? How much is he paying in the spring? Summer time? Maybe it's been a few cold months? Bad insulation or leaky windows?

I think the first step would be to talk to the landlord and possibly find out what the other tenants are paying.  I think the talk of hiring a lawyer at this point is kind of ridiculous. I know floor heaters can use quite a bit of electricity....along with the usual suspects (washer, dryer, fridge, etc).

 
bradyfan said:
Based on your description of the usage, the monthly bill should be between $50 to $100, higher when all 4 ACs are on.  Also, check if he is using an energy star refrigerator, but even no that would add at most ~$30 to his monthly bill.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the electric heaters too.  Those probably draw much more than the ACs, and I suspect a 200 year old structure is not very well insulated.  I had a one bedroom apartment back in the early '90s with electric heat.  My electric bills were through the roof; easily a couple hundred a month.  I did not last long in that apartment.

 
eoMMan said:
Is it really that bad though? How much is he paying in the spring? Summer time? Maybe it's been a few cold months? Bad insulation or leaky windows?

I think the first step would be to talk to the landlord and possibly find out what the other tenants are paying.  I think the talk of hiring a lawyer at this point is kind of ridiculous. I know floor heaters can use quite a bit of electricity....along with the usual suspects (washer, dryer, fridge, etc).
Click to expand...
4 units and the apt across the hall is comparable is their bill is < $100 per month

 
elguapo07 said:
4 electric boxes plus a house box which is for hall and flood lights
Click to expand...
If he has access to the fuse/breaker box for his apartment have him shut off the main for a bit.   See if one of the other units complains.  Might be able to see it his meter is still running also.   Are the house hall and flood lights running off of his meter?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
WDIK2 said:
If he has access to the fuse/breaker box for his apartment have him shut off the main for a bit.   See if one of the other units complains.  Might be able to see it his meter is still running also.   Are the house hall and flood lights running off of his meter?
Click to expand...
His meter is next to the house meter. He suspects something is running off his box, it has to be.

Landlord lives across the hall and is a widower in her 80s that is clearly not all there. Family has owned the house for generations and barely maintains it. Two units below have gas heat i believe while his unit and The one across the hall has electric heat.   The rent is cheap but electric bill is out of control. 

Some solid insight here. 

 
elguapo07 said:
His meter is next to the house meter. He suspects something is running off his box, it has to be.

Landlord lives across the hall and is a widower in her 80s that is clearly not all there. Family has owned the house for generations and barely maintains it. Two units below have gas heat i believe while his unit and The one across the hall has electric heat.   The rent is cheap but electric bill is out of control. 

Some solid insight here. 
Click to expand...
Electric heat draws WAY WAY more than gas heat. Imagine a large toaster being on for months and months. The electric heat is basically large toaster type coils. I wouldn’t be shocked if his electric bill in the winter is that high.

 
ChiefD said:
Electric heat draws WAY WAY more than gas heat. Imagine a large toaster being on for months and months. The electric heat is basically large toaster type coils. I wouldn’t be shocked if his electric bill in the winter is that high.
Click to expand...
absolutely - also anyone that ever had electric heat can tell that it isn't as "warm".  I guess because it doesn't carry the moisture ...something.  

 
Isn't outrageous whatsover for electric heat with floor heater with a home that old (likely poor insulated) in the NE.

Start with the floor heater. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
If the building is that old, are the appliances also very old?  You'd be surprised how changing out old appliances with newer energy efficient ones can make a difference. 

 
WDIK2 said:
If he has access to the fuse/breaker box for his apartment have him shut off the main for a bit.   See if one of the other units complains.  Might be able to see it his meter is still running also.   Are the house hall and flood lights running off of his meter?
Click to expand...
first good piece of advice in here

I would do this first, should take all of 5 mins and it's effective.  If the meter turns while the main is off, you got a problem.  If he does the above and gets no complaints, here are the next steps.

1. You go visit your brother in law, bring 6-12 beers with you.

2. Go one by one, breaker by breaker, and map out each electric use in the apartment to a breaker.  Should take both of you less than a 6 pack, but you might need 8-10 if you haven't done it before.  Map every outlet, light, appliance, and of course the electric heat.  Don't forget about the hot water heater if electric.  Don't forget about exterior or common lights.  

3. Once this is done, set up a table and start taking daily readings of his meter.  Every day (say before he goes to work or when he gets home) just jot the number down on the meter.  He needs to be more proactive than waiting for the elec company to send him a bill at the end of the month.

4. Finally, start experimenting.  Turn off various breakers, one at a time, for a day or two.  See if you can do all of them over a period of a week or two (should only be < 10 I would guess for an apartment).  For instance, you can turn off the fridge breaker by running an extension cord and running it to a different outlet, etc.  The one for your bedroom light is a pain but you use a flashlight for that day. 

If he does the above he should know exactly what is going on within a week or two tops.  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
And don't hire an electrician.  They have some more advanced equipment like circuit testers, and can review the wiring, but you (he) can do this yourselves with some basic troubleshooting.  Only after you find something wrong, then you hire the electrician

 
wilked said:
first good piece of advice in here

I would this first, should take all of 5 mins and it's effective.  If the meter turns while the main is off, you got a problem.  If he does the above and gets no complaints, here are the next steps.

1. You go visit your brother in law, bring 6-12 beers with you.

2. Go one by one, breaker by breaker, and map out each electric use in the apartment to a breaker.  Should take both of you less than a 6 pack, but you might need 8-10 if you haven't done it before.  Map every light, appliance, and of course the electric heat.

3. Once this is done, set up a table and start taking daily readings of his meter.  Every day (say before he goes to work or when he gets home) just jot the number down on the meter.  He needs to be more proactive than waiting for the elec company to send him a bill at the end of the month.

4. Finally, start experimenting.  Turn off various breakers, one at a time, for a day or two.  See if you can do all of them over a period of a week or two (should only be < 10 I would guess for an apartment).  For instance, you can turn off the fridge breaker by running an extension cord and running it to a different outlet, etc.  The one for your bedroom light is a pain but you use a flashlight for that day. 

If he does the above he should know exactly what is going on within a week or two tops.  
Click to expand...
This is all solid advice, but good chance the fridge is on a dedicated outlet and would overload and  throw the breaker on anything else if plugged into it.

 
The culprit is the electric heat. He might have some other big wattage stuff(cable box) that
looks fine, but it's the heat. 

 
JaxBill said:
nightmare said:
The culprit is the electric heat. He might have some other big wattage stuff(cable box) that
looks fine, but it's the heat. 
Click to expand...
But don't the other apartments with the much cheaper bills also have electric heat?
Click to expand...
I believe it was mentioned the apartment across the hall with the <$100 bill has electric heat, but the others have gas.  Could make a big difference if the OP's brother likes it 70 in the winter and the neighbor gets by at 63 and what side of the house they are on (wind).

 
WDIK2 said:
I believe it was mentioned the apartment across the hall with the <$100 bill has electric heat, but the others have gas.  Could make a big difference if the OP's brother likes it 70 in the winter and the neighbor gets by at 63 and what side of the house they are on (wind).
Click to expand...
It also depends on if there are heat pumps on those units. If the neighbor is using the heat pump and then the electric strip heat is the back up heat, his bill would be a lot less.

The brother needs to check his thermostat to see if it is set to Emergency Heat. If that's the case he is running strip heat only and not the heat pumps. 

 
El Floppo said:
This is all solid advice, but good chance the fridge is on a dedicated outlet and would overload and  throw the breaker on anything else if plugged into it.
Click to expand...
Fridges only pull 3-5 amps...should be ok on a 15 amp breaker for a day if he keeps an eye on it.  But point taken...  there is a risk in there that it trips the circuit if it's already near the max.  Just move it to a circuit that is not heavily loaded

 
ChiefD said:
It also depends on if there are heat pumps on those units. If the neighbor is using the heat pump and then the electric strip heat is the back up heat, his bill would be a lot less.

The brother needs to check his thermostat to see if it is set to Emergency Heat. If that's the case he is running strip heat only and not the heat pumps. 
Click to expand...
Window AC units and electric baseboard heaters.  Would it be likely they have heat pumps?  I'm asking because I don't know.  :shrug:  

 
WDIK2 said:
Window AC units and electric baseboard heaters.  Would it be likely they have heat pumps?  I'm asking because I don't know.  :shrug:  
Click to expand...
Ah, I guess I missed the part about window units. My bad.

Scratch all of my advice then.  :lol:   Thought he had an air handler and traditional AC or heat pump.

 
Just because the ACs haven't been on doesn't mean I'd rule them out. He could have a balanced billing plan with heavy usage in the summer but the bill balanced throughout the year. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

GordonGekko
Energy Crisis: Has Your Electricity/Gas Bill Gone Completely Out Of Control Recently? (16/30)
Replies
6
Views
444
STEADYMOBBIN 22
STEADYMOBBIN 22
GregR
Greg's Useless Trivia #50 - 100 questions (75 greatest hits, 25 new)
Replies
19
Views
2K
GregR
GregR
GordonGekko
OP/ED "The Trouble With Socialism Is That Eventually You Run Out Of Other People's Money." (4/22/22 21:05PST)
2 3
Replies
138
Views
3K
Toby2ElectricBugaloo
T

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top