How much is too much??

Question

I live in a 1 bedroom apartment in the Dallas Fort Worth area, my electric bill came out to be $297 and apparently I "used" 1700 kilowatt hrs. I don't use alot of electricity just when the lights need to be turned on, the tv, the computer and the a/c. Is this too much??

Answer 1

$297 - - - they're overcharging you.    It wouldn't be that much even if you had heat lights and were growing your own weed.

I have a 2 BR much further away from the natural gas, and my electricity costs $25/month.

Answer 2

AC would be the culprit. Probably uses 1500Watts minimum when on.

That's 1.5kW - that would be 37 hours a day all month to get that level!

So either your AC is a lot bigger or there's fun business going on.

You can check your meter to see if it's running like a mad dog even when the AC is off.

Sounds like (if it's not just a mistake) you need an energy audit (list all items and how much they use roughly).

Sometimes the meter readers misplace a digit!

Answer 3

Yes way too much.  Don't believe that if you put you air on auto you will save mony cause you wont you have to turn off and on when needed Also I read that people are stealing other peoples electricity So look into that.

Answer 4

Is your electric bill  for one month?  Or is it for 2 or 3 months?  If it is for 3 months that sounds about right.  If it is for one month it seems a bit high, unless you have your air conditioner on a lot, and you leave your computer on all day, then it would be about right.  You should make sure your meter was read properly.  

Answer 5

It does sound like the AC. Start by replacing the filter. You may also want to talk to the landlord about having the ducts cleaned. Both can make it run less efficiently. Use your thermostat when you're home and turn it off when you're not.  If this doesn't help try managing with opening/closing windows and using fans and wet cloths.

Your TV and computer may also be a drain. How many hours are they on a day?

You can also conserve by unplugging things when not in use to reduce ghosting. especially anything with a clock like DVD player, coffee maker, etc.  If they can't be easily unplugged use a power strip to shut them down.

Answer 6

yes...way too much...you need to contact them and ask them to verify their records and if they insist that you used that much you need to contact the landlord to make sure you have a separate meter.  If you do, then take a picture of the current reading and monitor it.  Also, check around your place and make sure nothing is plugged that should not be.  Use CFL and turn off things that are not in use.(to include phone chargers)