No one likes surprises, particularly when it comes to your expenses. When you haven’t changed your habits, it’s understandable how a higher than normal bill might not seem to makes sense. But, while you haven’t changed anything, the weather has changed.
High temperatures = higher bills
Even if you never change the settings on your A/C, as the days get longer and hotter, your air conditioner needs to run longer to keep you comfortable.
For example, in hotter months, your A/C can run up to twice as long as it does in cooler months to keep your home at the same temperature. Think of it this way: if the outside temperature is 80 degrees and you have your thermostat set to 78 degrees, then your A/C has to cool your home just 2 degrees. However, when it’s 90 degrees outside, your A/C has to cool your home 12 degrees, running longer to keep the indoor temperature at 78 degrees. Your A/C is one of the largest energy users in your home. So, when it’s running longer, your bill will be higher.
Other factors
With children out of school and guests in town you may be busy entertaining with slumber parties and family cookouts, which means more hand-washing, dishwasher loads, showers and laundry. To help control water heating costs, keep your water heater at 120 degrees, try to wash clothes in cold water and run the dishwasher only when it’s full.
Another reason your bill may seem higher than normal is the variation in billing cycle days. The number of days included in your monthly bill can vary between 28 and 35 days due to holidays and other factors. So even if you use the same amount of electricity per day, your bill may be higher, or lower, from one month to the next depending on the number of days of service included in your bill.
Craig Muccio FPL
WFLA's Home Improvement Show 