Spike in electricity bills

Cause

Increased hot water and heating usage 

Repair

  • if you have a hot water cylinder, check the overflow (which will appear above the roof or go to a drain). A small amount of intermittent dripping hot water is not unusual, but continuous dripping of hot water being discharged indicates a problem. Call a registered plumber

  • if you think you have not increased your hot water or space heating usage to justify the jump in your bill, call a registered electrician/plumber to check your appliances. You can also shop around energy suppliers to see if you can save money. There are several websites that can help with online comparisons, including Powerswitch, and Glimp (Be aware that weekly spot price plans can occasionally result in a big bill)

  • in the longer term you can reduce space heating/water heating costs by:

    • using more efficient appliances – some space heaters deliver a lot more heat per dollar spent, for example. See the Level website here for details

    • tackling indoor moisture problems. When there are high levels of indoor moisture the air requires more energy to warm up

    • tackling heat loss. Add insulation in the roof space or under the floor if there is none or it is insufficient. Reduce heat loss through windows. If installing double-glazing is beyond your budget, consider secondary glazing, installing plastic film, magnetically attached plastic sheet, plain or low-E glass inside the existing glass, creating a still air gap

       

Cause

Faulty meter or appliances

Repair

  • call a registered electrician to carry out a check if you have not increased your hot water or space heating usage