There can be many reasons for a high utility bill ranging from weather, to higher occupancy and activity, to faulty appliances or a water leak. If you are noticing a higher than normal bill this month, here are some things to look at.
Utility costs tend to be highest during the summer. This is directly related to high temperatures. During hot days, your air conditioning has to work hard to keep your house cool and uses significantly more power. When temperatures are higher, expect to use more electricity. Water costs also tend to increase due to increased lawn and garden watering. These costs can be partially mitigated by turning the temperature on your thermostat up a few degrees and by limiting your watering. Try not to water your lawn or garden during daylight hours when you’ll lose more water to evaporation.
When appliances aren’t running well, they can use a significant amount of power. A bad seal around a refrigerator or freezer door could be costing you unnecessary money. Appliances that have filters don’t run as efficiently when the filter is dirty. Change them regularly. Our Power Department offers a free power audit. They can tell you when you’ve had spikes in power usage to help you figure out what appliances might be costing you more than you expect. They can be reached at (801) 489-2750.
Check for leaks around your house. A leaking toilet, faucet, water heater, or spigot can waste a lot of precious water. Your sprinkler system may be wasting water as well. Adjust any sprinkler heads that are spraying sidewalks or roads and limit watering times where possible. USU Extension offers a free Water Check Program to help you conserve water. Visit their website for details.
Springville City works hard to keep your rates low while maintaining quality service. Occasionally rates are increased a small amount to keep up with costs and inflation. Even after an increase, our city has some of the lowest utility rates in Utah County. Most customers will have their highest utility bills in July and August because of heavy utility use, while having lower bills during the rest of the year. Check your sprinkler system for increased water usage during hot months, or your thermostat setting for air conditioning.
What can you do to mitigate higher bills in the future? Here are a couple of tips for a more predictable bill:
To sign up for budget billing or if you have other questions regarding your bill, contact the utility billing department at (801) 491-7860 or (801) 489-2710.