Question:
“I haven’t touched my thermostat. Why is my bill higher?
Answer:
This February was 29 percent colder than an average February.
Power bills following extremely cold weather can be higher even when you haven’t changed the thermostat because your heating unit must run longer to keep your home at the programmed setting.
Even efficient heating systems use much more electricity during these cold snaps.
For example, during mild weather, your heater might have to make up a 20- or 30-degree difference to reach 68°. With the polar vortex, it has to make up around 70 degrees.
Using space heaters can increase your energy consumption because they require additional energy to run.
To learn where your energy dollars are going, check out our Home Energy Advisor.