I live in a 1900 sq ft townhouse, and my electricity bills have skyrocketed since I moved in. My average monthly usage is around 1500 kWh, but I've noticed strange spikes of 20-30 kWh every night from 8pm to midnight, during which my family is asleep and hardly using any power. The utility company confirmed insane spikes, with up to 54 kWh used in a single night between 8pm and 11pm. I'm starting to wonder if someone is stealing electricity, if there's a wiring issue, or if my smart meter is faulty. Has anyone else experienced something like this? What could be causing such high usage at night, and what should I do?
2 Answers
It's great that you already have a plan in place! Those evening spikes seem really suspicious, like someone might be tapping into your power. I suggest checking your neighbors' setups too; if someone is running heavy equipment or charging an EV, that could explain the high numbers. Keep the utility company in the loop as you do your tests; they might take you more seriously when you have hard evidence. Good luck and don’t forget to update us on what you find out!
Have you thought about your water heater? Sometimes if it's set on a weird timer, it could be heating at odd hours and using a lot of power. Just a thought since you mentioned a gas tankless setup. Also, check for any stray wires in your attic that could be drawing power unexpectedly. It might be worth hiring an electrician to do a thorough look around if you can’t track it down soon. Good luck!
Definitely keep us posted! This sounds intriguing.