I heard a story at work, a gas utility company. Customer complained about
high gas bills, wanted someone to come out and check the meter and
equipment. Serviceman checks everything, all OK but lots of gas flowing
through the meter. While talking to the customer, serviceman looks out
window on a winter day just after a big snowfall. An outdoor barbecue is
sitting in the back yard with NO snow on it, while everything is covered
with it. They go outdoors and find the BBQ running on high, and has been for
the past 3 months since it was last used. That was the cause of the high
bills.

"No" wrote in message ...
dpb wrote:
Kravynn wrote:
...
....My electric bill is more than my rent at this point. I'm a
single mom and I'm in a state of panic.

One more diagnostic check...turn absolutely everything in the house off
(unplug the refrigerator if need or wait until it cycles off and trip
the breaker to the water heater) and go check the meter--it should not
be moving. If it is, you have either something still on and drawing
power or a meter problem or a leak-path problem. If this shows a
problem, get your brother back w/ his clamp-on ammeter and have him
help you find out where it's going or have the utility company check
for a service problem on their side first.

The point is, the bill is high because the metered usage is high--you
need to know where the usage is to know what to attack first.

The thought of the refrigerator reminds me of another related to it--if
you haven't done so for a while, check behind it and clean the
coils--they're a wonderful collector and the accumulated dirt and
fuzz-balls kills efficiency.

Reason I know 'bout the fridge thing. Once someone gave my wife one for a
small retail shop she ran. They put it in the basement and the elec bill
was almost $200 higher the next month. We tossed it and bought a new
cheapie and the bill want back down to almost where it was before.