I am renting a house. It is a block house built in the mid-late 50s.
For the first couple of years I was running an electric bill around
$300/ month (I live in Florida, about $200 is average here), and I
couldn't get the temp to drop below 80. I finally convinced my
landlord to get a new AC unit. I was anxious to see my "new" electric
bill, only to be devastated when it came in at $465! I started turning
off my water heater during the day, desperate to save money. I keep
the AC set at about 80-82, and it stays pretty cold in the house. This
leads me to believe that the thermostat may not be working properly. At
any rate, another month has passed and this bill came in at right
around $400. My brother is an electrician, he said I probably need to
have the breaker box updated, to much power running off a 150 amp main.
I know that there have been 2 rooms and an AC unit added to the house
since it was built. I would appreciate any suggestions, ideas,
input....My electric bill is more than my rent at this point. I'm a
single mom and I'm in a state of panic.

Thanks, Katia