Electricity is the flow of electrons. This sounds rather complex, and in some ways, it really is. But many years of innovation have made it fairly simple for the average person to have and use electricity in their home. An electrician can run wires from the public electric lines to your home. They can then set up a panel box with multiple circuits to power all of your appliances, lights, and other electronics. All you have to do is plug things in and maybe flip a few switches. That's pretty awesome, and we decided to write more about it on this blog about electricians.
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If your power bill is suddenly high but you haven't added new appliances and your HVAC is functioning properly, you could have an electrical leak in your home's electric system or wiring. This can potentially be a serious problem, so you'll want to call an electrician right away.
Here are some signs of an electrical leak, a look at a few other things that can drive up your power bill, and what an electrician might do if an electrical leak is discovered.
Signs Of An Electricity Leak
You may not have any sign of a leak until you get a high electric bill. A high bill should be investigated because it could be a sign of something wrong with your electrical system. A leak can be caused by a faulty appliance or wiring. If a stove or other appliance gives you a mild shock, stop using it until you've had it checked.
Heat is another indication of an electricity leak. You might feel heat near an outlet, switch, or on a wall. This could lead to a fire, so you'll want to get help from an electrician as soon as possible.
It's hard to verify you have an electricity leak on your own because you don't want to start bothering appliances and wiring if something has a short. An electrician is trained to handle the problem and has the tools to pinpoint the leak.
Other Causes Of A High Power Bill
A hot water leak can drive up your power bill, and so can a dirty or malfunctioning HVAC unit. If you get a new appliance, that adds to your power bill, and if an old appliance is faulty it might draw more power than it should and make your power bill higher.
Also, if you change your habits and leave lights on longer or have more people living in your house, your power bill will go up. The electrician considers these possibilities and may ask you about anything you've done differently that might be impacting your power bill.
The Electrical Panel Can Help Find The Leak
The electrician may start by checking the circuits in your electrical panel. They can turn a circuit off and then check for a power leak. This helps them narrow down the circuit where the leak is located.
If it's a circuit that supplies power to your stove, they may unplug your stove and check for a leak again. This helps the electrician determine if the stove or circuit is causing the leak. If something is wrong with your stove, you shouldn't use it until an appliance repair person checks and repairs the appliance.
If the power leak is in the circuit, the electrician might need to change the outlet, wiring, or circuit breaker. If multiple things plug into the circuit, the electrician may need to try unplugging things and plugging them in one at a time to pinpoint the problem.
Once the bad circuit is found, the electrician can stop the leak by replacing or repairing the faulty part or wire on the circuit. Get started by contacting an electrician service in your area such as Etheridge Electric Company Inc.
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