A perplexed homeowner turned to Reddit for advice after receiving an unwelcome surprise: a massive utility bill for their average-sized home.
The scoop
The question on r/homeowners explained the situation: "I just moved into an 1,800 sqft split-level home in September. And my bill seems outrageous to me. $280-$340 a month for a single person who is away for 8-10 hours five days a week is insane. What the hell is using all this power?"
Commenters had thoughts about what might be running up the bills. "Dehumidifiers when they wear out can make crazy electric bills," one user suggested. Another said, "Our water heater uses an enormous amount of energy." Other potential causes included underfloor heating and just plain old greed on the part of the provider.
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What everyone's saying
Other responders had good advice for homeowners looking to save on energy costs. "I'd look at the meter and see if it matches their reading. See if it's spinning like crazy and start shutting off stuff to see if you can find where it's coming from," one wrote.
Another asked, "Can you get an energy audit?" To which another user answered: "I did this years ago. It was free, and they even added things to my house to help. Free of charge. Def recommend."
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Five times or more 🥶 
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