Quote:
Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse
A/C will absolutely murder your power bill though, I think I ended up paying an extra 100% when I ran it all the time.
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I guess it depends on what you have for A/C. I just have a a window unit, and I figure it costs me about $10-15 per month to run. I did make sure to buy a timer for it, so it doesn't kick on too early. I also put a 45 minute power off cycle into the timer; in case its a humid day any ice that builds up can melt and the A/C can go back to regular efficiency.
To answer the OP- check to see if your bill is actual usage or estimated. Also ask them how the last bill from the previous people was calculated; actual or estimated. I ran into a similar problem when I was living in GP. I moved in on the 1st, but came back to Calgary 2 days later and didn't go back until about the 21st. I got a huge bill and tried to fight it, and they explained that because it was estimated it would work itself out. Then the next month there was a problem because my actual usage was negative (because they had estimated too high) and they threatened to cut off my power because they thought I was doing something wrong- like a grow op.
This went on for months, and I kept refusing to pay the over estimated bill. It turns out the guy who had my place before me was using it as a home business. After living there for 6 months the estimates became a little closer to normal; they would only do an actual reading every other month.