When Energy Services Coordinator Ross Holter fielded a call from a Co-op member concerned about a high electric bill at an unoccupied cabin, he knew something was amiss, and he was certain it wasn’t the electrical meter.

  Flathead Electric’s meters are rigorously tested for accuracy, and are almost never to blame for a high-bill complaint, so Holter started checking on the electrical use. The bill had been running around 700-800 kilowatt hours per month, and the only appliance in use was a small electric heater left on to keep the pipes from freezing. Suddenly this winter, the owners received a bill for 2,015 kilowatt hours, and they called the Co-op.

  The call alerted Holter that there might be a problem, and automated meter-reading technology allowed him to check electrical use and determine that the bill was correct. Something was generating electrical demand at the cabin, tripling the normal use of electricity. In this case, it was a broken underground pipe, and the well had been pumping continuously, adding between 1,200 and 1,800 kilowatt hours to the bill for each of two months before the problem was discovered.

  Because the owners noticed the bill discrepancy, they were able to check on their cabin and diagnose the problem.

  If you notice a major fluctuation in your electric bill that you can’t readily understand, it may be an indication of a problem that needs to be addressed. Generally, Holter finds the problem is heat or heat-related. Perhaps someone forgot to turn down a thermostat on a baseboard heater.

  Sometimes the culprit isn’t so easy to identify, and the Co-op can help. We’ve published a brochure, available at Co-op offices, that can help you identify your family’s unique energy-use patterns. Just ask for the booklet titled “Your Family Is Unique.” It contains important information about electrical use and how to determine how much energy your family uses.

  If you need more information, call the Co-op. We want to make sure you get the best value for your energy dollar.