How to Read Your Energy Bill

If you are like most homeowners, you might be paying your monthly energy bill without ever giving it much thought. However, these bills can hold some surprising truths about your energy consumption, system efficiency, and how your local utility company calculates charges. Knowing how to read your energy bill will not only inform your decisions, help you spot issues before they become costly, and even help navigate the solar panel installation process. While homeowners have been trained to hone in on the ‘Account Summary’ section of their energy bills, there are a few other sections that will provide you with helpful insights.

One of the most important statistics on your energy bill has to do with your kWh, or kilowatt-hours. Calculated based on your rate plan, your home or business’s per-kWh rate measures your overall energy consumption. Keep an eye out for what type of rate plan your utility company uses, as some are fixed rates, while others are tiered and are determined based on time of use—making peak and off-peak hours more important.

The phrase “the devil’s in the details” perfectly applies to the ‘Bill Details’ section of your bill. This is where your energy usage meets additional charges. These added expenses support the way your company’s grid generates, transmits, and distributes your energy.

If you are looking to reduce or conserve your energy, it will be extra handy to monitor your monthly usage, which is typically provided on your bill. You can track which months hit you hardest and even track your usage from year to year.

Your Energy Bill After Switching to Solar

No matter if you are a homeowner or a business owner, the way your energy bill looks changes drastically when you switch to solar, because you will now be considered a net metering customer. Once your solar panels produce energy, it is first used by your property and then the excess will be transferred to the meter and into the grid, meaning you will now get credited for your extra energy production, saving you big on monthly bills. And typically, your energy bill will only register the energy that has passed through your meter, so this number will look different than the total PV panel energy production. On the flip side, if you need to pull energy from the grid, it will show up on your bill too.

When you are ready to make the switch to solar, give our experienced solar specialists at SolarUnion to learn more. We will not only install your system perfectly, providing a 25-year performance warranty, but we will also walk you through your new energy bill, so you understand exactly how you’re saving.

Are you interested in learning more about solar energy, or ready to install a solar system on your home? Call our SolarUnion experts at (888) 815-6633 or contact us online today!