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Troubleshooting Your Bill

Understanding how you are billed may help you understand how you can control your usage and demand, and in turn lower your electric bill. It may also explain why some months are higher than others.

Use the information in the chart below to help answer questions on your bill. If you still have questions, we are happy to take your call and assist you, or you can use our contact form to send us a message. We will get back to you as soon as we can. 

Click here to see a copy of an Access Energy Cooperative bill, with a description of each section on the bill.

Review Your Usage and Demand History

The kilowatt hours (kWh) you use and the monthly demand (KW) you set are the main drivers of cost on your electric bill. The best place to review the kilowatt hour and demand history on your account is by using the SmartHub app either on our website or in the app for mobile devices. In SmartHub, you can compare month to month, year to year, even day to day usage to see how you are using energy. This may help you look for ways to change your usage habits that could help lower your bill.

Click here for more information on SmartHub.

Other Fees

Check to be sure your bill doesn't have any other charges beyond energy and demand charges. Does it include any unusual service fees such as a deposit or disconnection fees, returned check fees, etc.?

  • Have any past-due amounts from a previous bill been added to the total?
  • Are there ancillary charges added to the bill for other products or services?
Days of Use

Check the number of days that are billed for your electric use. This varies from bill to bill due to the number of days in a month, and a billing cycle may be a bit shorter or a bit longer depending on when the due date lands during the week.

Seasonal Energy Use

Heating and cooling generally comprise the largest portion of your bill. An increase in heating or cooling will cause an increase in your bill.

Take a look at the kilowatt hour and demand totals compared month to month. If winter months seem higher than others, it is likely due to things like heating your home or increased water heater use, and things like space heater use, electric fire places, and livestock or vehicle heating equipment cal also cause an increase in the winter.

An increase in usage in the summer months generally indicates an increase in air conditioning for your home. Variances in temperature can create a significant difference in usage from day to day, or even from year to year. Running a dehumidifier, watering lawns, gardens, or animals can also affect energy use in the summer if your water is run by an electric pump.

Appliances

Sometimes we just don’t realize how much electricity we are actually using. Make a list of the appliances in your home. Just seeing a list of how many things you have plugged in can help make sense of energy use habits and how they can affect your bill.

All appliances do not use the same amount of electricity, but if they are plugged in, they are probably using some -- even if they are not turned on. Most members gradually add more and more electrical devices, causing a gradual increase in the electricity consumed.

Electric Meters Don't Go On Vacation

If leave your home for an extended period of time for business or vacation, remember that any appliance you leave plugged in or connected will continue to use electricity even while you are gone, especially your water heater, freezer, refrigerator, HVAC system, landscape irrigation, well pump, etc.

Most of us note that the TV and lights were not on, but we forget about the other items.

You could save a little while you are away by setting the temperature on your water heater to the vacation mode, or just turning it down. Adjust the temperature of your heating system or air conditioner so it runs less while you are away. If your refrigerator is basically empty while you are gone, you can put gallons of water in your refrigerator to help maintain a consistent temperature; and then turn the temperature up as well.

Lifestyle

No two households use energy the same way, so comparing your energy bill to your neighbor’s is like comparing apples to oranges. It is best to compare your current use to your own past use. 

Some other things to consider that could cause an increase in electric usage:

  • Did the size of your household increase?
  • Has someone stayed at home more than in the past?
  • Have you added a new swimming pool or hot tub?
  • Have you had guests stay for an extended period?
  • Do you have hobbies that include the use of power tools, ovens, appliances or other electrical devices that use a lot of power?
Lighting and Refrigeration

The location of refrigerators and freezers is very important. Never place a refrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight or in unconditioned space such as a breeze way, garage or out-building. The refrigerator or freezer will have to work harder to overcome excessive heat during warmer months. Make sure that your refrigerators and freezers have adequate ventilation.

Make sure you use efficient lighting to save energy. LEDs are available in various colors, styles, and shapes that can fit in most places where an incandescent bulb is. In places where you use the most lighting, it makes sense to replace high wattage lighting with lower usage LED lights. 

Equipment Maintenance

If an appliance is more than 15 years old, the efficiency of that appliance may be decreasing significantly and requiring more energy to do its job. It is important to clean or replace the condenser, coils or filters on some appliances regularly. You may need to replace the appliance itself.

Many times old electrical wiring will have loose connections resulting in increased electrical use and create potential safety hazards. It is a good practice to have older wiring inspected regularly for safety and efficiency.

Weather

Lightning can sometimes damage well pumps, sump pumps, or other appliances and cause an increase in how often the device is running. If the underground insulation on the wiring is damaged, an increase in electrical use may occur when the ground is saturated with moisture.

Construction or Remodeling Activities

Power tools and other electrical equipment is necessary for making repairs and remodeling a home. This could cause an increase in energy use.

Have you added any space to your home? If rooms or addtions were added, did the contractor re-evaluate your heating and cooling system(s) to ensure it is adequate to accomodate the new space? Did they properly install return air vents?.

Has there been any underground excavation recently? If you have underground wiring, the electrical wires may have been nicked resulting in a direct short.

Dedicated to exceeding member's expectations for safe, reliable, efficient service while being a good citizen in our communities.

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1800 West Washington Street 

P.O. Box 440

Mount Pleasant, IA 52641

To REPORT AN OUTAGE CALL

319-385-1577 | 866-242-4232

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Please see complete statement of non-discrimination here: https://accessenergycoop.com/equal-opportunity-statement

©2025 Access Energy Cooperative. Safe, reliable, efficient service and a good citizen in our communities.

  • Home
  • Your Cooperative
    • About AEC
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Board of Directors
        • How to Run for the Board of Directors
      • Service Area
      • Employment Opportunities
      • Cooperative Principles
      • Where Does Our Power Come From?
      • History of Co-ops
      • Touchstone Energy
    • Policies
      • Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws
      • E-Business Privacy Policy
      • Identity Theft Protection
      • Privacy Policy
      • Rights and Remedies
      • Statement of Nondiscrimination
    • Member Benefits
      • Monthly Magazine
      • Coop News
      • Dividends
        • Treasure Hunt
      • New Member Info
      • What does it mean to be a member?
      • Annual Meeting
      • Election of Directors
  • Your Account
    • Payment Options
      • Bank Draft
      • Budget Billing
      • Credit/Debit Card Payments
      • Payment Drop Box
      • SmartHub
    • Billing
      • Your Bill
      • Troubleshooting Your Bill
      • Rates
      • What is Demand?
        • Single Phase Demand Calculator
      • Dividends
      • Moving/Address Changes
      • IA Energy Assist Program (LIHEAP)
    • Electrical Equipment
      • Your Meter
      • Who Owns What?
      • New Construction/ New Meter
  • Services
    • Residential
      • Residential Rebates
      • Energy Audits
      • Outside Area Lighting
      • Financing for Energy Efficiency Improvements
    • Business
      • Business Rebates
      • Business Energy Audits
      • Power Quality
      • Thermal Imaging
  • Safety
    • General
      • Safety Tips
      • Safety Equipment
      • Safe Electricity
    • Safety Policies and Procedures
      • Grain Bin Clearance
      • Call Before You Dig!
  • Co-op/Community
    • Programs for Youth
      • Scholarships
      • Lineworker Scholarships
      • Summer Work and Internships
      • Youth Tour Contest
    • Tools For Schools
      • Teachers Zone
      • Safety Demonstrations
    • Community Involvement
      • Legislation
      • Contact Your Legislators
      • Economic Development
        • BizConnections
      • Revolving Loan Fund
    • General
      • Photo Contest
      • RECare
      • Discount Card
  • Energy Solutions
    • Saving Energy
      • Energy Audits
      • Rebates and Low Interest Loans
      • Energy Saving Ideas
      • Together We Save
    • Renewable Energy
      • Access to Green Energy Program
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Solar and Wind Energy Generation
  • Outages/Maintenance
    • Outages
    • Maintenance Programs
    • Restoring Power
    • Tree Trimming
    • Power Blinks
    • Frequently Asked Questions