Time of Use Rates: How to Avoid a Surprise Bill

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Is your home utility bill starting to creep up on you each month? Have you noticed that time of use rates are increasing the cost of utilities for homeowners, making it harder than ever before to stay within a budget. This post will discuss how these time of use rates work and what can be done in order to avoid them.

Why do time-of-use charges exist?

If the grid is too strained, the results can be tragic. Broken equipment; blackouts that may lead to brownouts and eventually total power loss for some homes or businesses (or even entire neighborhoods); wildfire as utility companies struggle with keeping up during an emergency situation where everyone’s needs are at maximum capacity – this was what happened just last summer! Utilities across America have a solution so these hardships don’t happen as often, raise prices high enough people will adjust their usage accordingly.

When is "peak demand?"

So when is it that your electricity company might bump up its rates? It primarily depends on the climate. Here in Colorado, this time of year you’re most likely to use air conditioning (Which we all know is expensive). And running appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers can really rack up those energy bills!

With peak demand times varying by provider as well as season – sometimes they’ll be higher during winter months due to increased usage from home owners using their furnaces while other days could have higher peaks around summertime if everyone has air conditioning turned on full blast– there will always something going down so keep checking back with your utility.

Tips to avoid time of use charges

The more habits you can shift from peak demand time to other times of the day when electricity is cheaper, the less your family will pay in time-of-use rates. Here are a few tips for saving money:

Do laundry before bedtime or first thing in the morning if possible.
Adjust thermostat settings during off periods so it’s set at a lower temperature.
Run dishwasher overnight if possible.
Increase insulation and sealing around windows.
Shower/bathe in the mornings.
Use natural light whenever possible.
Turn off lights that aren’t needed and install CFLs where possible.

Now, while all of these might not be possible for everyone, Solar power is the perfect solution for those looking to cut their electric bill. Not only does it help you save money, but solar also helps reduce and offset grid-supplied peak demand!

Solar batteries are a great way to get access 24/7 and eliminate your electricity costs. You can store the excess solar energy produced during daylight hours, then use it at night or on those peak-use days when you need reliable power!

Solar battery technology allows homeowners who have installed residential panels to triage both their production and use to maximize the benefit of their panels and minimize their obligation to the utility…ie., they save money!