When you conduct over 3000 Home Energy Audits per year you’re bound to run into some interesting opinions. Many people believe certain things about home energy consumption that are just not true. These “Energy Myths” have often been inherited from one generation to the next. “Grandma always said…” is the typical preface to many of these energy myths. But a whole lot has changed in the last 50-100 years that makes grandma’s recommendations obsolete. Sorry Grandma. So after hearing many different Energy Myths from many different energy customers, the staff of Conservation Consultants got together and compiled some of the most common ones into a list of… drum roll please…

Water bills have several components different than other utilities that are mostly unknown to customers. Listed on your bill is the meter size, which for a residential home is usually 5/8” or 3/4”. Based on this size there is a minimum charge for using water (between $10-15/month). Then any usage above this minimum, which can vary widely, is charged per 100 gallons. If your water utility also provides wastewater treatment, then based on your usage the utility makes a standardized determination of what water goes from your house and down the drain into the sewer system.

Everyone gets them. Those pesky reminders that gas, electric and water are not provided free by the ‘Utility Fairy,’ but are rather commodities for which we must pay. Utility bills are the necessary result of the ease with which we turn on our TVs, wash dishes and stay warm on cold nights. They also serve as monthly updates on our daily lives, how high or low the thermostat was set, how long the lawn sprinklers were left on and when the new freezer was installed. With the right information anyone who gets a utility bill can assess their own usage, understand where their money is being spent and consider ways of subtly changing their habits to lower both usage and bill amount.