Account Links and Information

There are many factors that can result in increased bills. Here is a list of questions to ask yourself:

• Does the bill cover a longer bill period than normal?
  The bill period dates are shown in the top right corner of the bill. The number of days in the billing period is shown on the top of the second page on your bill. A longer bill period will result in more usage and increased bill amount.
• Have there been any recent changes in activities in the home?
  Having company, being home more or completing additional loads of laundry all can have a significant impact on the amount of utilities consumed.
• Does the billing period cover a new season?
  The season (spring, summer, winter, fall) can have a significant impact on our utility usage.
• Have usage rates increased?
  Electricity rates are set by the province of Ontario under the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). These rates periodically will increase. To obtain electricity rate information click here. Municipalities set water usage rates. These rates are typically updated at the start of every year. For further information visit your municipality’s Water Billing web page.
• Do you have an electric heat source?
  Electric heat sources are VERY expensive. During times when the heat is on you can expect much higher bills.
• Do you have a water softener?
  Water softeners are a very common source of increased water use. Check settings to ensure it is not backwashing too frequently or with too large a volume of water. Water softeners also commonly leak.

There may be a water leak in the unit. Sometimes this can be a shock to homeowners as we often envision leaks as visible and audible, however, they can sometimes go back down the drain without ever being noticed or be intermittent.

We recommend the following two actions be completed if you do not have online hourly readings:

1. Take Photo of Meter Reading
   We ask that you take a photo of your meter and send it to us as at billing@cleancutenergy.ca so that we can review the reading and ensure it is accurate. The photo should include the serial number on the meter as well as the reading. If there was an error in the reading, the amount will be revised on your account.
   We have attached a Meter Reading Guide that will assist you in identifying the model of meter within your unit and how to get the reading.
2. Complete Leak Test
   We recommend that after taking the photo of the meter reading you run a leak test. Ensure there is nothing using water in your unit (e.g., dishwasher, flushing toilet, laundry, shower, sinks etc.) and watch the meter to see if it is recording water usage and increasing. If the number is still increasing, you likely have a leak and we recommend you contact a plumber to complete an inspection.

Use our online tracking tool to help determine what might be the cause of the high bill. If you have online hourly or daily data available, we recommend that you log into your online account to review your data in closer detail. Using the online usage tool enables you to see when the utilities were consumed. This will help you determine what activities were occurring when there was increased use of utilities. We recommend that you keep a log of activities like laundry and cooking so you can compare them to your online usage and you can see how it influences usage.

Water meters have a life of approximately 10 years. When they start to fail they slow down or stop, they never speed up and add usage. Electricity and thermal heating/cooling readings are taken remotely through a wireless internet connection. They are working accurately and are inspected by a third party, Measurement Canada.