Usage Anomaly Detected
Single-day spike on December 18, 2024: 98.4 kWh vs 42.1 kWh normal. Cost impact +$8.47.
The $200 Surprise
How It Usually Goes
How It Usually Goes
Total damage: $200+ extra over 35 days
- Your water heater element fails on December 1st
- It starts running 24/7 trying to heat water
- Your usage triples. You have no idea.
- January 5th: $387 bill arrives
- You call provider. "Usage was higher." Thanks.
How It Goes With Us
How It Goes With Us
Total damage: ~$15 (2 days instead of 35)
- Your water heater element fails on December 1st
- By December 2nd, we see the spike pattern
- You get an alert: "Usage 180% above normal"
- We flag "24/7 flat usage = likely water heater"
- You call a plumber. Fixed December 3rd.
This Is What You See
Real alerts from real patterns. Not just "your usage is high"—actual intelligence about what's happening and what to do.
URGENT: Multi-Day Spike
Ongoing issue started December 18, 2024: 156.2 kWh vs 45.0 kWh normal. Total cost impact +$52.84. Action required.
We Don't Just See Spikes—We Read Patterns
Different problems create different signatures. Here's how we tell them apart.
Flat & High (24/7)
DetectedConstant elevated usage with no daily pattern. Likely: Water heater failure, stuck HVAC relay, pool pump issue.
High severity
Night Spikes Only
DetectedHigh usage during sleeping hours, normal during day. Likely: Space heater left on, HVAC aux heat kicking in at night.
Medium severity
Cycling Pattern
DetectedUsage cycles on/off but runs much more than usual. Likely: HVAC short-cycling, refrigerator compressor issue.
Medium severity
Gradual Creep
DetectedSlow increase over days/weeks—easy to miss. Likely: Dirty HVAC filter, aging appliance, insulation issue.
Medium severity
Single-Day Spike
One unusual day, then back to normal. Likely: Guests, holiday cooking, meter misread, extreme weather.
Low severity
Daytime Only
High usage only during business hours. Likely: Working from home, new appliance during day, solar inverter issue.
Low severity
How Spike Detection Works
It's not magic. It's math, pattern recognition, and actually giving a damn.
- ⬜
Learn Your Baseline
We analyze 30+ days of your usage to understand what's normal for YOUR home. Not averages. Your actual patterns.
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Watch for Anomalies
Our algorithms flag usage that deviates significantly from your baseline—both sudden spikes and gradual increases.
- ⬜
Alert You Fast
Get notified within hours of unusual usage—not when your bill arrives 3 weeks later.
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Analyze the Cause
We cross-reference weather, time-of-day patterns, and your appliance profile to suggest likely causes.
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Help You Act
Whether it's calling an HVAC tech, disputing a meter read, or just knowing to check your water heater.
The Actual Math We Use
Here's how we catch problems you'd never notice.
// Baseline calculation
baseline = median(last_30_days)
adjusted = baseline x weather_factor
threshold = adjusted + (std_dev x 2)
// Spike detection
if (today > threshold) -> ALERT
severity = (today - baseline) / baseline
if (3_day_avg > threshold) -> URGENT42 kWh
Your baseline
±8 kWh
Normal variance
58 kWh
Alert threshold
98 kWh
Today = SPIKE
What Your Provider Says vs Reality
They have the data. They just don't share it like this.
- They Say
"Your usage doubled" from provider
RealityThey tell you it happened. We tell you WHY and what to do.
- They Say
"Check your meter" is their solution
RealityWe show you hourly patterns to pinpoint the exact problem.
- They Say
"Meters are never wrong"
RealitySmart meter errors exist. We help you document patterns for disputes.
- They Say
"Pay now, dispute later"
RealityWe arm you with data BEFORE the bill hits.
- They Say
"Probably just cold weather"
RealityWe compare your spike to your neighbors. If only you spiked, it's not weather.
When It's NOT Your Fault
Smart meters can malfunction. Reads can be estimated wrong. When the data doesn't add up, we help you build your case.
When It's NOT Your Fault
- 1
Usage spike doesn't match neighbors during same weather
A red flag we help document with anonymized neighbor comparison data.
- 2
Spike happened while you were on vacation
Hourly usage data shows the anomaly even when the home was empty.
- 3
Pattern impossible for your service
More kWh than your main breaker physically allows — a documentable error.
- 4
Previous month "estimated", this month "caught up"
We provide 30-day baseline comparison charts and weather data for the period.
- 5
Usage returned to normal with no changes made
We compile a PDF report formatted for utility dispute submission.
Important: We can't guarantee dispute outcomes—utilities make the final call. But having actual data vs "I don't think it's right" dramatically improves your chances. PUCT (Texas) regulations require utilities to respond to data-backed disputes within specific timeframes.
Questions About Spike Detection
How quickly will I know about a usage spike?
What counts as a 'spike'?
Can you tell exactly which appliance caused the spike?
What if I think my meter is wrong?
Is this the same as whole-home energy monitoring?
Can I see historical spikes?
Stop Getting Blindsided
The average usage spike costs $50-200 before you even know it happened. We catch them in hours, not weeks.