Your Energy Just Did WHAT?
Usage spikes are expensive surprises. We catch them in hours—not weeks—so you can fix the problem before your bill makes you cry.
The $200 Surprise Nobody Warns You About
How It Usually Goes
- 1. Your water heater element fails on December 1st
- 2. It starts running 24/7 trying to heat water
- 3. Your usage triples. You have no idea.
- 4. January 5th: $387 bill arrives
- 5. You call provider. "Usage was higher." Thanks.
Total damage: $200+ extra over 35 days
How It Goes With Us
- 1. Your water heater element fails on December 1st
- 2. By December 2nd, we see the spike pattern
- 3. You get an alert: "Usage 180% above normal"
- 4. We flag "24/7 flat usage = likely water heater"
- 5. You call a plumber. Fixed December 3rd.
Total damage: ~$15 (2 days instead of 35)
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.
Single-Day Spike (Investigated)
Usage Anomaly Detected
Date
December 18, 2024
Spike Usage
98.4 kWh
Normal Usage
42.1 kWh
Cost Impact
+$8.47
Ongoing Issue (Action Required)
URGENT: Multi-Day Spike
Started
December 18, 2024
Current Usage
156.2 kWh
Normal Usage
45.0 kWh
Total Cost Impact
+$52.84
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)
Constant elevated usage with no daily pattern.
Likely: Water heater failure, stuck HVAC relay, pool pump issue
Night Spikes Only
High usage during sleeping hours, normal during day.
Likely: Space heater left on, HVAC aux heat kicking in at night
Cycling Pattern
Usage cycles on/off but runs much more than usual.
Likely: HVAC short-cycling, refrigerator compressor issue
Gradual Creep
Slow increase over days/weeks—easy to miss.
Likely: Dirty HVAC filter, aging appliance, insulation issue
Single-Day Spike
One unusual day, then back to normal.
Likely: Guests, holiday cooking, meter misread, extreme weather
Daytime Only
High usage only during business hours.
Likely: Working from home, new appliance during day, solar inverter issue
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.
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.
Analyze the Cause
We cross-reference weather, time-of-day patterns, and your appliance profile to suggest likely causes.
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) -> URGENT
Real Example
Your baseline
Normal variance
Alert threshold
Today = SPIKE
What Your Provider Says vs Reality
They have the data. They just don't share it like this.
"Your usage doubled" from provider
They tell you it happened. We tell you WHY and what to do.
"Check your meter" is their solution
We show you hourly patterns to pinpoint the exact problem.
"Meters are never wrong"
Smart meter errors exist. We help you document patterns for disputes.
"Pay now, dispute later"
We arm you with data BEFORE the bill hits.
"Probably just cold weather"
We 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.
Red Flags We Help Document
-
Usage spike doesn't match neighbors during same weather
-
Spike happened while you were on vacation
-
Pattern impossible (more kWh than your main breaker allows)
-
Previous month was "estimated" and this month "caught up"
-
Usage returned to normal with no changes made
What We Provide for Disputes
-
Hourly usage data showing the anomaly
-
30-day baseline comparison charts
-
Weather data for the period in question
-
Neighbor comparison (anonymized)
-
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?
With Live Link connected, we can alert you within 4-6 hours of unusual usage starting. Without Live Link, we analyze daily data and can catch spikes within 24-48 hours. Either way, you'll know BEFORE your bill arrives.
What counts as a 'spike'?
We look for usage that's significantly higher than your baseline—typically 50%+ above your normal daily average. But we also catch 'slow leaks'—gradual 15-20% increases over several days that might indicate a failing appliance.
Can you tell exactly which appliance caused the spike?
We can't identify specific appliances without dedicated monitoring equipment, but we can analyze patterns. A spike that starts at 2am and runs 24/7? Probably water heater. Spike that correlates with outdoor temp drops? HVAC. Spike only during certain hours? Something on a schedule.
What if I think my meter is wrong?
Smart meters can malfunction—it happens more than utilities admit. We help you document the pattern, compare it to similar homes, and prepare a dispute if the data supports it. You have rights, and data is your best weapon.
Is this the same as whole-home energy monitoring?
No—dedicated monitors like Sense or Emporia give you circuit-level detail. We use smart meter data, which is less granular but doesn't require any hardware. We're great at catching spikes and patterns; circuit monitors are better at identifying specific appliances.
Can I see historical spikes?
Yes, your dashboard shows all detected anomalies with full context—when they happened, how long they lasted, what we think caused them, and how much they cost you.
Stop Getting Blindsided
The average usage spike costs $50-200 before you even know it happened. We catch them in hours, not weeks.