A method for determining a base load profile of a household electrical network, which network is connected to a supply network and has a plurality of load connections, by means of a measuring device connected to one of the load connections, wherein the base load profile is similar in cyclically recurring time windows (W r), comprising the steps: (a) initialising a memory of the measuring device with a sequence of measurement times (t k) distributed over a time window (W r) and with a respective reference conductance value (S k) for each measurement time (t k); (b) feeding a measurement signal of a signal generator of the measuring device into the load connection at a measurement time (t k) of the sequence and capturing a signal response at the load connection in an evaluation unit of the measuring device; (c) determining a conductance value (G k) of the load connection, which value appertains to said measurement time (t k), from the captured signal response in the evaluation unit; (d) reading out the reference conductance value (S k) appertaining to said measurement time (t k) from the memory and comparing the determined conductance value (G k) with the read out reference conductance value (S k) and, when the determined conductance value (G k) is below this reference conductance value (S k), replacing this reference conductance value (S k) in the memory by the determined conductance value (G k); (e) repeating the steps (b) to (d) for a respective further measurement time (t k+1) of the sequence; and (f) repeating the steps (b) to (e) for at least one further sequence of measurement times (t k) distributed in the same manner over a further time window (W r+1), in order to obtain, in the memory, a sequence of reference conductance values (S k) representing the base load profile of the household electrical network, wherein, in step (d), the read out reference conductance value (S k) is increased and replaced in the memory by the increased reference conductance value, when, during comparing, the determined conductance value (G k) is not below the read out reference conductance value (S k). (a) initialising a memory of the measuring device with a sequence of measurement times (t k) distributed over a time window (W r) and with a respective reference conductance value (S k) for each measurement time (t k); (b) feeding a measurement signal of a signal generator of the measuring device into the load connection at a measurement time (t k) of the sequence and capturing a signal response at the load connection in an evaluation unit of the measuring device; (c) determining a conductance value (G k) of the load connection, which value appertains to said measurement time (t k), from the captured signal response in the evaluation unit; (d) reading out the reference conductance value (S k) appertaining to said measurement time (t k) from the memory and comparing the determined conductance value (G k) with the read out reference conductance value (S k) and, when the determined conductance value (G k) is below this reference conductance value (S k), replacing this reference conductance value (S k) in the memory by the determined conductance value (G k); (e) repeating the steps (b) to (d) for a respective further measurement time (t k+1) of the sequence; and (f) repeating the steps (b) to (e) for at least one further sequence of measurement times (t k) distributed in the same manner over a further time window (W r+1), in order to obtain, in the memory, a sequence of reference conductance values (S k) representing the base load profile of the household electrical network,