Energy bills are recurring expenses, and the use of energy at home never goes away. It is a headache to deal with the high energy costs, so you may wonder which appliances use the most energy. Air conditioning and heating take the top spot at 46%, water heating at 14%, appliances at 13%, lighting at 9%, and TV and media equipment at 4%. The usage is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Let’s take a closer look at these energy categories and find which appliances use the most energy.
In this post, we take the numbers and uses of electricity from energystar.gov and energy.gov.
Air Conditioning and Heating
When asking which appliances use the most energy, HVAC systems top the list. An average HVAC unit consumes 3500 watts that runs 2-3 times an hour. In 24 hours, the HVAC system consumes 28-63 kWh. That makes it 850-1,950 kWh in a month, and this can change depending on its efficiency. Your furnace will need to be serviced to help with efficiency.
Saving Tips
- You can replace air filters and do regular dusting and vacuuming for your HVAC system.
- Reduce HVAC electricity usage by setting the thermostat at 65F during winter and 78F during summer.
- Open curtains in winter and draw them in the sunny season.
- Adjust the way you dress by adding more layers in the cold months and dressing lightly in summer.
Water Heating
Heating equipment is often one of what uses the most electricity in a home. An average water heating unit is used almost daily. It consumes 4500 watts and runs at 3 hours a day. This is equivalent to 13.5 kWh in 24 hours, which can lead to 405 kWh per month.
Saving Tips
- To reduce water heating electricity usage, use shower heads that conserve water and insulate the pipes for hot water.
- Use an insulation jacket to wrap an old water heating unit and you can also purchase a solar water heater.
- Setting a temperature of 120F and lower will also help.
- Be careful of using equipment that involves water to avoid having any water damage at your home.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator consumes about 225 watts. If it runs all day, that will be a monthly total of 162 kWh. Be reminded that newer models are more energy-efficient.
Saving Tips
- Reducing the use of the fridge is impossible, but the uses of electricity can be reduced by setting the temperature according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Always clean the refrigerator’s back and bottom parts to maintain airflow.
- Organize the contents efficiently and items that you always use should be easily accessible.
Laundry Appliances
What uses the most electricity among your appliances? Your washer and dryer works in a pair and consumes 3045 watts. Using the appliance an hour a day will result in 91 kWh every month.
Saving Tips
- When doing your laundry, use cold water and wash in full load.
- Don’t overfill the machines and use drying racks.
- After each load, don’t forget to clean the lint.
Kitchen Appliances
Ovens and stoves are some of what uses the most electricity in a home. The average oven uses 2,500 watts and the stove uses 1,500 in a medium-high heat setting. That amounts to 75 kWh and 45 kWh in one month.
Meanwhile, the dishwasher typically consumes 330 watts. An hour’s use a day will be nearly 10 kWh per month.
Saving Tips
- Try using the microwave or a smaller appliance when cooking or reheating. Avoid preheating when necessary.
- Switch the burners off when you’re almost done so the residual heat can continue to heat or cook the food.
- Reduce dishwasher usage by pre-rinsing soiled dishes so a second cycle won’t be needed.
- Only wash in full loads and turn off the heated dry setting.
Lighting
A 100-watt incandescent bulb turned on for two hours will be 0.2 kWh daily and 6 kWh monthly.
Saving Tips
- Use LED light bulbs because they are more energy-efficient.
- Turn off the lights when not in use and try using natural light.
- Have motion detectors installed on your security lights outdoors so they can only be switched on when needed and avoid common wiring issues.
Television and Media Equipment
Gaming consoles, TVs, and set-top boxes are examples of electronic equipment. Playing video games for 6.3 hours a week and using the TV for about five hours a day will be a total of 55 kWh.
Saving Tips
- Deactivate settings like standby and quick-start and reduce screen brightness on monitors.
- Switch equipment off when not being used.
Just like knowing how to clean a bathtub with bleach, you need to be aware of which appliances use the most energy. Uses of energy at home can never be eliminated but you can adjust how and when you use your appliances to save energy.