The biggest electricity guzzlers in the average home are usually cooling and heating, followed by water heating, then lighting.
7 Household Items That Uses The Most Electricity And How To Reduce It
If you’re looking to save on your electricity bill, there are a few things you can do to cut back on energy consumption. One of the biggest offenders when it comes to wasting electricity is leaving lights on needlessly. It’s easy to forget to turn off a light when you leave a room, but doing so can add up over time and really drive up your energy costs.
Another way people waste electricity is by using appliances that aren’t energy-efficient. Older appliances tend to use more power than newer, more efficient models. If you’re still using an old fridge or stove, consider upgrading to a newer model that will use less electricity.
Finally, another big culprit when it comes to wasted electricity is heating and cooling systems that aren’t properly maintained. Making sure your HVAC system is running efficiently can go a long way in reducing your energy consumption and saving you money.
Which Appliances Use the Most Electricity
It’s no secret that some appliances use more electricity than others. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average American household spends about $2,000 a year on energy bills—with nearly half of that going to powering appliances. So which ones are the biggest energy hogs?
Here’s a look at the top five:
1. Refrigerators and freezers: On average, these two appliances account for about 20 percent of your home’s total energy usage. If you have an older model fridge, it could be using up to three times as much power as a newer, more efficient one.
2. Clothes washers and dryers: Laundry day can take a serious toll on your energy bill. Washers alone use about 6 percent of all the electricity in an average home, while dryers account for another 5 percent.
3. Lighting: Believe it or not, lighting actually comes in at number three on this list—using up to 15 percent of your home’s total electricity (depending on how much natural light you get during the day).
Incandescent bulbs are particularly inefficient, so switch to LEDs or CFLs whenever possible.
4. Dishwashers: Running the dishwasher can add up quickly, especially if you have an older model that isn’t very efficient. Dishwashers use about 4 percent of your home’s total electricity but can account for even more if you wash dishes by hand instead (which uses hot water from your water heater).
5. Televisions and computers: It’s no surprise that electronics rank high on this list—after all, they need quite a bit of power to function properly (and stay charged).
Credit: www.igs.com
What are the Biggest Electricity Wasters in a Home
The average home in the United States wastes about $1,200 worth of energy every year—and that’s just on electricity. Many factors contribute to this wasted energy, but some devices and appliances use more power than others. If you want to save money and conserve energy, it’s important to know which devices are the biggest electricity wasters in your home.
Here are the five biggest electricity wasters in most homes:
1. Refrigerator: The fridge is one of the most essential appliances in the kitchen, but it’s also a major contributor to your home’s energy usage. Even newer, Energy Star-certified refrigerators use about 15% of the total power consumed by all household appliances.
To reduce your fridge’s power consumption, make sure it’s properly sealed and keep the coils clean. You should also set the temperature between 35°F and 38°F—any colder will waste energy, while any warmer could cause food to spoil.
2. Clothes dryer: A clothes dryer uses a lot of energy to heat up air and then circulate it through wet clothes until they’re dry.
To save energy (and money), try line-drying your clothes whenever possible. You can also reduce your dryer’s workload by using a lower heat setting or removing clothes from the dryer while they’re still slightly damp.
3. Dishwasher: A dishwasher can be much more efficient than washing dishes by hand, but only if you use it correctly.
Scrape—don’t rinse—food scraps from plates before loading them into the dishwasher, and run only full loads with a quick wash cycle when possible. You should also avoid using the heated drying setting, which can add unnecessary wear and tear on dishes over time . . . not to mention upping your electricity bill!
4 Television: It seems like everyone has at least one television these days, and even small TVs can use quite a bit of power when left on for extended periods of time.
If you want to reduce your TV’s impact on your electric bill, consider investing in an ENERGY STAR certified model . . . or simply unplugging it when you’re not using it!
How Can I Save on My Electric Bill
There are a few things you can do to save on your electric bill. One is to make sure that you have energy efficient appliances. Another is to use natural lighting as much as possible.
You can also try to use less electricity during peak hours.
What Appliances Use the Most Electricity
While there are many appliances that use electricity, some use more than others. The following list includes the top 5 appliances that use the most electricity:
1. Refrigerator – A typical refrigerator uses about 725 watts of power and can account for up to 20% of your total energy usage.
If you have an older model, it may be time for an upgrade to a more energy-efficient model.
2. Clothes Washer – A clothes washer uses about 500 watts of power on average and can account for up to 15% of your total energy usage. Washing your clothes in cold water can help reduce this number.
3. Clothes Dryer – A clothes dryer uses about 3100 watts of power and is responsible for about 5%–10% of your home’s total energy usage. Consider air drying your clothes when possible to save money on your electric bill.
4. Dishwasher – A dishwasher uses between 1200 and 2400 watts, making it one of the most expensive appliances to operate.
It’s typically responsible for about 5%–15% of a household’s total energy usage. When using a dishwasher, make sure it is full before running it and choose the shortest cycle possible. Also, consider air drying dishes instead of using the heated drying option which consumes even more electricity .
5 television – While newer televisions are much more efficient than older models, they still rank among the highest electricity users in most homes . On average, a TV uses about 150 watts but that number can be higher for larger screens or those with special features like plasma screens . If you want to save on your electric bill , limit the amount of time you spend watching TV each day .
Why is My Electric Bill So High
There are many reasons your electric bill could be high. Here are some common causes:
1. You’re using too much electricity.
This is the most common reason for high bills. Maybe you’ve been leaving lights on more often than usual, or using appliances more frequently. If your usage goes up, so will your bill.
2. Rates have gone up. If the price per kilowatt hour (kWh) has increased, then your bill will be higher even if your usage stays the same. Check with your utility company to see if rates have changed recently.
3. You have a problem with your electrical system. A faulty appliance or wiring issue can cause your electricity use to spike without you realizing it. If you think this might be the problem, contact an electrician to come take a look.
Conclusion
In a typical home, electricity is used to power lights, appliances, and electronic devices. But what actually wastes the most electricity in a home?
The answer may surprise you: it’s not always the big appliances that use the most energy.
In fact, it’s often the small ones that use up the most electricity because they’re always on and running. Here are some of the biggest offenders when it comes to wasting electricity:
1. Phone chargers: Even when they’re not in use, phone chargers continue to draw power from outlets.
Unplug them when you’re not using them to save energy.
2. TVs and electronics: TVs and other electronics consume a lot of power even when they’re turned off. To save energy, unplug them or plug them into a power strip so you can easily turn off all your electronics at once.
3. Coffee makers: Coffee makers waste a lot of electricity if they’re left on all day long. If possible, only brew coffee when you need it instead of leaving it on all day long.
4. Computers: Computers are one of the biggest energy users in a home but there are ways to reduce their impact.
Use sleep mode or hibernate mode when you’re not using your computer for extended periods of time and unplug any peripherals (like printers) that you’re not using.
By taking some simple steps to reduce your electricity usage, you can save money and help the environment too!
