July 15, 2022

The Top 9 Most Electricity-Drawing Appliances

Many utility companies are dedicated to keeping your costs low even during the most extreme months as electricity consumption rises. In previous years, the average price of electricity in the United States was $0.131 per kWh (kilowatt-hour).

The average annual electricity use for a residential utility customer in the United States in 2015 was 10,812 kilowatt-hours (kWh), or an average of 901 kWh per month. This indicates that the typical residential electricity user spends more than $1416 annually. In terms of annual electricity consumption per residential customer, Louisiana consumed the most (15,435 kWh), while Hawaii consumed the least (6,166 kWh), with correspondingly variable costs.

This is an excellent indicator of how many people in the US regularly use common appliances like televisions, washing machines, and dishwashers. Here are the nine most popular home appliances, ranked by how much energy they use:

1. Water Heaters

When it comes to electricity-drawing appliances, water heaters are by far the biggest culprits. A water heater in a four-person household can consume up to 310 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. That’s more than a refrigerator, dishwasher, and clothes dryer combined!

There are several reasons for this:

  • First, water heaters must constantly run to keep up with demand.
  • Second, they use a lot of energy to heat water.
  • And finally, they often aren’t very efficient, meaning they waste a lot of energy in the process.

You can do a few things to reduce your water heater’s electricity consumption. The most obvious is to replace an old water heater with a new, more energy-efficient model. Contact Frederick heating and air if you need assistance.

2. Cooling Appliances

Cooling appliances use a good amount of electricity to run the compressor. This component is what cools the air in your home or office. Unfortunately, you cannot reduce the amount of power your AC needs to run efficiently. There are ways to reduce the amount of energy consumed.

Make sure your HVAC system is properly maintained. A dirty filter can make an AC work harder and consume more energy. You should also ensure that all vents are open and free of obstruction so that cool air can circulate throughout the room.

3. Central Air Conditioner

A central AC (two-ton) consumes about 1450 kilowatt-hours of monthly electricity. And an inefficient air conditioner can use up to three times more electricity than a newer, more energy-efficient model. And if your AC is more than ten years old, it’s likely to use even more electricity than a newer model.

But there are ways to help reduce the amount of energy your AC consumes.

  • Make sure your AC is appropriately sized for your home. It will use more or less electricity than necessary if it’s too large or too small.
  • Make sure your AC is properly maintained.
  • Contact an HVAC maintenance service to get your system tuned by a qualified technician. This will ensure that all the parts are working correctly and optimize the system’s performance. You can also save energy by providing your home is well insulated and sealed against air leaks.

4. Dishwasher

If you have a dishwasher, you may not know that it’s one of the biggest electricity hogs in your house. A dishwasher can use up to 30 kWh of electricity per month, depending on the make and model.

That’s why it’s important to make sure your dishwasher is Energy Star-certified. That means it meets strict energy efficiency guidelines the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set. An Energy Star-certified dishwasher can save up to $75 a year in energy costs.

To ensure your dishwasher is running as efficiently as possible, make sure to:

  • Load it properly. Don’t overload it or put pots and pans on top of dishes.
  • Use the right amount of water.

5. Lighting

Regarding appliances and devices, some use more electricity than others. One of the most electricity-drawing appliances in your home is the light bulb. A single light bulb can use up to 50 kWh of electricity per month!

You can do a few things to reduce how much electricity your lighting draws each month. First, consider using LED or CFL light bulbs instead of traditional incandescent bulbs. These bulbs use significantly less electricity and can last 10-25 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Another way to save on your lighting bill is to ensure that all of your light fixtures are properly sealed and insulated. Drafts from around your light fixtures can increase the energy they use, so make sure to caulk and seal any cracks or gaps you find.

6. Home Entertainment Equipment

Home entertainment equipment like wifi is still drawing a bit of electricity when you’re not using it. Some appliances are bigger energy suckers than others.

According to the Department of Energy, a typical 27-inch TV uses about 27 kWh of electricity per month. That’s about the same as a large refrigerator. If you have a plasma or LCD TV, it will use even more energy – up to 40 kWh per month.

To cut down on your energy bill, try using a power strip with an on/off switch for your electronics. You can turn off all your electronics simultaneously with just one button.

7. Cooking Appliances

Cooking appliances account for a lot of energy usage in the home. A recent study found that oven ranges use 58 kWh of electricity per month, on average, while microwaves use 16 kWh. These appliances can draw a lot of power, so it’s important to be mindful of how much you’re using and try to conserve where you can.

One way to save energy is to cook multiple dishes at once. For example, if you’re making a chicken dish and a potato dish, cook them both in the oven simultaneously instead of using the microwave separately. This will save time and energy.

Another way is using appliances that have been certified as energy-efficient. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of such appliances on its website, so be sure to check before you make your purchase.

8. Computers

Electricity usage is often overlooked, but it is important to be mindful of how much electricity different appliances use.

  • A computer on for eight hours a day uses almost 600 kWh.
  • A laptop for eight hours daily uses between 150 and 300 kWh.

These numbers may seem insignificant, but when multiplied by the number of people in the United States, it becomes clear that electricity usage must be taken seriously. In fact, according to the US Energy Information Administration, residential electricity consumption totaled 1,227 trillion Btu in 2016. That’s enough energy to power over 97 million homes!

9. Furnace Fans & Boiler Circulation Pumps

The average American home uses about 900 kWh of electricity per month. Your furnace and air conditioner account for nearly half of this use, so it’s important to choose the right system and size it correctly.

The variable-speed fan motor uses only 72 watts per hour compared to the standard fan motor’s 400 watts per hour. While Pump for circulation: 150,200 watts x 1,224 hours/day = 1.8 to 4.8 kWh/day.

Many people think that furnaces and air conditioners blow warm or cool air into the home, but in reality, they contain fans that draw in air from the surrounding environment and push it through the system. The same is true for boilers; they contain fans that circulate water through the system. These fans require a lot of electricity to run, so it’s important to size your system correctly and ensure you’re using a high-efficiency model.

  • Ensure your furnace fan is set to “on” rather than “auto.” When the fan is set to “auto,” it will only run when the furnace is heating up or cooling down. This means the fan won’t run all the time, saving you some energy.
  • Make sure your boiler circulation pump is sized correctly for your needs. If it’s too big, it will use more energy than necessary.

Conclusion

Electricity is something that many people take for granted. They don’t think about it until they’re slapped with a high bill at the end of the month. To help you save money on your electricity bill, keep this list handy and monitor these top electricity-consuming appliances to keep them from draining your bank account.

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