When the weather warms up, our energy costs may rise. We must
make our homes as energy efficient as possible in order to reduce our excessive
electric bills. It might be difficult to find solutions to conserve energy and
money, so where do we begin? We investigate the energy consumed by typical home
systems, appliances, and electronics with the help of energystar.gov and
energy.gov, discover what consumes the most energy, and offer advise on how to
make your home more energy-efficient to reduce your power expenditures.
The following is a list of the most common energy use
categories in a typical home:
The percentage of people who use air cooling and heating is
46%.
14 percent for water heating
Appliances for 13% of the total.
9 percent lighting
4 percent for television and media equipment
Kilowatt-hours are the units of measurement for power
consumption (kWh). To acquire daily kilowatt-hours, multiply the number of
hours consumed each day by the wattage of an appliance or system, then multiply
by 0.001. Find out how to calculate how much your appliances and systems are
consumed.
Heating and air conditioning
As your primary source of relief from high heat, your HVAC
system consumes the most energy of any single device or system, accounting for
46% of total energy use in the average American home. A typical central HVAC
unit consumes roughly 3500 watts and runs for 10-15 minutes every two to three
hours. Your HVAC would use roughly 28-63 kWh in a 24-hour period, resulting in
850-1,950 kWh in a month, depending on the efficiency of your unit. Use these
suggestions to make your HVAC system work less:
- ·
Use
ceiling fans in the summer and winter, rotating counterclockwise in the summer
and clockwise in the winter.
- ·
In
the summer, set the temperature to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the winter,
set it to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
- ·
Tune
up your air conditioner and furnace once a year.
- ·
Draw
your curtains in the summer to keep the sun out, but open them in the winter to
enjoy free heat.
- ·
Replace
your air filters as necessary.
- ·
Blocking
indoor vents or outdoor units is not a good idea.
- ·
To
avoid clogs, dust and vacuum.
- ·
In
the summer, dress light, while in the winter, dress warmly.
- ·
Warm
up with blankets and scarves throughout the cold.
Water Heating
Your water heater is another often used device that consumes
14% of your home's energy. A typical water heater uses 4500 watts and runs for
around 3 hours each day, consuming 13.5 kWh per day or 405 kWh per month. To
save money on your energy bill, follow these guidelines:
- Reduce the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
- Wrap an insulating jacket around an old water heater.
- Ensure that the hot water lines are properly insulated.
- When you go on vacation, lower the temperature of your water heater.
- Install water-saving shower heads and aerators on your faucets.
- Make the switch to a solar water heater.
Appliances
Around 13% of the average electricity cost is spent on home
appliances. Here are some suggestions for conserving energy in your big
appliances:
Refrigerator
A basic refrigerator requires 225 watts, so if you use it all
day, you'll spend 162 kWh every month. We can't turn our refrigerators off or
use them less, but there are other methods to save:
- Don't overstock your fridge.
- Keep your most-used items in easy-to-reach places.
- Arrange the contents in the most efficient way possible.
- Set your refrigerator to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer.
- Maintain airflow by cleaning behind and beneath the refrigerator on a regular basis.
- Refrigerators that are older and inefficient should be replaced with newer, more energy-efficient models.
Washing Machine and Dryer
Washing machines and dryers consume roughly 5% of your
household's electricity. The total power consumption of these items is 3045
watts. You'd use roughly 91 kWh per month if you used your laundry machines for
one hour each day. When doing laundry, keep the following suggestions in mind:
- Full loads of laundry
- Use cold water to clean.
- Check to see if the machines are overflowing.
- When feasible, use drying racks.
- After each load, remove the lint.
Oven and Stove (Electric)
Each month, 75 kWh and 45 kWh are generated by utilizing a
2,500-watt oven and a 1,500-watt stove on medium-high heat for one hour each
day. These appliances, especially your oven, can elevate your home's
temperature and put a strain on your air conditioner. You can reduce the amount
of electricity utilized by these equipment in a number of ways:
- Use a toaster oven, microwave, slow cooker, or other tiny appliance instead of a large oven.
- During the cooler hours of the day, use the oven and stove.
- Preheat the oven only if it's absolutely necessary for the meal to cook correctly.
- Allow residual heat to finish the job by turning off the burners a few minutes before the dish is done.
Dishwasher
A normal dishwasher consumes 330 watts. If you use it for one
hour every day, you'll use about 10 kWh per month. Because your dishwasher may
cause your house to heat up, your air conditioner may have to work harder.
Reduce the amount of main and residual energy used by your dishwasher by
following these tips:
- Full loads wash
- Turn off the dry heat.
- If at all possible, wash during the cooler hours of the day.
- To avoid having to run a second cycle, pre-rinse excessively soiled dishes.
Lighting
In a typical home, lighting accounts for around 9% of overall
energy consumption. The quantity of energy consumed by light bulbs varies
greatly depending on the type of bulb and how it is used. A 100-watt
incandescent bulb used 0.2 kWh per day, or 6 kWh per month, when left on for
two hours. If you multiply 300 kWh per month by 50 lights in the house, you get
300 kWh per month. These recommendations will help you save energy by lowering
the amount of electricity used by your lights:
- When you leave a room, turn off the lights.
- Use LED light bulbs to save electricity.
- When feasible, use natural light, especially in the winter when you can benefit from the warmth.
- To keep LED Christmas lights from staying on all night, set timers on them.
- Install motion detectors on outdoor security lights to make sure they're only turned on when they're needed.
Televisions and other media devices
Electronics account for around 4% of our total energy use.
Televisions, set-top boxes, and video game consoles, among other electronic
entertainment items in our homes, may consume a lot of energy. These devices
will use about 55 kWh per month if we watch five hours of TV per day and play
6.3 hours of video games per week. These electronic devices also consume
standby power while they are not in use. Follow these guidelines to keep their
energy consumption in check:
- Turn off the quick-start and standby features.
- ENERGY STAR certified electronics are available for purchase.
- The brightness of your television and computer screens should be decreased.
- When not in use, make sure all electrical equipment are turned off.
- Hobbies that do not need a lot of energy, such as reading and playing board games, are excellent options.