Buzz
If you were to create a chart showing the energy-hungry devices in a typical home, ranked from most to least power-consuming, it might look something like this:
| Device | ||
| Heat pump or central air | ||
| Water heater or clothes drier | ||
| Water pump | ||
| Space heater | ||
| Hair drier | ||
| Electric range burner | ||
| Refrigerator | ||
| Computer and monitor | ||
| Light bulb |
This table assumes an average cost of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity, which may vary depending on your region.
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If you use electric heating, expect high energy use during the winter months. A heat pump could run 10 to 15 hours daily, costing $15 to $22 per day at $1.50 an hour. Over a month, that adds up to several hundred dollars. The same holds true in the summer if you frequently run the air conditioner.
Water heating is another significant energy expense. A typical household electric water heater might run for about an hour each time you take a shower or do a load of laundry, costing about 40 cents per use. When you factor in the costs of washing and drying clothes (which can add another $1 to $2 per load), plus soap and shampoo, it's surprising to realize that each shower can cost you nearly a dollar!
Refrigeration is another major energy consumer, with the fridge often running for up to 10 hours a day. This can cost around $1 per day just to keep your milk chilled. Similarly, leaving your computer or TV on throughout the day can add another $1 to your daily electricity costs.
Next, we have light bulbs. Although they only cost 0.6 cents per hour, many fixtures have multiple bulbs, and it's easy to leave several lights on at once. If 10 bulbs are lit, that’s 6 cents per hour. Over six hours a day, it totals 36 cents per day. In a month, that adds up to $10 for lighting.
Using a space heater or an electric blanket to warm a smaller area at night is one of the simplest ways to reduce your energy bill. Saving on hot water usage is another effective method.
