No one wants to lose money. However, if you don’t take time to figure out where the majority of your electricity is being used, you may be throwing it out the window (figuratively) month after month. In virtually every house in the U.S., capital is being wasted due to unnecessary energy consumption. The average electricity spend each year is approximately $1,368.36, and up to 35 percent of this is actually wasted. This isn’t good for you, your bank account or the environment. Here you can learn about residential energy consumption and what items in your home use the most.
The Impact of Energy Consumption in the U.S.
Did you know that residential energy consumption is the third largest use of energy in the United States?
Up to 65 percent of residential energy use is used, while 35 percent is wasted. Now the question is, what is this energy in your home being used for?
Top 10 Items Using Energy in Your Home
The top 10 appliances and devices that use the most energy in your home, include the following:
- Your HVAC (heating and cooling – counts as 2) system is responsible for using 47 percent of all residential energy
- Water heater uses 14 percent
- Your washer and dryer use 13 percent
- Lighting (depending on the light bulbs in use) use 12 percent
- The refrigerator uses four percent
- The electric oven or range uses three to four percent
- The televisions, DVD players and cable boxes use three percent
- Your dishwasher uses two percent
- Your computers use one percent
Vampire Appliances: The Real Culprit to Energy Loss and Excessive Costs
Have you ever heard of a vampire appliance or electronic device? These are the ones that use energy – even when they have been switched off or when they aren’t doing their main function. This is because even when they are turned off, the device or appliance is left plugged in, using energy.
The top 10 energy vampires that you have in your home include:
- Boxes that sit on your television, such as digital cable boxes or satellite DVRs
- Computers – laptops will use more energy than a desktop computer
- Printers including multi-use and inkjet, which use the most
- VCR and DVDs – The VCR will use twice as much as DVD players
- Central heating furnace will use quite a bit of electricity even when it is turned off
- Your modem and routers
- Phones and answering machines
- Gaming consoles
- Televisions – the bigger the screen, the more energy it will use
- Microwaves – that clock that is always on is also always using energy
The best way to reduce energy use by energy vampires is to unplug them when not in use.
You should take steps to reduce your energy use – especially when it comes to so-called energy vampires – if you want to reduce costs and save money. An electrician, like the professionals at Tann Electric, can help you create a strategy to use less energy while ensuring your home still runs efficiently.
If you need help getting a handle on your electricity give Tann Electric a call today to talk about what can be done in your home.