Introduction
When one considers the sum of events that took place in retrospect, it can be said that COVID-19 has changed the lives of everyone around the world in a relatively short period. Travel has been drastically curtailed, and many individuals are now forced to work remotely, resulting in increased electricity consumption. Furthermore, increasing temperatures in our environment only mean that more energy will be required for individuals to keep cool throughout the hot sweltering summer months. Let’s look at the most costly electricity consumers from power choice texas.
Understanding your home’s major electricity consumption and how to cut down its usage of it is crucial to trying to lower your electric bill. After all, who does not want cheap electricity? Keep reading to find out more!
What Uses Most Electricity?
Watts or Kilowatts are units of measurement for electricity. The greater the wattage, the more energy is consumed. Your energy expenses are determined by this, as well as the duration an appliance is operated. If you want to know about the electric devices that consume more wattage, then you must know how to read my electric bill. Although wattage is normally printed on the equipment, could you identify the appliances that consume the most energy in your home without having to look? Let’s look at the most costly electricity consumers.
Air Conditioning and Heating
Your HVAC system consumes the most energy of every single appliance or system, accounting for 46 percent of the energy used in the average American home. Depending on how efficient your system is, your HVAC could use 28-63 kWh in a full day, which leads to approximately 850-1,950 kWh worth of electricity used every month.
Tips
To begin, only use air conditioning when it is absolutely essential, like during the warmer periods of the day. Periodically repair your air conditioner and heater. In addition, employ ceiling fans, which should be turned in different directions to accommodate your needs for the summer and winter months.
Close your curtains on hot summer days but lift them in the winter to benefit from free solar heating. Change your air filters on a routine basis, too. It is also important to remember not to block indoor vents or exterior units and to dust and vacuum regularly to avoid clogs in your vents. Another fantastic and easy idea is to dress light when it is hot and warm when it is cold enough and to utilize blankets and scarves to act as insulating layers to keep you warm in the winter.
Heating Water
A water heater can use up to 13.5 kWh of electricity per day, or in other words, 405 kWh of electricity per month, and is a major energy consumer in the house.
Tips
You may start by taking a shower instead of a bath and adjusting the temperature of your water heater lower. If your water supply is really not warm enough, consider wrapping an older hot water system in insulation and also keep the hot water lines warm too. When you go on vacation, remember to turn down your water heater so that you are not wasting electricity at home even when you are not using it. Install water-saving shower nozzles and tap aerators so you do not end up wasting water and do not have to heat large volumes of water.
Electrical Appliances
Home appliances make up roughly 13% of total energy usage in the average home. Here are some energy-saving suggestions for some of your key appliances:
Refrigerator
A typical refrigerator consumes 162 kWh each month. Although you are not able to use a refrigerator less, you can make use of some helpful tips to ensure that you use your refrigerator more efficiently by following the steps below:
Tips
You should avoid overstocking your refrigerator because this reduces its efficiency. Make sure to store the products that you will use most frequently in easy-to-reach spots so you don’t waste time hunting for your items and wasting electricity. Arrange the contents for maximum efficiency. Another useful piece of advice is to set your refrigerator to the company’s target temperature, as they are the most knowledgeable about how well your fridge will perform under ideal settings. Additionally, to preserve ventilation, you should clean behind and beneath the refrigerator regularly, and replace existing refrigerators with contemporary, energy-efficient versions.
Electric Oven And Stoves
Using an oven at 2,500 watts and a stove at 1,500 watts on medium-high heat for one hour each day amounts to 75 and 45 kWh monthly, respectively. This equipment, especially your oven, can lead to a warmer environment in your home and put more strain on your air conditioner.
Tips
Use simpler equipment like a toaster and slow cooker instead. Also, try to use these appliances during the cooler periods during the day so that your house does not become overly warm, putting a burden on the air conditioner to keep your house cool. If it is not absolutely necessary for the food to cook correctly, do not preheat the oven to save on electricity. Finally, a few moments before the dish is done, turn off the stoves and allow the residual heat complete the cooking for you.
Electronic Entertainments
Electronic entertainment, such as screens and gaming consoles, can consume a large amount of energy in our homes. If we watch five hours of TV per day and accumulate six hours of screen time per week, these devices will use around 55 kWh worth of energy every month. These electronics are likewise guilty of using backup power when not in use.
Tips
TV and screen light intensity should be reduced, and devices should always be turned off while not in use. Furthermore, you should engage in more energy-free hobbies such as writing and jigsaw puzzles to reduce the use of electricity in your typically time-consuming pastimes.
Conclusion
If you have not assessed your energy consumption yet, it is high time that you do so. You should develop a good habit of checking out what and where you are incurring the most costs in terms of electricity bills so that you are not only able to rectify the situation, but also to help yourself save on any unnecessary electricity bills that you may have otherwise incurred.
