How to Calculate Your Household Energy Usage？

 

When you are planning to buy a power generator for your electrical appliances and/or tools, knowing the required watts, which is the electrical power, is very important. There is no need of buying the 10000 watt generator when your electrical need is lightweight. And at the same time, there is no need of buying a less powerful generator that will not power all your electrical appliances sufficiently, and efficiently.

 

The only way to make sure that you are buying the right generator is knowing both the generator’s electrical watt output, and the watts needed by your electrical appliances and tools. This information will help you in sizing your budget according to your electrical power needs.

 

Also, you should know that different electrical appliances need different watts of electrical power for operation, depending on such factors as what they’re used for, and their manufacturer’s designs. As such, not all your appliances will require the same amount of watts to operate. Some require more power surge than others. Therefore, you should take into considerations the minimum and the maximum electrical power output (watts) that all your electrical appliances need. Make sure that the portable generator that you are buying is capable of providing your appliances and tools with the electrical power that they need. This will set you ahead of schedule.

 

How can I tell how much electricity I use each day？

 

Every appliance or electronic device you use is reflected in your monthly energy bill, alongside your heating, cooling, and lights.While climate control and lights are harder to manage, it’s easy to find out how much your devices are adding to your total power consumption level. You can adjust your usage – and lower your bill – by unplugging or simply using those devices less. To manually calculate your power consumption, all you need is this simple formula:

 

1. Calculate the watts each device uses per day
2. Convert watts to kilowatts. There are 1000 watts in one kilowatt.
3. Determine the kilowatts an appliance uses per month.
4. Figure out the cost by multiplying the kilowatts per month by your electric rate.

 

To start you’ll need the device’s wattage and an estimated number of hours you use it per day.

 

 

How can I find the wattage of a device？

 

Most devices have a label listing how many watts they use. You can find this wattage label either on the device (usually on the bottom or back) or in the owner's manual.

 

 

If you can’t find the wattage label, here are a couple of other options to determine how much power the device uses.

 

1. Purchase a wattage measuring device, which displays the wattage of a device when you plug it in.
2. Contact the manufacturer with your device's model number.
3. Look up your device and model number online.

 

We’ve also provided a list that shows the common wattage of everyday household devices. Though the wattage of your particular device may vary, it should give you a rough estimate.

 

Appliance wattage chart

 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, here are typical wattage levels of everyday devices:

 

 

How to calculate kWh usage？

 

The first step in calculating your energy consumption is to figure out how many watts each device uses per day. Just multiply your appliance’s wattage by the number of hours you use it in a day. This will give you the number of watt-hours consumed each day.

 

• Calculate Watt-hours Per Day

Device Wattage (watts) x Hours Used Per Day = Watt-hours (Wh) per Day

Example: A 125-watt television used three hours per day

125 watts x 3 hours = 375 Wh/Day

 

• How many watts are in a kilowatt

Electricity on your bill is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), not watt-hours. One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts, so to calculate how many kWh a device uses, divide the watt-hours from the previous step by 1000.

 

• Convert watt-hours to kilowatts

Device Usage (Wh) / 1000 (Wh/kWh) = Device Usage in kWh

Example: A television using 375 Wh of electricity per day

375 / 1000 = 0.375 kWh

 

Now that we know how many kilowatt-hours the appliance uses per day, we have to estimate that usage over a month. Let’s multiply by 30 days to simulate an average month.

 

• find your usage over a month

Daily Usage (kWh) x 30 (Days) = Approximate Monthly Usage (kWh/Month)

Example: A television using 0.375 kWh of electricity per day

0.375 kWh x 30 Days = 11.25 kWh/Month

 

So, a 125-watt television that you use for three hours per day adds up to 11.25 kilowatt-hours of energy per month. This is your television’s energy consumption.

 

 

How to reduce your electricity bill？

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), households consume the majority of their electricity in a few key areas. In the average home, heating and cooling account for about 32 percent of the total electricity used. Water heating isn’t far behind, making up almost 14 percent. And a home’s kitchen appliances require a lot of energy to run, too, using 11 percent of total energy consumed.

 

Here are a few ways you can save electricity – and potentially lower your energy bill – in the most energy-intensive parts of your home:

 

1. In the winter, the most energy-efficient temperature for your thermostat is 68 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, set it to 78 degrees. And whenever you’re away from home, you should lower or raise your thermostat’s setting, so you aren’t paying to heat or cool an empty house.
2. Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will reduce your home’s electricity usage while also slowing buildup and corrosion in your home’s water heater and pipes.
3. Energy Star-certified appliances are required to consume less electricity compared to non-certified models. For example, Energy Star washers and dryers use 20 percent less energy.
4. Do you own a heated swimming pool? For every degree warmer you set your pool’s heater, you will pay 10-30 percent more for heating costs.
5. Electronics consume an average of 7 percent of total energy costs. Invest in energy-efficient TVs, computers, and game consoles. You can also dramatically lower electronic energy usage by turning on the “power saving” setting.
6. Consider going solar. In areas where electricity is more expensive, solar power becomes a better bargain, and some states or communities offer tax rebates and other financial incentives that further sweeten the deal. Going solar makes the most sense if your roof gets a lot of unobstructed sunlight. It may take out a 10-year solar loan to pay for the installation, basically swapping our electric bill for a similar but fixed loan payment. And then, after Year 10, you’ll get another 10 to 20 years of completely free renewable electricity.

 

 

 

For more details about your home energy usage and storage, please contact Basen expert. We can also show you energy plans tailored to your power consumption level.