Do you know where your energy is going?
Here are the electrical systems with the highest energy use in your home from highest to lowest:
Heating and Air-conditioning
Heating water
Major appliances
Lighting
TV, Video, Gaming and home entertainment systems.
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Heating and Air-conditioning
Cooling your home or heating your home through a Hamilton winter uses a lot of energy. Heating and cooling can cost as much as 50% of your total energy bill.
Some of the things you can do to help:
- Have your air conditioner and furnace serviced regularly to ensure they are working properly.
- Replace your air filters regularly
- Don’t block vents
- Dress appropriate for the season
- Use floor or ceiling fans
- Use drapes in the summer and open in winter.
Heating water
Heating water represents approximately 15% of your total energy consumption. An average water heater will run between 2 to 4 hours a day and using about 5000 watts.
Tips for decreasing your water heating costs:
- Insulate water pipes.
- Turn down the water temperature when you go out of town.
- Set your water heaters temp to 120F or lower.
- Use water conserving faucet and shower heads.
Major appliances
Your homes major appliances use about 15% of your total electric usage.
Ways to save on your major appliances energy usage.
Refrigerator
A typical fridge will use 225 watts, approximately 160 kWh per month.
The following can help you save money.
- Keep your fridge at the manufacturers recommended setting.
- Upgrade to a newer energy efficient fridge
- Keep the area around the fridge clear so air can circulate.
- Keep most used items near the front so open time is decreased.
Washers and Dryers
Laundry uses about 5% of your total electric usage. Together they can use about 3000 watts. Used 1 hour a day your consumption could be about 90 kWh per month.
Tips to save you money on washing and drying your clothes.
- Wash with cold water as mush as possible.
- Don’t over fill the machines
- Wash full loads
- Keep lint traps clean and clear
- Hang clothes too dry when possible.
- Use energy efficient washer and dryer.
Ovens and Stoves
Using an oven at 2500 watts or stove at 1500 watts at medium heat for an hour each day could use about 40 to 80 kWh per month.
Tips to decrease your energy cost of using your oven or stove.
- Use smaller appliances when possible like microwaves or toaster ovens.
- Only preheat oven when absolutely necessary.
- Use the oven at cooler times of the day when the AC is not being used.
- Turn of oven or burners before finishing cooking when possible.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers, if run 1 hour per day, use on average about 10 kWh per month.
Tips for saving energy using your dishwasher.
- Rinse dishes before loading
- Wash full loads
- Use during cooler part of the day.
- Do not use the heat dry option.
Lighting
Your lighting can be about 10% of your total electric usage. Types of bulbs and wattages vary greatly.
Tips to save you money on your light bill.
- Use energy efficient LED lights when ever.
- Turn lights off when you leave a room.
- Install motion detection lighting indoors.
- Install motion detection lighting outdoors.
- Open drapes and use natural light.
TV, Video, Gaming and home entertainment systems.
Home electronics like TVs, stereo and gaming platforms use about 5% of your total usage. If used about 6 hours a day and an hour of gaming we can use 50 to 60 kWh per month. These types of devices use standby power and are using power even when they are not is use.
Tips to save energy on home entertainment.
- Use energy efficient electronics
- Lower your screens brightness
- Turn off when not in use
- If possible turn off standby mode.
Thank you for reading our blog post. https://breakerpanel.ca
Please call us at 905-512-9428 if you are in need of a professional electrician in Hamilton.
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