Energy costs are high, making it more necessary to be more energy efficient. Although you only need to look at the bill to know how much energy you use, you might have to compare it with the national average to see whether you’re using more or less. So, how many watts does a house use in one day?
The average house uses 30 kWh daily. But several factors such as home size, number of residents, building materials, appliances in the house, and location determine your home energy usage. Appliances that consume more energy include HVAC, light, water heater, oven, refrigeration, and entertainment.
Knowing the appliances that consume the most energy will help you reduce energy consumption. But there are other tips for reducing energy usage. Here, we discuss the average watt that a house uses daily and appliances that consume the most energy.
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Average Energy Consumption
The average energy purchased by a US household in 2019 is 10,694 kWh annually. This means the average household in the US uses 887 kWh monthly and 30 kWh daily. Of course, that’s just the average, and you may find that you’re using much less. Energy is measured in Kilowatts, and for determining your energy usage, it’s based on a kilowatt per hour, which is the amount of energy it’ll take to keep a 1000-watt appliance working for one hour.
Factors That Affect How Many Watts You Use Daily
Each home is unique in construction and energy needs, which means the number of watts that each house uses will be different. there are usually several factors that determine your energy usage, and that includes:
1. Home Size
The smaller your home, the lesser your energy consumption. The size of the house will impact the average energy use because the larger the space, the more energy you’ll need to warm or keep it cool. The average energy consumption for a 2000 square feet house in 2015 was 11,604 kWh, while a 2,500 square feet home used 12,271 kWh annually. Homes that are 3,000 square feet or more used 14,210 kWh on average. These data date back to 2015 when the Energy Information Administration last collected such information.
2. Number of Residents
The number of people in the house will also affect energy consumption. Each person will, of course, have their energy needs, such as charging their devices, laundry, lighting, cooking, etc. The heating and cooling also come into play. You need to use more energy to cool the house with more people because the body heat generated increases.
3. Building Materials
Homes are built with all kinds of materials ranging from wood to concrete. The energy efficiency of these materials differs, and the less energy-efficient they are, the more you’ll spend on energy. Most newer homes are more energy-efficient than their older counterparts.
4. Appliances in the Home
If all you’re doing with electricity in the house is charging your devices and lighting, you can’t compare your energy bill to someone who uses heavy devices such as washing machines, pressing iron, HVAC, etc. The more appliances you have in your house, the higher your energy bill. The number of appliances alone doesn’t influence the energy bill as much as the type and frequency of using those appliances. If you use an energy-consuming appliance often, your bill would be very high.
5. Location
The geographic location will also affect your energy consumption due to the weather conditions. Those living in places with mild weather conditions where it’s never too hot or too cold spend much less on energy compared to those in extreme weather areas. The cost of heating or cooling your house increases your energy bill exponentially.
Appliances that Consume the Most Power
Knowing the appliances that consume the most power in your house is the first step toward managing your energy consumption. Of the common appliances, here are the ones that consume the most energy:
1. Heating and Cooling System
Space heaters, air conditioners, and other equipment that helps cool or heat your house, depending on the season, are the biggest energy consumers. This is mostly because of how often you use them. The average home use over 2,000 kWh of power on air conditioning alone annually.
2. Light Fixtures
Keeping your home bright comes at a high cost. This is mostly because of the multiplicity of these light fixtures in the house. Residential homes spent 62 billion kWh on lighting in 2020. But, of course, the type of bulb used also comes into play. You can reduce energy consumption by using CFL or LED bulbs rather than the incandescent bulb.
3. Water Heaters
Heat-producing electrical appliances use lots of energy, and water heating is at the top of that list. Due to the frequent use of water heaters, especially in the winter, it’s one of the biggest contributors to your energy bill.
4. Ovens and Stoves
If you’re using electric ovens and stoves, you can expect to spend more on energy. This is another heat-producing equipment that drains your energy very fast. So, it’s no surprise that many homes opt for natural gas stoves instead.
5. Home Entertainment System
Keeping yourself entertained costs a lot, not just in subscriptions and the high cost of devices. Home entertainment devices consumed 61 billion kWh of electricity in 2020. There are usually lots of them, ranging from the TV to gaming consoles.
6. Refrigerators and Freezers
These consume so much electricity because they’re always on, and many homes usually have more than one. Unless there’s a power disruption, you’re unlikely to switch your fridge or freezer off.
Tips For Reducing Your Energy Consumption
- Use energy-efficient appliances and look for those with the yellow Energy Star label.
- Add insulation to your home construction, especially the roof, attic, and walls, to increase energy efficiency.
- Automate your home energy use so that systems such as HVAC can adjust based on the needs. You can add a smart plug to remotely monitor and control your energy use.
- Schedule a home energy audit to determine your consumption and adjust appropriately
- Unplug appliances when they’re not in use.
In Conclusion
The average house uses 30 kWh per day. But that depends on lots of factors. It’s important to know about your energy consumption and what each appliance consumes for you to reduce your usage effectively.
