Which appliances drive up your Houston home electricity bill?
It seems like your furnace can never catch a break during the winter temperature drops in the holiday season. Your oven runs for hours slowly bringing the Christmas turkey up to the perfect internal temperature and golden brown exterior. Your holiday outdoor lighting fills the night with a festive glow. All of these home conveniences consume energy as they perform their intended functions. The more kWh your home uses, the more your Houston electricity bill rises. And the more you pay to your retail electricity provider.
The electricity draw for each appliance can be different. The length of time each needs to run depends on its purpose. Energy.gov has a handy appliance use estimator to approximate how much each appliance in your home costs you. This can help you see where your conservation efforts can make the most difference. Let’s look at the appliances that drive up your Texas electricity consumption.
Top Energy Consuming Appliances
A handful of appliances account for the majority of your home’s electricity consumption. Understanding why and how these appliances use power is the first step to cutting power usage.
HVAC System
Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system uses the most energy of all appliances in your home. With programmable and smart thermostats, setting your system to save energy is easier than ever. In order to save on energy cost, you need to make sure those settings are optimized for your home’s needs. Are there no people or pets at home during the workday? Set your system to a lower temperature for heating in the winter (higher in summer) before you leave and to return to the comfort setting right before you come home. Programming a home thermostat this way can save 10% to 15% on annual costs.
If you’re in the market to replace your HVAC system, make sure you peruse air conditioners on Energy Star. This US government site helps consumers research appliance purchases by showing which models are the least expensive to operate. You can compound your monthly savings by installing a new energy efficient HVAC system and setting its thermostat to optimal levels. Energy Star models can save you 30 percent or more on your annual operating costs compared to models that merely meet regulatory requirements.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator is a microcosm of your Houston home. Like your HVAC system, your refrigerator turns off and on to keep its contents the appropriate temperature. As the air inside the refrigerator escapes or becomes warmer, the refrigerator’s motor kicks on to cool the appliance back down.
If you want to buy a new refrigerator, compare Energy Star refrigerators to see which ones can keep your operating costs low. Even if you don’t plan to replace your model any time soon, you can still run it efficiently. Don’t leave the door open. When you cook, take out everything you need at one time to avoid opening and shutting the door over and over.
Laundry
Clothes washers and dryers can get a workout in households with children. Make sure you only run full loads. Dry your clothes only as much as necessary, and line dry when you can. Shop Energy Star clothes washers and clothes dryers to find ones that will be friendly to your wallet.
Water Heater
You enjoy warm showers and clean dishes because your water heater keeps a supply of hot water on tap. Tank-style water heaters maintain very high temperatures, even when no one is at home to use it. Most manufacturers set water heaters to 140°F but turning it down to just 120°F will easily meet all your needs. You’ll save money and you won’t be scalded by unnecessarily hot water. Explore Energy Star water heaters to find ones that will keep your power bill low.
Consume Less Energy For Holiday Lighting
Your holiday lights don’t draw as much power as your HVAC system. However, it is still important for your wallet to make those decorations as energy efficient as possible. Switching from incandescent bulbs to LED lights can make a huge difference in your power use. Using timers allows you to light up your home when people will see it and go dark when few people drive around the neighborhood. Consider swapping out some of your powered decorations for ones that require no power like shiny garlands and wreaths.
Find A New Power Company For Your Houston Home
No matter how much you reduce the amount of energy your appliances consume, you need to have the right Houston power company for your home. Otherwise, you risk paying too much on your electricity bill. Visit http://www.texaselectricityratings.com to find the best power plan for your home.
