Electricity Appliance Breakdown
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/day | kWh/day | Cost/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC / heating | 3,500 | 8.0 | 28.0 | $126 |
| Water heater | 4,500 | 3.0 | 13.5 | $61 |
| Refrigerator | 150 | 24.0 | 3.6 | $16 |
| Clothes dryer | 3,000 | 1.0 | 3.0 | $14 |
| Electric oven | 2,400 | 0.5 | 1.2 | $5 |
| Dishwasher | 1,800 | 1.0 | 1.8 | $8 |
| TV + streaming | 100 | 5.0 | 0.5 | $2 |
| Lights (LED) | 60 | 6.0 | 0.4 | $2 |
| Computer | 200 | 8.0 | 1.6 | $7 |
| Washing machine | 500 | 1.0 | 0.5 | $2 |
The electricity bill arrives as one number, but it is really ten appliances each sending their own invoice - and the two biggest ones (heating/cooling and water heating) account for about 75% of the total. This table prices each appliance per month from DOE/Energy Star typical wattage and usage, so you can see where the money actually goes before you argue with the thermostat.
Bottom line: the thermostat and the water heater temperature are the two highest-leverage dials in the house, because the lines they control are three to ten times bigger than everything else combined. Moving the thermostat 2 degrees saves 3-5% of the heating/cooling line; dropping the water heater from 140°F to 120°F saves 4-9% of the water-heating line. Both are free.
The honest part: the wattages are DOE/Energy Star typical values for a medium-sized house - your actual usage depends on climate, insulation, and the age of your appliances (an old refrigerator can use double the DOE figure). The rate you enter is the average you pay; time-of-use plans shift the math by hour.
How to use
- Enter your electricity rate (it is on your bill, usually 10-25 cents per kWh depending on state).
- Read the table: each appliance's monthly cost at that rate, ranked by the amount you would save by optimizing it.
- Focus on the top two rows - heating/cooling and water heating. They dwarf everything else, and both respond to free thermostat adjustments.
Frequently asked questions
What uses the most electricity in a house?
Heating and cooling - at 3,500 watts for 8 hours a day, it dwarfs everything else. Water heating is the second biggest at 4,500 watts for about 3 hours. Together they account for roughly 75% of a typical electric bill, which is why the thermostat and water-heater temperature are the two highest-leverage dials in the house.
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator?
A modern Energy Star refrigerator uses about 150 watts when running (it cycles on and off, so effectively 24 hours at one-third duty) - about $16 a month at $0.15/kWh. An old refrigerator from the 1990s can use double that, which is why the garage fridge is the most expensive convenience in the house.
How much does it cost to run a dryer per load?
An electric dryer uses about 3 kWh per load, which at $0.15/kWh is about 45 cents per load - plus the washer's own 8 cents. At 300 loads a year, the dryer alone costs $135. Line-drying even half your loads saves about $70 a year, and the clothes last longer without the heat damage.
What is standby or phantom power?
The electricity that always-on electronics draw even when off: routers, cable boxes, game consoles in standby, chargers left in walls. Individually small ($1-3 each per month), but a house with 10-15 phantom loads adds $5-15 a month - real money for zero benefit. Smart power strips that cut the draw are the fix.