{"id":632,"date":"2018-10-13T21:10:55","date_gmt":"2018-10-13T21:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/?p=632"},"modified":"2021-07-25T08:17:40","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T08:17:40","slug":"what-uses-the-most-power-in-a-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/eco-articles\/what-uses-the-most-power-in-a-house\/","title":{"rendered":"What uses the most power in a house?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Heating and cooling your home uses the most power in a house, followed by heating water and then your washer and dryer. There are lots of factors that affect how much power your home uses. Many appliances in the home are power hungry and a lot of that energy can be wasted.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article explores what uses the most power in the house and how you can save energy and money. \u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What uses energy in my home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I turn on the kettle, TV and air-conditioner I have often wondered what uses the most power in a house?\u00a0 \u00a0As time goes on we seem to be getting more and more appliances in our homes. \u00a0There are new innovations that are making our lives easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the humble washer and dryer to fully integrated in home tech systems. Each appliance we add has its own level of energy consumption. Some will use very little whilst others use more than we think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more we know about where we are using power in our homes, the easier it will be to make adjustments that can save us money<\/a> on our power bill.
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There are many energy hungry appliances in our homes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There are a large list of things that are using energy in our homes.  Starting with the highest percentage of our power bills let’s highlight the main ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Heating and Cooling<\/li>
  2. Hot water<\/li>
  3. Washer and dryer<\/li>
  4. Lighting<\/li>
  5. Refrigerator<\/li>
  6. Oven<\/li>
  7. Home entertainment (TV, DVD, Sound system etc.)<\/li>
  8. Dishwasher<\/li>
  9. Computer<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s explore how each of these appliances contribute to the power use in our homes and how much money and power we could save by adjusting our use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How much power is used Heating and Cooling our homes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    According to the Department of Energy up to 48% of our power use is for heating and cooling.  That is almost half! Where you live and how your house is designed can both impact your heating and cooling needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most obvious impact is your climate, is it really hot in summer? Does it get really cold in winter? In this case it can be really important to consider ways to reduce heat or cool loss and to use your systems as efficiently as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How you house is designed also has a big impact on your heating and cooling needs. Making sure that your largest windows do not face the hot afternoon sun and insulation both have a huge impact on how hot or cold your house gets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you have an existing house, adding insulation can be one of the best things you can do to reduce your heating and cooling needs. If your windows face the hot afternoon sun, adding shades on the inside or outside can help to reduce how much your house heats up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I understand that making major renovations to your house like these might not be an option. They can be expensive, or if you are renting you won\u2019t be able to do this. The next best ways to reduce the amount of power used for heating and cooling are to make more efficient choices with what you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Keep cosy and warm<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Simple ways to reduce heat loss in your home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n