How Much Does it Cost to Operate My Appliances?
The answer depends on many factors, including: the number and kinds of
appliances you use; the way you use them; how long you use them; the
number of people in your household; and, the price you pay for
electricity.
There are also seasonal factors. For example, in the summer, you may
cook less, use your lighting for shorter periods of time and use air
conditioners or fans. In the winter, your heating and cooking costs are
probably higher, and your lighting will be used for more hours during
the day.
The addition of new appliances or new family members can also increase
your electricity use.
The appliances that cost the most to operate are the ones that require
the greatest amount of electricity to generate heat, such as your
furnace, water heater or range, or to cool, such as your air
conditioning system. The cost of operating an electrical appliance is
calculated using these three factors:
- The number of watts the appliance uses.
- The number of hours the appliance is used.
- The cost you pay for one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. (A
kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watts of electricity used for one hour.)
To calculate the cost of operating an appliance, multiply the wattage of
the appliance by the approximate number of hours you operate the
appliance (the wattage of an appliance is usually listed on the
appliance). Next, divide by 1,000 this will give you the number of kWhs
the appliance uses. Finally, multiply the kWh use by your cost per kWh
as shown on your electric bill.
Example: Average Cost of Running a TV
Example: A television set is rated at 300 watts and operated for seven
hours a day.
- Multiply 300 watts by seven hours (300 x 7 = 2,100 watt-hours)
- Divide by 1,000 (2,100 ÷ 1,000 = 2.1 kWh)
- Multiply the kilowatt-hours by the price of electricity. Let's use
7 cents per kWh: (2.1 kWh x 7 cents = 14.7 cents)
The TV set costs approximately 15 cents a day to operate.
|
Average Use
|
Typical Wattage
|
Estimated
Usage
(kWhs/mo)
|
Average
Use
($/mo.)
|
Above
Avg. Use
($/mo.)
|
|
Air Conditioner (5,000 BTUH room unit)
|
900
|
130-150
|
$9.10
|
$10.50
|
|
Air Conditioner (12,000 BTUH room unit)
|
1,500
|
250-300
|
$17.50
|
$21.00
|
|
Aquarium (air pump & heater)
|
150
|
80-100
|
$5.60
|
$7.00
|
|
Attic Fan
|
300-400
|
30-40
|
$2.10
|
$2.80
|
|
Blanket (electric)
|
170
|
12-24
|
$0.84
|
$1.68
|
|
Blow Dryer/Curling Iron
|
400-1,250
|
2-4
|
$0.14
|
$0.28
|
|
Ceiling Fan
|
80-100
|
10-15
|
$0.70
|
$1.05
|
|
Clocks (3)
|
4
|
3-4
|
$0.21
|
$0.28
|
|
Clothes Dryer (24-32 loads)
|
4,300-5,600
|
80-100
|
$5.60
|
$7.00
|
|
Clothes Washer (24-32 loads)
|
500-600
|
6-8
|
$0.42
|
$0.56
|
|
Coffee Maker
|
700-900
|
8-9
|
$0.56
|
$0.63
|
|
Computer (desktop)
|
700-800
|
40-55
|
$2.80
|
$3.85
|
|
Dehumidifier (continuous)
|
300-410
|
200-300
|
$14.00
|
$21.00
|
|
Dishwasher
|
1,200
|
30-35
|
$2.10
|
$2.45
|
|
Dusk/Dawn Light (175 watt)
|
175
|
36-63
|
$2.52
|
$4.41
|
|
Freezer
|
350-450
|
42-70
|
$2.94
|
$4.90
|
|
Furnace Fan/Boiler Pump
|
300-600
|
65-85
|
$4.55
|
$5.95
|
|
Humidifier
|
80
|
20-25
|
$1.40
|
$1.75
|
|
Lighting
|
1,600-4,000
|
75-150
|
$5.25
|
$10.50
|
|
Microwave
|
650-1,100
|
13-16
|
$0.91
|
$1.12
|
|
Oxygen Concentrator
|
250
|
180-200
|
$12.60
|
$14.00
|
|
Pool Pump
|
750-1,000
|
540-720
|
$37.80
|
$50.40
|
|
Portable Room Heater (1 hr/day)
|
900-1,500
|
45-55
|
$3.15
|
$3.85
|
|
Radio, Stereo, VCR
|
40-60
|
4-6
|
$0.28
|
$0.42
|
|
Range
|
12,000
|
75-100
|
$5.25
|
$7.00
|
|
Refrigerator (< 10 yrs. old)
|
475-550
|
45-55
|
$3.15
|
$3.85
|
|
Refrigerator (> 10 yrs. old)
|
475-550
|
65-75
|
$4.55
|
$5.25
|
|
Hot Tub (indoors)
|
750-3,000
|
150-200
|
$10.50
|
$14.00
|
|
Hot Tub (outdoors)
|
750-3,000
|
250-500
|
$17.50
|
$35.00
|
|
Television
|
300
|
30-40
|
$2.10
|
$2.80
|
|
Toaster/Toaster Oven
|
950-1,500
|
3-4
|
$0.21
|
$0.28
|
|
Vacuum Cleaner
|
700-1,400
|
3-4
|
$0.21
|
$0.28
|
|
Vaporizer
|
480
|
6-10
|
$0.42
|
$0.70
|
|
Water Bed Heater
|
300
|
70-80
|
$4.90
|
$5.60
|
|
Well Pump
|
950-1,400
|
40-60
|
$2.80
|
$4.20
|
|
Water Heater (30 gal. /1 person)
|
3,500
|
350-400
|
$24.50
|
$28.00
|
|
Water Heater (40-50 gal. /1 person)
|
4,500
|
375-425
|
$26.25
|
$29.75
|
|
Water Heater (each add. person)
|
NA
|
75-125
|
$5.25
|
$8.75
|
Calculations are based on a rate of 7 cents per kilowatt-hour. Your
actual rate may be different depending on where you live and the company
that supplies your electricity.
These figures are averages and may not exactly reflect your household's
habits or the energy efficiency and size of your home; however, they
will help you estimate how much electricity various appliances use and
where your energy dollars go each month.