What Consumes the Most Energy in Homes?

Energy consumption increases every year in the United States. With the increase in energy demand, higher prices in electric bills can be seen across the board.  Everyone wants lower costs, but energy bills continue to rise without notice. This is not a hopeless situation, though. Energy users can deal with the rising price of energy through an understanding of home energy use. Knowing how households specifically utilize energy can help homeowners make changes that will lower costs for families in any area of the country.

Energy is used for an assortment of modern devices and conveniences. It powers televisions, washing machines, cooking devices, gaming devices, smartphones, and a growing number of rising technologies. Energy also keeps our lights running from dusk to dawn. Typically, energy users picture these common utilizations when thinking of energy consumption.

A first step towards lowering energy costs is turning off the lights and powering down electronic devices. Lighting in the home uses about five percent of total energy. Appliances take up twenty to twenty-five percent. This amount is still a big chunk of power. So cutting back in these domains will lower a monthly bill substantially. However, more needs to be done in different areas of the home, specifically in temperature regulating.

The highest costs on electric bills come from heaters and air conditioners. According to the Energy Information Administration, these two temperature control units account for over fifty percent of energy costs. Heaters take up the brunt of this statistic. They make up forty to forty-seven percent of energy consumption. How much heat is used depends on the area of the country. Energy users in the northeast use the most energy to heat their homes. Air conditioning use takes the remaining power in this category. Again, depending on the area of the country, the use of air conditioning will vary.

Cutting back on temperature regulation alone can save a lot of money. In the winters, don't always reach for the dial on a thermostat. You can try turning down the temperature a few degrees for optimal results. In the summer, a similar concept can be applied. Turn the heat up one degree, and this could result in a one percent decrease in your electric bill. For further savings, energy users should turn to another facet of temperature technology.

Water heating is another big consumer of power. It can explain upwards of twenty percent of energy use. Shorter showers with less heated water can be another excellent remedy for controlling energy costs.

For information on building energy efficient homes contact Grayson Homes at 919-578-6222.