How-to
How to Lower Your Electric Bill: Find and Fix the Energy Hogs
🇩🇪 Diesen Artikel auf Deutsch lesenStart by measuring: read your meter or use your utility’s usage data, then check big users such as heating, cooling, water heating and old appliances. Switching to LEDs, killing standby power and adjusting your thermostat and water heater are the quickest wins.
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The average US household uses around 10,000 kWh of electricity per year. Most of it goes to just a few things: heating and cooling, water heating, the refrigerator, laundry and lighting. Cutting the bill starts with knowing which of these matter most in your home.
Step by step
- Look at your usage history
Most utilities show monthly or even hourly usage online. Compare summer, winter and spring months to see how much goes to cooling and heating.
- Measure your base load
Read the meter late at night when everything is idle. The usage then is your always-on base load. Multiply the watts by 8,760 hours to see the yearly kWh.
- Kill standby power
Plug the TV, game console, sound system and computer peripherals into a smart power strip. Standby power can account for 5–10% of household electricity use.
- Switch to LED bulbs
LEDs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last many times longer.
- Turn down the water heater
Set it to 120 °F, insulate the first few feet of hot water pipe, and install low-flow shower heads.
- Adjust thermostat settings
In summer, set the AC to 78 °F when you are home and higher when you are away. Ceiling fans let you feel comfortable at a higher setting.
- Check old refrigerators and freezers
An appliance from before 2010 can use twice as much as a new ENERGY STAR model. Unplug the half-empty garage fridge if you can live without it.
- Wash laundry in cold water
Most of the energy a washing machine uses goes to heating water. Modern detergents clean well in cold water.
What does each device really cost?
Look at the wattage on the label or measure it with a plug-in meter, then calculate the yearly cost:
Appliance Electricity Cost CalculatorWhat does a device cost to run?Try the calculator →Typical energy hogs
| Device | Typical yearly use |
|---|---|
| Central air conditioning | 1,500–3,500 kWh |
| Electric water heater | 2,500–4,500 kWh |
| Refrigerator older than 15 years | 700–1,200 kWh |
| Second fridge or freezer in the garage | 500–1,000 kWh |
| Gaming PC used 4 h a day | 400–700 kWh |
Check your rate plan, too
Many utilities offer time-of-use plans with cheaper electricity at night and on weekends. If you can shift laundry, dishwasher runs and EV charging to off-peak hours, switching plans can save money without using less energy. In states with retail choice, compare suppliers — but read the fine print on variable rates.
Frequently asked questions
Do energy-saving devices that plug into the wall work?
Devices claiming to cut your bill by 'optimizing' electricity are generally scams. Real savings come from using less energy or shifting it to cheaper times.
Is it worth replacing a working refrigerator?
If it is more than 15 years old and uses over 800 kWh a year, a new efficient model can pay back within a few years. Measure it first.