{"id":23411,"date":"2025-12-15T16:06:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/what-uses-most-electricity-your-home\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:30:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:30:22","slug":"what-uses-most-electricity-your-home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/what-uses-most-electricity-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"What Uses the Most Electricity in Your Home? Let&#8217;s Examine Your Appliances"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.chariot-article {\n  max-width: 800px;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n  padding: 40px;\n  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;\n  font-size: 18px;\n  line-height: 1.8;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h1 {\n  font-size: 2.5em;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  line-height: 1.2;\n  margin: 0 0 30px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article h2 {\n  font-size: 1.8em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.3;\n  margin: 50px 0 20px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n  border-bottom: 2px solid #f7931e;\n  padding-bottom: 10px;\n}\n.chariot-article h3 {\n  font-size: 1.4em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.4;\n  margin: 40px 0 15px 0;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h4 {\n  font-size: 1.2em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  margin: 30px 0 10px 0;\n  color: #444;\n}\n.chariot-article p {\n  margin: 0 0 20px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article img {\n  max-width: 100%;\n  height: auto;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  display: block;\n}\n.chariot-article figure {\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article figcaption {\n  font-size: 0.9em;\n  color: #666;\n  text-align: center;\n  margin-top: 10px;\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article ul, .chariot-article ol {\n  margin: 20px 0 20px 30px;\n  padding: 0;\n}\n.chariot-article li {\n  margin-bottom: 12px;\n  line-height: 1.6;\n}\n.chariot-article a {\n  color: #f7931e;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;\n  transition: border-color 0.2s;\n}\n.chariot-article a:hover {\n  border-bottom-color: #f7931e;\n}\n.chariot-article blockquote {\n  border-left: 4px solid #f7931e;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  padding: 20px 30px;\n  background: #f9f9f9;\n  font-style: italic;\n  color: #555;\n}\n.chariot-article strong {\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article em {\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article hr {\n  border: none;\n  border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n  margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article table {\n  width: 100%;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article th, .chariot-article td {\n  padding: 12px 15px;\n  text-align: left;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n}\n.chariot-article th {\n  background: #f5f5f5;\n  font-weight: 600;\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n  .chariot-article {\n    padding: 20px;\n    font-size: 16px;\n  }\n  .chariot-article h1 { font-size: 2em; }\n  .chariot-article h2 { font-size: 1.5em; }\n  .chariot-article h3 { font-size: 1.25em; }\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"chariot-article\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" alt=\"Woman reaching into the refrigerator\" class=\"wp-image-1588\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/woman-refrigerator-1.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Your refrigerator is the fifth most energy-consuming appliance in your home.<\/figcaption><\/img><\/figure>\n<p>At some point, all of us have randomly stared at an appliance in<br \/>\nthe home \u2014 say your TV or refrigerator \u2014 and thought, \u201cDang, that thing must<br \/>\nuse a ton of electricity\u2026.\u201d or perhaps even, \u201cI wonder how much energy that<br \/>\nthing uses\u2026\u201d This especially happens to us when we get a larger electricity<br \/>\nbill that we\u2019d expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Such thoughts prompted us to do a bit of research on the subject of which appliances use the most energy in our homes. And after some serious consideration, we\u2019re ready to announce the winner.<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>*drum roll*<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-3-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>It\u2019s your HVAC! What a shocker\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As Texans, this is insultingly obvious. We didn\u2019t need a <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/energyexplained\/use-of-energy\/electricity-use-in-homes.php\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">report<\/a> from the U.S. government to tell us that our air conditioner uses the most energy in our homes. However, you should know that several other household appliances use a larger chunk of energy than you might realize. For example, your water heater and lighting account for nearly a quarter of your energy bill!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, rather than just telling you the obvious, we compiled a list<br \/>\nof the 10 most energy-consuming appliances in your home and matched them with<br \/>\ntips on how you can maximize your energy savings by reducing their consumption.<br \/>\nWe\u2019ve even added insights for those pesky \u201cmiscellaneous\u201d appliances.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top 10 Appliances that Use the Most Energy in Your Home (In Order)<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Air conditioner<\/li>\n<li>Space heating<\/li>\n<li>Water heater<\/li>\n<li>Lighting<\/li>\n<li>Refrigerator<\/li>\n<li>TVs and electronics<\/li>\n<li>Dryer<\/li>\n<li>Ceiling fans<\/li>\n<li>Cooking<\/li>\n<li>Microwave<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>To be clear, this situation isn\u2019t the same for everyone, though.<br \/>\nMany factors can influence how much electricity a home uses, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Geography\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Climate<\/li>\n<li>Type of home\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Number of appliances<\/li>\n<li>Family size<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Such variables can alter the amount of energy each appliance in<br \/>\nyour home uses. For example, a family of four living in a single-family home in<br \/>\nGeorgia will use power much differently than a person living alone in a tiny<br \/>\napartment in New York City.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, it\u2019s important to remember that the percentages you see below are approximations reported by the <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/energyexplained\/use-of-energy\/electricity-use-in-homes.php\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. Energy Information Administration<\/a>. They represent an average of how much the energy usage of a typical home goes toward these appliances. While these numbers are backed by data, we recommend taking them with a grain of salt when it comes to estimating the actual energy usage in your home.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Air Conditioner ~17% of\u00a0Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>The \u201cAC\u201d part of HVAC, your air conditioner is most likely the<br \/>\nlifeblood of your home, so there\u2019s a reason why it eats the largest chunk of<br \/>\nyour energy bill! As Texans, we can\u2019t help but love this monster of a device,<br \/>\nbut it\u2019s time to tame the air conditioning beast. We have two tips to reduce<br \/>\nyour AC\u2019s energy load in the summer:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use 75 \u00b0F as your base temperature<\/strong>. We get it. For some people, this setting makes them feel like they\u2019re in a furnace, so we understand if you need to set it lower. But the more you turn down your thermostat, the more energy you will use and the higher your electric bill will be.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>When you\u2019re not home, always set your thermostat to 78 \u00b0F. <\/strong>If no one\u2019s home, you shouldn\u2019t waste electricity keeping your home cool. The closer your home\u2019s temperature is to the outside, the more savings you\u2019ll see on your electric bill.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Space Heating ~15% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>The same basic concept used for your air conditioner in summer<br \/>\napplies for when it\u2019s cold outside, but instead of turning your thermostat up,<br \/>\nyou should turn it as low as it can go where you\u2019re still comfortable. We have<br \/>\ntwo specific recommendations for changing how you use your heater so you save<br \/>\nthe most on your electric bills:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use 68 \u00b0F as your base temperature. This has proven to be the <\/strong>temperature with the maximum energy efficiency, savings, and comfort. However, if you can stand even lower temperatures, feel free to turn your thermostat down further!\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>When you\u2019re not home, set it to 58 \u2013 60 \u00b0F. <\/strong>Per the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% of your heating and cooling costs by turning your thermostat back 7\u00b0-10 \u00b0F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.<sup>1<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Water Heater ~14% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>In terms of energy usage, heating water is not far behind from<br \/>\nheating and cooling. This one definitely surprised us. Luckily, though this is the<br \/>\nthird most energy-consuming appliance in your home, our three tips will help<br \/>\nyou shave a little off your energy bill, and they require little to NO effort:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Insulate your water tank.<\/strong> If your water heater feels warm to the touch, then it\u2019s not insulated properly. Buy an insulation blanket for your tank. It\u2019s not that expensive and can save you 7-16% on water heating costs.2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Change the factory settings.<\/strong> Your water heater probably is still set at the factory setting of 140 \u00b0F. The EPA suggests you turn it down by 20      degrees for safety and savings.3 You won\u2019t even notice it in the shower, but you\u2019ll definitely see it on your bill.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use less hot water.<\/strong> We realize this is the most obvious tip ever, but the amount of hot water you use is directly proportional to how much energy your water heater uses. Reduce your water usage in every possible format: handwashing, rinsing vegetables, showering, dishwashing and laundry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Lighting ~10% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s go beyond the typical \u201cturn off the lights\u201d tip. Instead, we<br \/>\nrecommend that you replace your archaic incandescent light bulbs with modern<br \/>\nLED ones. This improved light bulb technology uses much less energy and can<br \/>\nlast for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Just by replacing FIVE of the most frequently used bulbs in your<br \/>\nhome, you can <strong>save up to $75 per year in electricity costs<\/strong>.<sup>4 <\/sup>Now, imagine how much you could save<br \/>\nif you replaced ALL of your light bulbs.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Refrigerator(s) ~7% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>If there\u2019s one really interesting tidbit we learned throughout our<br \/>\nresearch, it\u2019s that Americans love refrigerators. In fact, nearly 1 out of<br \/>\nevery 4 Americans have a second fridge, which doubles their consumption<br \/>\npercentage.<sup>5\u00a0<\/sup> So, to<br \/>\nsave money on refrigeration in your home, follow these three tips:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Clean the condenser coils.<\/strong> If your fridge is constantly humming and has trouble staying cool, the condenser coils likely need to be wiped free of dust and debris.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Buy an ENERGY STAR fridge.<\/strong> This is not a recommendation that you go out and buy a new fridge for the fun of it. But when your current fridge finally gives out and you need a new one, you should look for the blue ENERGY STAR logo. These are the most energy-efficient models on the market and could save you hundreds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Get rid of the extra refrigerator. <\/strong>Unless you really need that second refrigerator (like really need it because you have a large family and need the extra storage), you should probably say goodbye and recycle it. It can cost an additional $125 on your electricity bill each year just by having it plugged in your garage.<sup>6<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. TVs &amp; Electronics ~7% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>Many of your electronics still use power when you\u2019re not using<br \/>\nthem \u2014 even if they\u2019re technically \u201cturned off.\u201d That means you\u2019re just wasting<br \/>\nenergy. Examples include TVs, computers, clock radios, printers and DVD<br \/>\nplayers. Here are two ways you can reduce the amount of energy your consumer<br \/>\nelectronics consume:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Buy power strips.<\/strong> Plug all electronics into a power strip and flip off the switch when not in use.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lower your TV\u2019s brightness.<\/strong> Set your television to the \u201chome\u201d or      \u201cstandard\u201d setting to reduce its brightness. This one-time step reduces      your TV\u2019s energy use by 18%-30%.<sup>7<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Dryer ~5% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019re finally getting into the appliances that don\u2019t use a lot of<br \/>\nenergy on the surface, but whose energy consumption could still be reduced. We<br \/>\nhave two tips for helping your dryer use less energy:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Air-dry your clothes. <\/strong>Since your more delicate clothing items should be air-dried anyway, why not air-dry most or all of them? While      this isn\u2019t ideal for people living in an apartment or townhome, it\u2019s easy      to hang them on a clothesline if you have a backyard.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Utilize the \u201ccool down\u201d setting.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t want to air-dry your clothes, you can always use the \u201ccool-down\u201d cycle available on most modern dryers. This option lets the remaining heat finish drying your clothes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Ceiling Fans ~2% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>This tip might sound counterintuitive to the overall tone of this<br \/>\nblog post, but <strong>we want your ceiling fans to consume MORE energy.<\/strong> Hear us<br \/>\nout.<\/p>\n<p>The reason is simple: Ceiling fans can make a room feel cooler and<br \/>\nwarmer without excessive use of the HVAC. The fan pushes the air across your<br \/>\nskin, helping cool or warm you so you don\u2019t need to keep your HVAC cranked all<br \/>\nthe time So, even though you\u2019re technically using more energy to operate your<br \/>\nceiling fans, you\u2019re comparably using way less energy than you would have if<br \/>\nyou turned the AC down or turned the heat up.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Cooking ~1.5% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cCooking\u201d in and of itself doesn\u2019t use that much energy in terms<br \/>\nof the actual appliances. However, the heat produced warms up your home<br \/>\nquickly, which causes the AC to kick in. It then becomes a battle between your<br \/>\nAC and your oven, each constantly offsetting the other. This becomes a problem<br \/>\nin the summer, especially when you\u2019re trying to NOT overtax your HVAC. We\u2019ve<br \/>\nassembled three tips to address this issue:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use your microwave.<\/strong> Your microwave is much more energy-efficient than your oven. This option isn\u2019t ideal for cooking meat, but you should use the microwave for nearly anything else!\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Skip preheating the oven.<\/strong> Just pop that casserole in as soon as you turn on the oven. You don\u2019t even need to adjust the cooking time. <\/li>\n<li><strong>Cook outside.<\/strong> This one is great for the summer months when it\u2019s nice out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Microwave ~1.1% of Your Total Energy Usage<\/h3>\n<p>This is another appliance that we recommend you use more<br \/>\nfrequently than you might normally. As we just mentioned, microwaves are a huge<br \/>\nenergy saver, especially because they don\u2019t add heat to your home like your<br \/>\noven and stove. So, even though you\u2019ll be increasing its energy usage, it can<br \/>\nsave you more money in the long run.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Ways to Reduce Your Electricity Consumption at Home<\/h2>\n<p>You thought we were finished, didn\u2019t you? Think again! At Chariot, we have an endless number of tips to help you save money by reducing your residential electricity usage so you receive a smaller electricity bill. To read 29 more tips on how you can conserve energy, click <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/ways-to-conserve-energy-home\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/fixed-rate-electricity-plans\/\">Shop Rates in Your Zip Code<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\" style=\"height:100px\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/thermostats\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/thermostats<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/services\/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects\/savings-project-insulate-your-water\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/services\/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects\/savings-project-insulate-your-water<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/services\/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects\/savings-project-lower-water-heating\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/services\/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects\/savings-project-lower-water-heating<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/save-electricity-and-fuel\/lighting-choices-save-you-money\/how-energy-efficient-light\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/save-electricity-and-fuel\/lighting-choices-save-you-money\/how-energy-efficient-light<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2016\/05\/27\/news\/economy\/23-percent-of-american-homes-have-2-fridges\/index.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2016\/05\/27\/news\/economy\/23-percent-of-american-homes-have-2-fridges\/index.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is easy to look over how many appliances we have plugged in at a given moment. Learn what household items use the most electricity and start saving today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23603,"parent":627,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23411","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23411\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}