Energy costs keep going higher and higher. But there are steps you can take to lower your bill. One is reducing the amount of kilowatt-hours that your home uses throughout the course of an average day.
But how many kWh does a house use, on average, in the United States? How do you figure out how much yours uses? And what can you do to reduce your kWh consumption to save money on your utility bill?
We put together this guide to let you know. Keep reading to find the answer to all of those questions and more information about how many kilowatt-hours the average house uses.
How Many kWh Does A House Use?
What Is A Kilowatt-Hour, Exactly?
Before getting into the numbers, we should first cover what a kilowatt-hour (kWh) is. The answer is that it’s a common way to measure the energy consumption of an electronic device over various amounts of time.
A kilowatt is 1,000 watts of energy used for one hour. The more kWh something uses, the more energy it needs to function, and the more it will add to your utility bill if you’re pulling that energy from the grid.
That’s one reason why solar power can be so beneficial. It lets you use devices that consume kWhs without having to pull the energy from the grid or pay money for it.
How Many Kwh A House Uses In A Day, Month, And Year?
Now that we know what a kWh is we can try answering the question of many a house uses throughout the course of the average day, month, or year.
A recent study found that the average house in the United States uses 10,632 kWh per year. That’s about 886 kWh per month and 29.12 kWh per day. These are good baseline numbers you can use to estimate your potential energy consumption if you want to figure it out quickly.
But the truth is that there’s no perfect answer to this question. The number of kilowatt-hours that a home uses can vary significantly based on a number of factors, which we detail in the next section.
Factors That Can Influence How Many Kwh A House Uses
1. The different types of appliances you use
The first thing to note is that the types of appliances you use can significantly impact your home’s kWh consumption. Newer models of ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators tend to be more energy-efficient than older ones. You will also, obviously, consume more power if you use more appliances than the average home.
2. The frequency you use different devices
Another factor that can impact your kWh consumption is how frequently you use different devices. For example, do you constantly need to charge hobby electronics like drones, cameras, or electronic toys? If so, it could increase your kWh consumption by quite a bit.
One good alternative to this is using a portable power station from a brand like BougeRV. Products like our Fort 1500 provide enough power to charge all of your favorite devices at home or on the go, and you can charge them with solar power so you don’t have to pay extra on your utility bills. The savings you get from a portable power station over its lifespan could be more than enough to pay for the device.
3. The number of people that live in your home
You should also consider the number of people living in your home. When more people are in a home, it tends to lead to higher power consumption.
4. The state you live in
Finally, the state you live in can also have a massive impact on the amount of energy your home consumes. For example, homes in Alabama use around 1,144 kWh of power per month, while those in Alaska only use an average of about 552 kWh.
The reason for this has to do with differing climates across the states. For example, if you live in a state like Arizona, you’re likely going to need to run your air conditioner the entire summer, which you wouldn’t need to do if you lived in a state with a more moderate summer climate.
How To Figure Out How Many Kwhs Your House Uses?
You can look up the average kWh consumption for your state if you want a quick answer to this question that may be somewhat accurate. Or you take the time to figure out the specific number of KWhs your home uses throughout the course of an average day, month, or year. There are two ways to do this.
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Look at your energy bill
The first and easiest way to figure out how many kWh your house uses is to review your latest utility bill. This should tell you the number of kWh you’re being charged for and the time period that the bill applies to.
For example, your bill may say that you owe $100 for 800 kWh of electricity for the month of March. This tells you that your home used 800 kWh of energy during that month. You could then divide that figure by the number of days in the month to figure out your daily consumption, which would be 25.8 kWh in this case.
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Calculate your kWh consumption manually
A more complicated option is to calculate your kWh consumption manually. You can do that by figuring out the wattage of each device in your home. Then, you multiply the wattage by the amount of time that you use the device throughout the course of an average day.
For example, your flat-screen TV may use 70 watts of power. If you watch four hours of TV in a day, that would mean the TV consumed 280 watt-hours (or 0.28 kWhs) of energy that day. You would follow this process for every device in your home, then add them all together to get the total number of kWhs your home uses on an average day.
Tips For Reducing The Amount Of Kwh Your House Uses
The good news is that there are steps you can take today to start immediately reducing the amount of kWh your home uses. Here are four quick tips to get you started so that you can begin lowering your utility bill.
1. Invest in energy-efficient appliances
If you’ve had the same appliances for many years, now may be the time to invest in newer, energy-efficient models. They consume less power than other appliances and can reduce your energy bill considerably over their lifespans.
2. Improve your home’s insulation
If you live somewhere where you need to constantly heat and cool your home, then improving your home’s insulation could be one of the most impactful ways to reduce your kWh consumption. Insulation keeps cold and warm air in your home and stops the cold or heat outside from seeping in. The better your insulation is, the less power it takes to keep your home cool or hot.
3. Unplug devices when not in use
It can also be helpful to get into the habit of unplugging your devices when you’re not using them. Doing so will help you avoid wasting energy when you’re not even getting any value out of it.
4. Use solar power
Finally, you can also consider supplementing your home energy setup with a solar energy solution, such as a portable power station and solar panels. These reduce the amount of energy that you need to pull from the utility grid, so you can use the same number of kWhs while reducing your bill.
The Best Solar Product For Reducing Your Home’s Kwh Consumption – The Bougerv Fort 1500
One of the most effective ways to reduce the amount of kWh your home consumes is to invest in a backup source of energy. The Fort 1500 is perfect for that. It features a massive 1456Wh capacity with an impressive 2200W output – enough to charge all of your favorite devices many times over and even run some small appliances.
The Fort 1500 is also equipped with high-performance lithium iron phosphate battery cells, which charge quickly and are safe and reliable for indoor use. Even better, you can easily take the lightweight and compact Fort 1500 with you when you go camping or travel. With many outlets and multiple ways to charge, you’ll always be able to get the energy you need on the go while also reducing the number of kWhs you consume while at home.
You can visit our website to learn more about the different types of portable power stations offered by BougeRV and how they stand out from the competition.
How Many Kwh Does A House Use FAQs
1. How many kWhs does the average house use in the United States?
The average house in the United States uses about 29.12 kWh per day. That adds up to roughly 886 kWh per month or 10,632 kWh per year.
2. What appliances use the most kWhs?
Large appliances tend to use the most kWhs. This includes refrigerators, HVAC systems (heating and cooling), kitchen stoves, and water heaters.
3. How do I use less energy in my home?
You can use less energy in your home by cutting back on electronics use. Or you can supplement your home energy setup with a product like a BougeRV portable power station that lets you use solar energy for free.