MEC Appliance Brochure:Brochure
8/19/11
11:54 AM
Page 1
Become an Energy Star
If you’re in the market for new appliances or electronics,
invest in energy-efficient models that carry the ENERGY STAR
logo. ENERGY STAR products generally use 20-30% less
energy than similar, non-qualified models. This can make an
ever bigger difference if your appliances are old and inefficient.
ENERGY STAR products can be found at most major
retailers and online. Visit the ENERGY STAR homepage at
www.energystar.gov for more information.
Using The Energy Guide
A
B
C
D
E
F
If you have
shopped for appliances, you’ve
probably seen the
bright yellow
EnergyGuide
label. This label
can help you
compare the energy use of different
models as you
shop for an appliance. Of course,
the more efficient
the appliance is,
the less it costs to
run, resulting in
lower utility bills.
A. Lists key features of the appliance you’re looking at and the
similar models that make up the cost range below.
B. The make, model, and size tell you exactly what product this
label describes.
C. What you might pay to run the appliance for a year, based on
its electricity use and the national average cost of the energy. The
cost appears on labels for all models and brands, so you can
compare energy use just like you would price out other features.
D. The cost range helps you compare the energy use of different
models by showing you the range of operating costs for models
with similar features.
E. An estimate of how much electricity the appliance uses in a
year based on typical use. Multiply this by your local electricity
rate on your utility bill to better judge what your actual operating
cost might be.
F. If you see the ENERGY STAR® logo, it means the product
is better for the environment because it uses less energy than
standard models.
Brought to you by:
MECKLENBURG
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
MECKLENBURG
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
MECKLENBURG
Electric Cooperative
MECKLENBURG
Electric Cooperative
www.meckelec.org
11633 Highway 92
Chase City, VA 23924
(434) 372-6100 • (800) 989-4161
Money-Saving Information
Reducing your energy consumption can
save you money on your monthly electric
bill and conserve limited natural resources.
In your efforts to improve your energy
efficiency, it is important to know what
consumes the most energy in your home.
This brochure provides a helpful
breakdown of typical common appliances
and their average percentage of overall
energy use by household. The mathematical
formula will be useful for determining
the electricity consumption.
Visit our website at
www.meckelec.org for more
information on how to conserve
energy and save money.
A Breakdown
of Common Home
Appliances by
Energy Use
HOME APPLIANCE
Energy Consumption
www.meckelec.org
MEC Appliance Brochure:Brochure
8/19/11
11:54 AM
Page 2
How Is Energy Consumed
in the Average Home?
A Closer Look: Down to the
Individual Appliance
How Do You Determine
Wattage?
Home energy usage will vary from individual to
individual. There are factors like how long an appliance
is left plugged in, how many loads of clothes there are to
wash, etc. Based on the type of appliance or electronic
device, we know the percentage of the total electrical load
it carries. Below is a pie-chart indicating the breakdown
of energy divided by category:
Using the following formula, you can determine which of
your appliances are the biggest energy hogs. Once you
know the wattage of the appliance/electronic device, just
walk through the steps below. Think about how many hours
during the day you have that appliance turned on. When you
get to Line 5, you’ll have the annual wattage consumed. To
convert that to kilowatt hours, just divide that number (on
Line 5) by 1,000. Line 7 tells you the annual kilowatt-hours.
The wattages of most appliances are usually stamped on
the bottom or back of an appliance, or on its nameplate.
The listed wattage is the maximum amount of power that
appliance will draw. Some have a range of settings and the
actual amount of power drawn depends on the setting used
at any one time.
Wattage of Appliance
2
Hours used per Day
Home Appliances
3
Multiply Line 1 by Line 2
Water Heating
4
Days in a Year
5
Multiply Line 3 by Line 4
=
6
Divide Line 5 by 1,000
÷ 1,000
4.5%
6.2%
52.8%
17.1%
Here are some examples of wattages for a few various
household appliances:
1
Heating & Cooling
9.3%
Lighting
Entertainment &
Electronics
10.1%
Other
U.S. Department of Energy, 2010 Buildings Energy Data Book,
Table 2.1.6
The Heating & Cooling category includes
your heat pump system, other heating units, and
air conditioners, both central and window.
Home Appliances includes most of your kitchen
appliances (oven/stove, refrigerator, freezer,
microwave, toaster, dishwasher) and your laundry
appliances (washing machine and dryer).
The Entertainment & Electronics includes your
computer, monitor, television(s), game systems,
DVD/VCR, and digital picture frames.
The Other category will include other small
electric devices, motors (e.g., ceiling fans), and
vacuum cleaners, to name a few.
7
Annual kilowatt-hours
Typical Wattages of Various
Appliances
=
365
=
Example using table above, determine the annual
kilowatt-hour consumption of a 60-watt incandescent
light bulb:
Appliance/Electronic/End Device
WATER HEATING
Wattage
Water Heater, 40 gallon
4,500
LIGHTING
60-watt incandescent
60
CFL (60-watt replacement)
13
HOME APPLIANCE
Coffee Maker
1,000
Microwave Oven
1,500
Toaster Oven
ENTERTAINMENT & ELECTRONIC
1,000
1
Wattage of Appliance
60
2
Hours used per Day
3
3
Multiply Line 1 by Line 2
4
Days in a Year
5
Multiply Line 3 by Line 4
= 65,700
DVD/VCR
6
Divide Line 5 by 1,000
÷ 1,000
Video Game - PS3, Xbox 360
7
Annual kilowatt-hours
= 65.7
Video Game - Wii
= 180
365
Then to determine how much it costs to use that light
bulb over a year’s time, multiply the annual kilowatthour consumption by your cooperative kWh rate. An
average rate is $0.11. So, 65.7 times 0.11 = $7.23.
Television - <40” Analog
86
Television - >40” ED/HD
234
17
190
19
OTHER
Hair Dryer
1,200-1,875
Vacuum Cleaner
1,000-1,440
Ceiling Fan
Swimming Pool Pump
75
1,200-1,400
These wattages are estimates.