Average energy consumption by household appliances: calculation features and recommendations

Reducing the costs of maintaining a home and taking care of nature are two main reasons for the need to reduce energy consumption.

If the consumer does not use alternative options for generating electricity, then he receives it from heat, hydro or nuclear power plants. Classical energy causes significant damage to the environment, even taking into account modern means of cleaning emissions and processing of radioactive waste. Reducing electricity consumption will reduce the load on power plants and preserve mineral reserves. Nevertheless, most homeowners think about energy saving, having received a receipt for utility bills with an impressive total amount.

Regardless of the reason that prompted the owner of the house or apartment to think about reducing energy consumption, it is useful to know the factors that determine the amount of its consumption.

Factors Affecting Total Energy Consumption

Electricity consumption is directly dependent on the power of household appliances, the time of their use and the overall energy efficiency of the house. Among the factors that determine the cost of electricity, we can distinguish:

• Energy saving class of household appliances.
• Thermal insulation level of the building.
• Use of alternative energy.

When choosing a home appliance, pay attention not only to power, but also to the energy efficiency class. The energy efficiency of the device is calculated by the manufacturer based on its parameters and power consumption. At the same time, seven classes are distinguished, marked from A to G. Classes A + and A ++ have the highest energy efficiency.

Please note that high energy efficiency is interconnected, but not equal to low consumption.

Good thermal insulation leads to a comfortable microclimate and makes it possible to reduce the cost of electricity without losing heat in the house. The use of solar panels, windmills or mini-hydroelectric power stations will fully or partially satisfy the homeowner's electricity needs.

Power consumption of electric heating system

In winter, a significant proportion of the expenses for utilities are heating. This problem is faced not only by owners of private houses, but also by residents of apartment buildings who are forced to use convectors to maintain a comfortable temperature. Old apartment buildings have a low energy efficiency class. The apartments are cool even in central heating.

The heart of any heat supply system in a private house is the boiler. Owners of small-sized houses in which there is no interruption in energy supply choose electric boilers. Power consumption is high, but this fact compensates for the efficiency approaching 100%, and ease of installation.

Consider the factors affecting the energy consumption of the boiler:

• Boiler specifications: device power, duration, number of circuits, tank capacity.
• Heating circuit: quantity and type of heat carrier.
• Building parameters: the volume of the room, the number of openings in the walls, the material of the walls and the quality of thermal insulation.
• Climate.

The average annual calculation of heating costs without calculating heat loss and other factors is carried out as follows:

1. Multiply the boiler output by the number of operating hours per day.
2. Multiply your daily intake by 30, and then by the number of months that the heating season is in your area.
3. Divide the resulting value in half to take into account the average heat load.

Automated heating intensity control systems allow you to adjust the energy consumption. Heating will cost less when installing a room thermostat with a programmable controller.

Energy consumption of water heating appliances

To heat the water, electric flow and storage water heaters are used, which have differences in energy consumption and affect energy consumption in different ways. Water heated by a boiler should be sufficient for the needs of all family members. Their amount determines the consumed volume of water and the cost of heating it.

Here are the main factors affecting energy consumption indicators, taking into account which you can make the necessary calculations:

• Type of water heater.
• Boiler specifications: tank volume, power, heating rate.
• Daily volume of water.

The flow-through type of water heater has a higher power, but the cost of its consumption is on average less than that of the storage one. The storage boiler has a thermal insulation layer that impedes heat loss and lower power. Nevertheless, due to automatic heating and heat losses, the energy consumption of the storage water heater is higher within the same period. The choice of the type of water heater is far from obvious, and depends on the stability of the voltage and the absence of interruptions in the supply of electricity, as well as the required temperature of the water.

Lighting energy consumption

The share of the cost of lighting in home ownership in the winter is approximately one third of all costs. This is an essential entry in the utility list that needs to be reviewed.

You can reduce the cost of lighting by changing all the bulbs to LED ones, which have greater energy efficiency with a higher light output coefficient and longer service life. The cost of an LED lamp is 5-6 times higher than that of a fluorescent lamp, and the duration of operation is increased 10 times. Thus, the purchase of LED lighting products in terms of life is economically more reasonable.

Household Power Consumption Chart

The presented table displays the share of energy consumed by various household appliances. It will show which devices account for a higher percentage of costs and help reduce them.

Pay attention to household appliances at the top of the table. If possible, replace them with modern technology with a higher class of energy saving.

Methods for calculating the average energy consumption

There are several ways to calculate the average energy consumption of household appliances available in the house.

• According to the annual meter readings, you can find out the average monthly consumption;
• By power or by current and voltage of a household appliance.

To speed up the calculations, download and install an energy calculator that will not only automatically do all the necessary calculations, but also help you develop a program to optimize energy costs.

It is easy to determine the energy consumption from the counter - kW-hours, indicated in the previous readings, subtract from the current meter value, not taking into account the digit after the decimal point.

We will dwell in more detail on the calculations based on the characteristics of household appliances.

Calculation of the power consumption of a household appliance

In how to determine the power consumption of an electric appliance by its power, there is no difficulty if it retains a label with technical specifications. It can be found on the back of the case. Consumption in kilowatt hours is calculated by the manufacturer on the basis of average values ​​during tests in different operating conditions.

If the label does not indicate consumption, but electrical parameters, then the flow calculation must be done manually:

1. Find power on the label of a household appliance;
2. Multiply this value by the average amount of daytime use expressed in hours.

Counting example:

• Pump power - 600 W, operating time - 1 hour. Consumption = 600 * 1 = 600 W / h or 0.6 kW / h. Thus, the daily consumption of the pump is 0.6 kW / h. Multiply your daily intake by 30 days to get your average monthly consumption.

Please note that the manufacturer indicates the maximum, not the average value of the power of the device. These values ​​may vary. As a rule, the average value is significantly lower.

Calculation of current and voltage flow

Calculation of consumption is easier to do by power, but in some cases this indicator is not indicated on the label. Voltage is a constant value, which for Russia is 220 volts. Current is measured in amperes (A). If the label contains an input and an output current, use the input.

1. Multiply the value of the input current by the voltage in the network to obtain power;
2. Multiply the result by the average daily use time expressed in hours.

Counting example:

• The current strength of the laptop power supply is 3.5 A, the voltage is 220 V. Consumption = 3.5 * 220 * 1 (hour) = 770 600 W / h or 0.77 kW / h.

Recommendations for energy conservation and increased energy efficiency

Analyze the energy consumption table and identify weaknesses in the energy conservation system of your home. The first positions, the total share of which is more than half of all costs, are occupied by a refrigerator and lighting devices.

To reduce the share of the cost of lighting, more often use natural light and replace the bulbs with fluorescent or LED. The refrigerator should be moved away from the wall to ventilate the space near the compressor.

Refresh your home appliance fleet and consider using alternative energy sources.