Q. What can I do to lower my energy bills?
A. Many things can cause your energy bills to fluctuate. Here are some questions
to ask yourself if you've noticed an increase in your usage. You can also
use our energy calculator
to discover how much energy you're using and get money-saving tips tailored
just for you.
Q. How much energy does the average home use?
A. A typical U.S. home uses about 44 cents out of every energy dollar for heating
and cooling. Another 14 cents goes to water heating and 9 cents is used
for refrigerators and freezers. The remaining 33 cents is used for appliances,
electronics and lighting. View
a chart
that compares how energy is used.
Q. How is energy measured?
A. There are many ways to measure energy. Some make sense for different kinds
of fuels, and some make sense for different kinds of work. When you buy fuel,
the bill might be expressed in terms of volume, like gallons or cubic feet,
or in terms of content, like therms or Btus. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours,
or kWh. Gas is typically measured in therms or cubic feet. These are all measures
of energy, but how do they compare?
1 kWh of electricity = 3,413 BTUs
1 therm of gas = 100,000 BTUs
1 gallon of oil = typically 138,690 BTUs
1 cu ft of water = 7.48 gallons
The BTU (British Thermal Unit) is useful for comparisons
between fuels. One BTU is the amount of heat-energy required to raise 1 pound
of water from 60°F to 61°F. It is also roughly the amount of energy released
by burning a single wooden kitchen match.
Q. How much does it cost to run my appliances? Use our handy online calculator
to figure what it costs to use your appliances and electronic devices each year.
Also, view a chart that compares
the amount of electricity used by appliances.
