A number of different factors make up your home's total electrical usage. Your family's size and lifestyle affect the number of kilowatt-hours you use each month. Here are a few factors to consider when determining what makes up your family's total usage.
Family size
The number of people living in a home, their ages, and the number of hours they spend at home relates directly to the amount of energy used. Taking showers, washing and drying clothes, cooking meals, even how many times a day the refrigerator door is opened, will add to the number of kilowatts used daily. When guests visit, you can expect that usage to increase.
Seasonal fluctuations
Heating and cooling your home accounts for a major portion of your total home energy usage. Any month with extremely hot or cold temperatures will cause usage to fluctuate. Each home's type of heating and cooling systems, along with its temperature settings, will also cause differences in energy usage.
Appliances
While home appliances are huge labor savers, they are also significant energy users. Appliances and lighting account for about one fifth of the total home energy use. The number of appliances and how much energy they use can differ greatly from home to home. The good news is that appliances and lighting are becoming more energy efficient every year.
Water heating
Water heating is often the second largest energy expense in a Minnesota home and may account for up to 30 percent of the household's annual energy costs. You can reduce hot water expenses by using a high-efficiency water heater. Click here - if you would like to learn more about how you can participate in our energy-efficient Marathon Water Heater Program.
Your home is unique
Different families, different equipment, and different lifestyles-it's easy to see how each home is unique and will have its own energy usage pattern. If you're interested in understanding “what uses watts” in your home, download the calculation guide below to estimate your monthly kWh usage.
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Download Home Energy Use Calculation Guide
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