Every month you are responsible for paying a variety of different home-related bills. These can include your mortgage, home insurance, internet, water, heat and more. But perhaps one of the largest and most important of these costs is electricity.
Many of us use a ton of electricity daily, from keeping our home well-lit, to watching TV, to playing video games and even charging our devices. Because of this usage, many people experience relatively high electricity costs every month. In fact, the average household will pay over $110 for their electricity every month.
However, have you ever wondered just which devices are responsible for your high energy bills? If so, finding out is easier than you might think. With that in mind, this article is going to serve as a how-to guide to help you calculate your electricity costs and learn your usage.
Know the Rates
The first thing to know in order to be able to calculate electricity usage and the cost will be to know the rates that you pay for electricity. In general, you should be able to find this out on your last bill, but if not, you could likely reach out to your provider or head online to see. In general, it will range from around 10 cents a kwh, up to well over 20 cents, depending on where you live.
Also, be aware that the numbers can differ from month to month if you have a varied electricity rate. However, if yours is fixed and consistent, it should be easier to work out just how much you spent on every kilowatt of electricity.
Learn the Wattage of Your Various Devices
Next, you want to learn just how many watts your different devices, equipment or appliances use. There are a few different ways to measure the wattage of the various devices or appliances. One of the best and easiest is to simply look at the back of the appliance, and there will often be a section that includes data about it, including the watts.
You can also purchase and use a wattage meter for a very detailed and exact look at how much is getting used. Also, if the number of volts and amps is provided, but not watts, simply multiply them together and you will get the watts.
Calculate How Long They Are Used For
Once you know the rate you pay for electricity and are aware of the wattage of the devices, the next step is to calculate how long these devices are used for. Obviously, the devices that are used longer will generally cost you more every month. While working out the time used monthly is possible, it is generally easier to do it by day.
Then, simply multiply that by 30 and you should get a good number. Of course, if you only use something on certain days, this may not give you an accurate look. It can be hard to get an exact amount here, but a general idea of the numbers is better than nothing. Try your best to be realistic as possible, and also account for the time that others in your household spend, as well.
Once you have all of these together (your electricity price, wattage of devices and how long they are used, you should be able to easily calculate just how much each device is costing you either every day or every month. This can help you identify your problem areas and where there is room for improvement.
In conclusion, we hope this blog post has been able to help you learn just how to accurately and correctly calculate your electricity usage and cost.
