Calculating consumption by household appliances

We often ask ourselves how much electricity our homes consume and how we can measure this, without actually doing it. Indeed, calculating consumption by household appliances always seems to be a difficult task that can only be undertaken by highly specialised people. The reality is actually very different! In this article, we will show you that determining the amount of energy that a family consumes each year is child’s play.

CALCULATION OF CONSUMPTION BY HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Each appliance is different. In fact, each appliance is characterised by its size, power (expressed in watts, kilowatts or amperes) and the energy class it belongs to, so to calculate the appliance’s consumption correctly, we need to verify the following:

1.   Identify the appliance’s power rating

2.   Calculate its energy consumption: power of the appliance * service life. Current consumption also depends on the speed at which the device operates. Since the power has been multiplied by the number of hours, this no longer refers to watts but to watt-hours. Warning: the more a household appliance is operated at low or medium power, the less electricity will be consumed.

TOOL FOR CALCULATING CONSUMPTION BY HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Sometimes it is not enough to determine the power of an electronic device to get an idea of ​​how much energy it will consume. If the power bill is higher than we expect, we need to make sure that our appliances are working properly. To address this problem, we can use a power consumption meter. This tool provides an accurate measurement of how and when a particular household appliance consumes energy, and how much.

CALCULATION OF THE POWER CONSUMED

Essentially, in order to make a realistic calculation, it is not enough to calculate the consumption of an individual appliance. We also need to determine the costs of electricity consumption in relation to the family unit:

• Number of people living in the house

• Number, size and type of home appliances

HOW MUCH DOES AN ELECTRIC STOVE CONSUME?

Generally, an induction cooker consumes 200 KWh per year per person.

To save energy, we recommend:

• Defrosting food before cooking

• Cooking food with the lid on

HOW MUCH DOES AN ELECTRIC WATER HEATER CONSUME?

An electric water heater is one of the appliances that consumes more electricity, using it to heat water. Within a family, a water heater can consume as much as 1,500 KW per year.

An electric water heater can be replaced by:

• A heat pump

• A solar heating system

• A gas boiler

HOW MUCH DOES A WASHING MACHINE CONSUME?

A washing machine is an appliance that significantly affects our power bills. The energy consumed relates to the quantity of water to be heated rather than the use of its motor. Class A washing machines consume around 250 KWh per year, so we can assume that the annual expenditure amounts to a figure of around €60/€90.

AVERAGE FAMILY CONSUMPTION

We have already noted that one of the two factors that determines energy consumption is the number of members in a family. Generally, we estimate that for a family of 3-4 people, energy consumption amounts to 3,300 KWh per year, at a cost of around €650. A family consisting of more than 4 people will consume 4,700 kWh per year, with an energy bill of about €1,450 euros.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS

• Replace an old TV with a newer model that consumes less power. Always switch off the TV and do not leave it in standby mode

• Use a hairdryer at medium or low temperature

• Defrost the freezer when ice forms

• Use energy-saving or LED light bulbs

• Avoid preheating the oven

• Use high energy-saving appliances

• Avoid unnecessary appliances