To quickly pinpoint what is using too much electricity, log into your utility provider's online energy dashboard to view daily or hourly spikes. Next, use a plug-in Electricity Usage Monitor for individual devices or install a whole-house monitor to view individual circuit data.
There are several ways to estimate how much electricity your appliances and home electronics use:
To quickly identify what is driving up your electric bill, compare your current kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage to previous months, check if you were hit with sudden utility rate hikes, and isolate major energy "hogs" like heating, cooling, water heaters, and old appliances.
A watt meter can help you see if a certain device is using power even when it is turned off. This device plugs into the wall, and then you plug your appliance into it to see how much power is being used.
We recommend starting your Sense experience with a walkthrough of your home while looking at the Power Meter view, turning things on and off, and seeing how much electricity each device is using at the moment. This is a great way to discover energy hogs right off the bat.
Your HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) is the primary appliance that causes electric bills to spike or even double. Because they cycle frequently, run for long periods, and consume high wattage, space heating and cooling make up nearly half of an average home's total energy consumption.
Heating and Cooling
HVAC systems are typically the largest driver of energy costs. Running your furnace or AC more often in extreme weather can exponentially increase your monthly bill. These costs can make up more than half of your total electricity bill.
In most homes, heating and cooling (HVAC) systems run up electric bills the most, accounting for about half of your total energy consumption. Water heaters, refrigerators, and clothes dryers are the next largest energy consumers.
Yes, you can absolutely test your home's electricity usage. The easiest way to pinpoint exactly what is drawing power is by using specialized monitoring tools.
Your home's biggest energy drainer is your HVAC system (heating and cooling). However, if you are asking about individual plug-in devices, water heaters and clothes dryers dominate active energy use, while cable boxes and small kitchen appliances are the worst "phantom" energy vampires.
If your electric bill is high while you're away, it's usually caused by major appliances like refrigerators or HVAC systems running in the background, "vampire" devices draining power while turned off, longer billing cycles, or a recent utility rate increase.
Set your thermostat to 68°F while awake, and drop it by 7° to 10°F (to about 58°–61°F) while sleeping or away. The Department of Energy estimates that lowering your thermostat by this much for 8 hours a day can cut up to 10% off your annual heating and cooling bill.
Yes, unplugging a washer and dryer does save electricity, but the savings are practically negligible. These appliances only draw "phantom power" (standby energy) for digital displays or electronic clocks when not running, typically costing pennies a year.
Heating and cooling (HVAC) systems are the biggest energy consumers in a typical home, accounting for about 40–50% of your total electricity bill. Water heating, refrigerators, and lighting follow closely behind.
The most expensive things to run in a house are heating and cooling systems (HVAC), which account for about 40–50% of your total energy consumption.
Examine the appliances and electronics in your home and estimate their energy use. Consider strategies for reducing the energy use of your appliances and electronics. You might consider the following: Unplugging an item when it is not in use to prevent phantom loads.
Check your meter.
A final check you can safely perform yourself is to go to your meter and turn off all the circuit breakers. Then watch the meter—if it continues to go up, something is still pulling power from your connection.
Testing for electricity without a proper tester (like a multimeter or non-contact voltage detector) is highly risky. The safest and most accurate way to verify power is to use proper safety tools. The most reliable DIY workarounds rely on connected devices or simple test lamps.
You could also try a home energy monitor that ties into your electric panel. You would need a licensed electrician to install it but it will tell you what electronic appliances are running at given times and if it's your appliances causing your bill to go up.
Yes, turning off lights saves electricity. Flipping a switch when you leave a room instantly stops power consumption. Even though there is a tiny spike in energy when a bulb turns on, it is so small that it is offset after just a few seconds of being turned off.
If you're not on a fixed-rate plan, some utilities or suppliers may charge you higher rates for consumption during “peak” hours when more people are using electricity. The more electricity you are using during this time, the more you may be paying per kilowatt-hour.
The average U.S. residential electric bill is about $147 to $152 per month, based on typical usage of around 840–860 kilowatt-hours (kWh) at roughly 17.5 cents per kWh. However, this varies widely based on home size, climate, and local energy rates.
Your heating and cooling system is by far the biggest energy consumer in your home. Air conditioners, furnaces, and heat pump HVAC systems work hard to keep your home comfortable year-round, but they also account for almost half of your energy bill.
Even when a home is completely empty, hidden energy drains can cause surprisingly high bills. The most common culprits include a constantly running HVAC system maintaining a specific temperature, a malfunctioning electric water heater element, appliances in "standby mode" draining phantom power, or unauthorized use/metering errors.