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10 Household Items That Use More Energy Than You Think

Posted on March 8, 2017 in Energy Efficiency

Every day, we use a variety of household items, but did you know that many of these items can actually be energy hogs? In this blog, our home improvement experts round up some of the most popular things that use more energy than you think. (To get an idea, ovens are one of the most energy-consuming appliances and use around 3,000 watts of energy per hour.)

1. Clothing iron

Ironing your clothes may not take much of your energy, but the iron itself will use around 1,200 watts per hour.

2. Hair dryer

Even though you may not use your hair dryer for long, it uses anywhere between 1,000 and 1,875 watts of energy per hour.

3. Humidifier

Humidifiers are great for keeping dry air moist, but if you don’t get an energy efficient model, you could be using up to 1,000 watts of energy each hour.

4. Toaster oven

Toasting some bread or warming up some pizza may only take a few minutes, but you’re probably consuming more energy than you think. The average toaster oven uses about 1,150 watts of energy per hour.

5. Coffee maker

If you’re like some of our home improvement experts, you like having your daily coffee. However, the average coffee maker uses between 600 and 1,200 watts of energy.

6. Vacuum cleaner

Vacuum cleaners come in a variety of styles and use a variety of power, so an average one will run you 300-1,000 watts of energy.

7. Microwave

Like vacuums, microwaves also come in a variety of styles and use a variety of power, so yours may use anywhere between 600 and 1,500 watts of energy.

8. Dishwasher

We know how convenient a dishwasher is, but when you run it, you’re using around 1,350 watts of energy every hour.

9. Portable heater

While portable heaters use less energy than central heating systems, they can still be costly at around 1,500 watts per hour.

10. Blender

Blenders are great for milkshakes, smoothies, and protein shakes, but they use around 300 watts of energy per hour.

Cutting Down on Energy Costs

If your energy bills have been high, it may be time to start cutting down on some of your energy costs. Try hand-washing your dishes instead of using your dishwasher and letting your hair air dry instead of using your hair dryer. In addition, it’s also a good idea to swap out your incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs and turn your heat or air conditioning down when you’re not around.

On a bigger scale, if you’re losing energy through your windows or doors, contact our home improvement experts. We can help you choose new ones that are created to help you save energy and cut down on drafts.