What you may not know about your electric devices
The main sources of electricity use in your home may come as a surprise.
Go room to room and discover the main sources of household energy consumption and find out what you can do to save energy.
Refrigerator
The refrigerator is one of the most energy-hungry household appliances, because it is always on.
Did you know that top-freezer models generally consume less energy than bottom-freezer models?
Other refrigerator features or functions can also affect energy consumption. Ice-making, for example, in a tray placed in your freezer or by an automatic ice maker, can up your refrigerator’s energy consumption by 15 to 20%.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a refrigerator running for 20 hours
Stove
A stove is more energy-efficient than a microwave for cooking large quantities of food.
Convection ovens consume up to 30% less energy than standard ovens. They are more efficient because they have fans that distribute the hot air—which means food can be cooked in less time and at lower temperatures.
Did you know that it isn’t necessary to preheat your oven? If you’re baking, you must preheat, but for other types of cooking it’s generally not necessary.
Range Hood
Did you know that your range hood and your bathroom fan can vent all the hot air from your home in the space of an hour? Don’t forget to turn off the fan when you’re done.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers consume hot water but little electricity. Newer models use almost 50% less hot water than washing dishes by hand in the sink under running water.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a dishwasher running for about 40 minutes (less than a complete cycle)
Television
A TV’s consumption depends on the model and size of the screen.
A plasma TV, for example, consumes much more energy than an LED LCD model.
A 52-in. (132-cm) TV uses about 33% more energy than a 42-in. (106-cm) TV.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a 52-in. (132-cm) LCD TV running for 9 hours
How to choose an energy-efficient TV and make the best use of it
Game console
Did you know that up to 50% of the electricity consumed by a new-generation game console is used when the console is on standby?
Did you know that using a console to watch TV or movies consumes 35 to 40% more electricity than using a TV or a home theatre system?
Did you know?
1 kWh = a new-generation game console left on at night for no reason
Lighting
Did you know that ENERGY STAR® certified LED bulbs last up to 15 times longer than incandescent or halogen bulbs?
Did you know?
1 kWh = five 60-watt incandescent bulbs lit for 3 hours
1 kWh = five 60-watt ENERGY STAR® certified LED bulbs lit for about 20 hours
Computer
Laptops and tablets are 3 to 4.5 times more efficient than desktop computers.
Contrary to popular belief, screen savers don’t reduce energy consumption or prolong the life of a computer screen. To save energy, you must turn off the monitor or use sleep mode.
Lighting
Unlike incandescent bulbs, which use only 5% of the power they draw to produce light and give off the rest as heat, ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs use energy efficiently.
ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs draw up to 70% to 90% less power than incandescent bulbs.
Air conditioning
Your home’s air-conditioning system may be responsible for close to 20% of your summer energy bill. ENERGY STAR® certified air conditioners are 15% more efficient than traditional models.
Did you know that you must clean or replace the filter in your air conditioner annually if you want it to work properly?
Did you know?
1 kWh = a 12,000-Btu air conditioner with an energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 12 running for 1 hour
Electronics
Even when turned off, many electronic devices continue to draw power to supply a variety of functions (clock, display, touch pad, receipt of network or remote signals, etc.). This is called “phantom” or “standby power.”
Phantom power could be responsible for 5 to 20% of your electricity bills.
Thermostat
Did you know that by turning down your thermostat setting just 1 degree Celsius in the heating season, you could reduce your heating costs by about 5%?
Bathtub
Filling a 200-L bathtub halfway uses 50% more hot water than taking a 7-minute shower. Opt for showers instead of baths when you can.
Toolbox to calculate hot water consumption for showers, baths and faucets
Shower
Did you know that 65% of hot water consumption takes place in the bathroom? Install a WaterSense® labeled showerhead—these showerheads are at least 20% more efficient than traditional showerheads.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a four-minute shower*
*using a standard showerhead with a flow of 9.5 L/min
Faucets
A leaky hot-water faucet dripping one drop per second wastes 27 L of hot water a day. That’s a 270-L or 60-gal. tank of hot water heated every 10 days for nothing!
Bathroom fan
Did you know that your range hood and your bathroom fan can vent all the hot air from your home in the space of an hour? Don’t forget to turn off the fan when you’re done.
Freezer
Upright freezers consume more electricity than chest freezers with the same food storage capacity because they let more cold air out when opened.
Dryer
It takes less energy to dry one full load than several small ones, so wait for the dryer to be full before running it.
During the coldest period of the year, use your dryer during off-peak hours. Peak hours are between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 4 and 8 p.m.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a dryer running for 30 minutes
Clothes washer
About 80 to 90% of the energy used to wash clothes goes to heating water. It is thus best to wash clothes in cold water, as it’s 18 times more expensive to wash clothes in hot water than in cold.
Toolbox to calculate electricity used by household appliances.
Air conditioner
Air conditioning can account for close to 5% of the annual hydro bill for homes with electric heating. It is advisable to keep the room temperature between 22 and 25°C.
Heating
Electrical heating is responsible for over 50% of a household’s energy costs.
By lowering the temperature 3 degrees Celsius at night, you can reduce your heating costs by 4 to 5%.
Drain water heat recovery
Using the residual heat of water in drainpipes to preheat water entering the water heater reduces water heating costs by 20 to 45%.
Water heater
Water heating accounts for approximately 20% of your electricity bill. Did you know that some water heaters help reduce electricity demand during peak periods? Find out if it’s time to change your water heater
Thermal envelope
Poorly insulated walls, roof spaces and foundations can cause your home to lose up to 40% of its heat.
Doors and windows
Up to 25% of your home’s heat may be leaking out your doors and windows.
A single-family home where heat is lost through doors and windows is like leaving a window open 5 cm throughout the winter.
Use caulk to seal air leaks.
Spa
A spa has a major impact on your electricity bill. It can cost you an additional $350 to $500 a year to run a spa.
Pool
Did you know that your pool or spa may be responsible for up to 70% of your summer electricity bill?
There are nonetheless ways to lower costs associated with using a pool. A timer, an efficient pump and a solar blanket can help.
Did you know?
1 kWh = a filter pump for an aboveground pool running for 1.5 hours