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Home::Home & Garden
How Much Your Appliances Cost to Operate
Author : New Jersey Home Inspector Michael Del Greco
How Much Your Appliances Cost to Operate
Submitted by: Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic GI 0121, President of Accurate Inspections, Inc, a New Jersey home inspection company
Only when our children become adults will they appreciate why we want them to turn off the lights it costs hard-earned money to pay the bills. The following formula will help you figure out how much each appliance is costing to operate. Being aware of these costs will bring about a greater appreciation for conservation and will save you more than a few dollars in the process.
The cost to operate appliances is based on the following:
1) The cost of fuel
2) The time the appliance is operating
3) The fuel type and quantity required
The cost of fuels varies depending on your geographic location and utility company. Electricity
may cost consumers approximately 4¢ per kilowatt hour (kwh) in Spokane or Seattle, Wash. to
approximately 17¢ per kwh in Long Island, NY. One kwh of electricity produces 3412 British
Thermal Units (BTUs) of heat/energy.
To determine the monthly cost to operate electric appliances or lighting, you need to multiply
the wattage of the appliances or lighting by the number of hours each is used per day. Then
multiply this by the number of days in the month times the cost of the fuel.
Here\'s an example:
4,500 watts (water heater) divided by 1,000 X approximately 6 hours per day X 30 days X
.11¢ per kwh of electricity. Multiply this times 12 for the annual cost.
4,500 watts divided by 1,000 = 4.5 kilowatts.
4.5 kilowatts X 4 hours per day = 18 kilowatts per day.
18 kilowatts per day X 30 days = 540 kilowatts per month.
540 kilowatts per month X .11¢ kwh = $59.40 per month.
$59.40 per month X 12 months = $712.80
Here is a list of appliances and their approximate cost to operate. These figures are based on
rates of 11.4¢/kwh (electric) and 63¢ therm (natural gas):
Appliance Cost
Air Cleaner less than 1/2 c per month
Air Conditioner (3-ton, central, SEER 15) 27¢ per hour
Air Conditioner (3-ton, central, SEER 12) 34¢ per hour
Air Conditioner (3-ton, central, SEER 7) 58¢ per hour
Air Conditioner (electric room air, /2 ton SEER) 8¢ per hour
Blender 1¢ per 15 minutes
Can Opener less than 1/4¢ per use
Clock 16¢ per month
Coffee Maker 2¢ per pot
Dishwasher (w/out heated dry & gas water heater) 13¢per load
Dishwasher (w/ heated dry & gas water heater) 19¢ per load
Dishwasher (w/out heated dry & elec. water heater) 37¢ per load
Dishwasher (w/ heated dry & elec. water heater) 43¢ per load
Drill (electric) 1¢ per 15 minutes
Dryer (electric, 30-minute load) 35 1/2¢ per load
Dryer (gas, 30-minute load) 13¢ per load
Electric Blanket 1¢ per hour
Fans (ceilings) 1¢ per hour
Fans (portable) 1¢ per hour
Fax Machine (in use) 1¢ per half hour
Fax Machine (on standby) 66¢ per month
Food Processor 4¢ per hour
Furnace Pilot Light (gas) $5.04 per month
Garage Door Opener (2 times per day) 8¢per month
Hair Dryer (electric) 14¢ per hour
Home Computer 2¢ per hour
Iron 6 1/2¢ per hour
Knife (electric) 1/4¢per 15 minutes
Lightbulbs (compact fluorescent, 20 watts) less than 1/4¢ per hour
Lightbulbs (incandescent, 60 watts) slightly more than 1/2 per hour
Lightbulbs (incandescent, 100 watts) slightly more than 1 c per hour
Microwave Oven (standard size, 600-700 watt output) 17 c per hour
Microwave Oven (compact, 400-500 watt output) 11 1/2¢ per hour
Night Light (5-7 watts) 1¢ per night
Refrigerator (22 cu. ft., 10 yrs old, frost-free) $24 per month
Refrigerator (17 cu. ft., 10 yrs. or older, frost-free) $17 per month
Refrigerator (17 cu. ft., new, standard efficiency) $9 per month
Refrigerator (17 cu. ft., new, high efficiency) $7.50 per month
Security Light (exterior floodlight, 150 watts) 1 1/2¢ per hour
Stereo 1¢ per hour
Sewing Machine 1¢ per hour
Spa (electric) 1¢ per hour
Spa (after warm-up, electric) 6¢ per hour to maintain
Spa (gas) $1.12 per warm up
Spa (after warm-up, gas) 2¢ per hour to maintain
Swimming Pool Cleaner (elec., auto., 3/4 HP) 11¢ per hour
Swimming Pool Heater (400,000 BTU, gas) $2.52 per hour
Swimming Pool Pump Motor (2 HP, elec.) 22¢ per hour
Table Saw 16¢ per hour
Television (color) 1 1/2¢ per hour
Television (black & white) 1/2¢ per hour
Toaster less than 1/4¢ per hour
Toothbrush (electric) less than 1/4¢ per day
Track lighting (interior w/ three lights, 300 watts) 3¢ per hour
Vacuum Cleaner (standard hand-push) 11¢ per hour
Vacuum Cleaner (portable hand-held, rechargeable) 1/4¢ per hour of use
Videocassette Recorder 1/2¢ per hour while in use
Video Game 2¢ per hour
Washer (elec. water heater, warm wash, cold rinse) 21¢ per load
Washer (gas water heater, warm wash, cold rinse) 7¢ per load
So when your kids complain about having to run back upstairs to turn off the lights, tell them the exact amount they re saving the family. If they are smart, they ll probably ask to use that saved money to buy something valuable, like a carton of ice cream.
Information provided by Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic. GI 0121, American Society of Home Inspectors Member 102273, Pesident of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A West Paterson New Jersey Home Inspection firm.
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