How Much Your Appliances Cost To Operate

By Author: New Jersey Home Inspector Michael Del Greco
Total Articles: 21
Comment this article

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.