How much electricity is your household using? Chances are, you skim over your electric bill each month and if the price doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, you move on. This is what most of us do. It’s become the norm. But have you ever thought about what electrical usage and energy bills are like in other states and countries?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the national average is 909 kilowatt hours (kWh)/month, with monthly electric costs of $110.20. The EIA also breaks down the average electric usage by state. You can download the full spreadsheet with all state data here.

Keep in mind that the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) doesn’t necessarily dictate the costs, so the state paying the most may not be the state actually using the most electricity. Electric costs vary state-by-state. The average monthly price tag that emerges from your electrical usage depends on how hot/cold and urban/rural your home state is, as well as what the area costs are. For instance, even though Louisiana has the highest monthly consumption (1,273 kWh), Hawaii, (the state that uses the second-least amount of electricity) pays the most at $203 per month. Furthermore, Maine, the state that uses the least amount of electricity each month (531 kWh), still pays more on average for electric than New Mexico ($75 per month). However, Maine does pay a similar average price ($77.77), so their low energy conservation plays to their benefit.

Wondering where our home state of Texas fits in? Well, we are the 5th highest electric consumers in the country, using 1,174 kWh/month and paying around $133.33 on our monthly electric bills. Nationally, that puts Texas just above average in our electric use.

In terms of our country’s impact globally, overall the United States has the second highest household energy consumption in the world, with homes using over 11,698 kWh per year. This is two to three times more than European households and about twenty times more than Nigerian homes. Moreover, each American individually uses about 4,500 kWh each year, which is about five times the average for all people who have electricity in their homes around the world. But of course, these disparities are affected by differences in physical house size, local electricity prices, appliances, the amount of sunshine, and access to alternative fuels for heating and cooking.

This month, it could be an interesting experiment to compare your energy bill to the averages to see how you stack up! If you’re paying way above the average for your state/country, it might be a good idea to see how you can save more energy throughout the year. Luckily, our site is filled with blogs with tips and tricks for spending less on electric!

Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Shrink That Footprint

DC motors are electrical devices which draw electricity (direct current) and convert it into mechanical energy. They have many uses in today’s industries, even though alternating current is the preferred choice for mains power supply. They are especially useful for machines that need to be driven at variable speeds.

We are always looking for ways to make our house more desirable while making it more efficient at the same time. We are constantly doing little improvements here and there to make our homes just a little more comfortable or a little more appealing. When improvements can help save you money on your monthly electric bill, that is always a nice little bonus. If you have never heard of them before, you will want to talk with your Glendale electrician about attic fans. You can always count on The Electric Connection to provide you with the information you need about any electrical upgrade.

An attic fan is one way to help you keep your house cool this summer without costing you a lot of money to run. Attic fans will help reduce the work your air conditioner will have to do to keep your house at a cool, comfortable temperature, thus saving you money. An attic fans reduces energy costs by pulling the hot air out of the attic and pushing it outside. Hot air rises and becomes trapped in the attic. The upper floor in your home will always be warmer because it is basically sandwiched between the hot air that has risen from the first floor and the hot air that is trapped in the attic.

By using a fan to pull out the hot air while pulling in the fresh air from the outside, you can help eliminate the hot air sandwich. The fan will need to be installed by an electrician. Glendale homeowners will be amazed at the difference in not only the comfort of their home during the summer, but by the reduction in the electric bill as well. If you are ready to make an upgrade that will make you feel better and put more money in your pocket, give The Electric Connection a call today.