What Uses The Most Electricity In A Home?

What do we mean by energy usage?

When talking about energy usage, the term Kilowatt-hours (kWh) gets thrown around a lot, but what does it mean?

1 kWh represents the amount of energy used by a 1000-watt device running for one hour, and kWh is the standard unit used to measure energy usage and calculate your energy bills.

Average UK Home Energy Usage

According to Ofgem, the average household in the UK should expect to use between 1,800 kWh and 4,100 kWh of electricity each year.

This amount is heavily dependent on the size of the property and the number of people living there. See the table below for a breakdown of how much electricity the average UK household uses, considering these factors.

Biggest Energy Drainers

So, what uses the most energy in a home? - In the average UK household, it’s reported that the biggest usage of electricity is Washing Machines, Dishwashers, and Tumble driers. Together, these 3 appliances alone can account for up to 14% of a typical energy bill!

Water heating systems, such as central heating and electric showers, can also use a significant amount of energy, especially in the colder months. Other major energy-demanding appliances tend to be devices that need to run constantly, such as fridges and freezers, which require 24/7 energy to maintain temperatures.

Improving Your Home's Energy Efficiency

Short-term energy-saving solutions

There are a number of quick and easy steps you can take to have a short-term impact on your energy bills:

• Lighting - Swap out any old halogen bulbs for more modern LED light bulbs, which are super energy efficient and use up to 80% less energy than halogen bulbs.
• End bad habits – Be sure to switch off devices when they’re not needed, such as TVs and light bulbs, when you’re not in the room.
• Avoid Appliance Overuse – Try to use energy-heavy appliances less, use tumble driers less, ensure washing machines and dishwashers have full loads, and wash clothes at lower temperatures.
• Use Smart technology – Be sure to use smart meters and thermostats to monitor and manage energy consumption within your household.

Long-term energy-saving solutions

If you're willing to invest now to lower future bills, there are a number of larger steps you could take to positively affect your energy usage.

• Renewable Energy Solutions – Installing renewable energy solutions is a great way to lower energy bills. Solutions such as Solar PV mean you rely less on the grid – this method won’t reduce your energy usage, but it will reduce the amount of energy you need to buy from the grid.
• Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances – Replace old devices with newer and more energy-efficient devices to lower your energy usage.
• Insulation and building improvements – Insulating your home and upgrading windows to double or triple-glazed glass means you’ll be relying less on heating and cooling systems and reducing your energy consumption.
• Energy audits – Conducting regular energy audits would be beneficial to ensure your home can be as energy efficient as possible. Energy-efficient homes not only reduce bills but also boost property value.

Should you get Solar Panels & Battery Storage?

Although A solar PV and battery storage system won’t reduce the amount of electricity you use, they can be a great way to improve your energy efficiency and lower your energy bills.

Installing a Solar PV system means that during the day, when the sun is shining, your property will be generating its own power, rather than buying power from the grid. Pairing your Solar PV system with Battery storage can boost your energy efficiency further, by storing excess energy during the day, and using it at night, reducing our reliance on the grid even more! – Find out more about how Battery Storage works

Solar panels can be a great investment to help households become more energy efficient and reduce energy bills.

Understanding where your energy is going is crucial to taking control of your energy usage in your home. With the most energy-heavy appliances typically being washing machines, tumble dryers, and dishwashers, minimising their usage where possible and breaking bad energy-draining habits will not only lower bills, but it’s also a smart move for the environment, and your property's long-term value.