Electricity 101

Electricity 101: Using power in your home

If you’re like the typical OPPD customer, from the moment you wake up until the time you fall asleep, you rely on dozens of gadgets, devices and appliances that use electricity. And while you’re asleep, electricity is still at work in your home.  

From coffee makers to hair dryers to laptops, lamps, TVs, toasters, Wi-Fi routers and phone chargers, small appliances and devices throughout the home consume electricity frequently, if not every day.  

Larger items – including major kitchen appliances, your washer and dryer, and your HVAC system – use even more electricity. And if you drive an EV or plug-in hybrid, charging your car adds to your total, as well. 

The electric meter attached to your home measures how much power you use each month. Electricity use is measured in kilowatt hours, and your total each month is used when calculating your bill.  

In many cases, a home’s HVAC system accounts for at least half of the energy used each month. Kitchen appliances often account for about 20%, and laundry appliances can account for about 10% of the energy used monthly. Check out the video below for more details.  

Reliance on electricity will only continue to grow, and as that happens, it becomes even more important to think about how we use it, and whether we can take steps to use it more efficiently, conserve energy and save money.   

Come back next month, when we’ll discuss just that.