12 Surprising Things Quietly Driving Up Your Energy Bills

Let’s face it: many of us are struggling, and it seems everything is becoming more expensive. But rather than nuking your sacred weekly brunch plans to keep your budget in check, why not think more in terms of addition by subtraction?

One way to cut down on spending is turning inward — specifically, look in your home, at your appliances. You’d be surprised at how many things in your house are wasting electricity while you're reading this.

Here, we’ll look at some of these items and how to avoid the energy suck. This particular piece will focus on all of the appliances, electronics, and other surprising items in your house that are wasting energy. So sit back, grab your Kindle, and let’s get to it.

Hot Water

We're starting out with a tough one here, but it could really make a difference to your budget's bottom line. The hot water you use in your daily home life — a shower, washing your hands, cleaning your dishes — all use electricity and thus contribute to your monthly electricity bill.

In fact, according to Energy.gov, water heating accounts for 18% of one's home energy use. Tamp down on your energy drain by reducing your hot water use (and water use as a whole if you really want to go wild).

Unsealed Windows

Windows with drafts can cause problems in the dead of winter in January, allowing cold air in. At the peak of summer heat in July, hot air seeps in. This causes your heater and air conditioner to work overtime while never being able to perform to their fullest.

To get around all of this, seal your windows with caulk. It's not as hard as you think if you've never done it before.

Light Bulbs

Though many Americans assume every light bulb in their home these days is energy efficient, this might not be the case. The kind of light bulb you choose can have a real impact on your monthly energy use.

Make sure you're only purchasing energy-efficient lights, such as Energy Star-certified light bulbs, which helped Americans save a whopping $18 billion on utility bills in 2010 alone.

AC Unit Working Overtime

Ah, air conditioning. A summer salvation, but also something that if you’re in Europe or even coastal Southern California, you might not even have. For the masses of Americans who turn on their air conditioning every summer, make sure you’re using economy/energy-saving mode.

Another thing to think about is your thermostat. If you're gone all day, there’s no reason for the temperature to be a cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Raise the temperature or turn the thermostat off entirely.

Battery Chargers

Americans pretty much have a charger for everything, whether a bulky laptop charger, a smaller phone charger, or even a charger for our vacuums. However, many of us keep these things plugged in when we shouldn't (guilty as “charged”).

What you might not know is that these items still suck up energy, even when you’re not using them. So keep them unplugged to save money.

Microwave

I didn’t appreciate how much I used my microwave until it broke, and I was back to heating up my takeout ramen in the oven. Painful.

But the great microwave you’re using to heat up all sorts of food, defrost, and pop the perfect popcorn should be kept unplugged on the counter when you’re not using it. It’s yet another item that drains energy when plugged in.

PlayStation and Xbox

As of 2021, 53% of American households reported having at least one video game console in their homes, with 26% having a next-generation console. But these electronic devices can suck up energy — doubly so if you have more than one of them.

This is another device we recommend not only powering down when not in use, but especially unplugging when you take that long summer trip abroad.

Television

Another electronic item that almost everyone uses is a television; 97% of American households have them. We use them to watch our streaming services, play video games, and listen to music.

We don’t necessarily recommend unplugging the television that your partner, kids, and guests all use in the living room. But that upstairs small 28-inch smart TV in the guest room? Unplug that thing.

Computers

In a world where desktop computers aren’t as popular as they used to be, for people who are still using them on a daily basis, we recommend unplugging them when you'll be away for a while. Just make sure you power them off properly first.

The same goes for laptops, which many people keep plugged in even after they are charged to 100 percent. Please stop that!

Pool Pump and Heater

With the dog days of summer still going on, I’m sure I’m not the only one hitting the pool to keep cool and enjoy the relatively long daylight hours. But for those of you with home pools (by the way, can I get an invite?), your pool pumps and heaters used to keep things clean and warm don’t need to be running all the time.

A common refrain on this list is that if you’re not using something, unplug it and this applies here as well.

Filters, Filters, Filters

Those aforementioned heating and air conditioning (AC) systems you use need to be cleaned regularly. Open them up and make sure the filters contained within them are clean and free of debris and dust.

One way AC units run inefficiently is when their filters aren’t cleaned regularly, leading to more of an energy drain for your home.

Old Refrigerator

Ah, the mighty fridge. It keeps all of your food safe and is big enough to sustain even the most ambitious Costco food run. One thing to look out for is making sure you’re not running an old fridge, though—assuming saving money is your goal, of course.

The reason? A new Energy Star-certified fridge is about 15% more energy efficient than a standard one.