How to Calculate Your Home Energy Consumption?

Understanding how much energy your household uses is essential, especially if you’re considering switching to solar power. By calculating your home’s energy consumption, you can choose the right solar system size, manage electricity costs, and make more informed decisions about energy efficiency.

Steps to Calculate Home Energy Consumption

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you calculate your daily energy usage.

1. List All Electrical Appliances You Use

Begin by identifying all the devices and appliances in your home that consume electricity. This includes lighting, TVs, kitchen appliances, air conditioners, tools, chargers, and more.

2. Find the Power Rating of Each Appliance

Every appliance has a power rating, typically mentioned in watts (W). You’ll usually find this on a label at the back or bottom of the device. If you can’t locate it, you can use standard estimates.

Typical Power Consumption of Household Appliances

Appliance	Minimum	Maximum	Standby	Other Name(s)
100W light bulb (Incandescent)	100W	100W	0W
22 Inch LED TV	17W	17W	0.5W
25″ colour TV	150W	150W	N/A
3″ belt sander	1000W	1000W	N/A
32 Inch LED TV	20W	60W	1W
42 Inch LED TV	58W	60W	0.3W
42 Inch Plasma TV	450W	600W	N/A	Plasma TV
46 Inch LED TV	60W	70W	1W
49 Inch LED TV	85W	85W	1W
55 Inch LED TV	116W	116W	0.5W
60W light bulb (Incandescent)	60W	60W	0W
65 Inch LED TV	120W	130W	1W
82 Inch LED TV	228W	295W	0.5W
9″ disc sander	1200W	1200W	N/A
Air Conditioner	1000W	5000W	N/A
Air Cooler	65W	80W	N/A
Air Fryer	1500W	1500W	N/A
Air Purifier	25W	30W	N/A
Amazon Echo	3W	3W	2W
Amazon Echo Dot	2W	3W	N/A
Amazon Echo Show	2W	4W	0.1W
American-Style Fridge Freezer	40W	80W	N/A	American Fridge Freezer, Double Door Refrigerator
Apple TV	3W	6W	0.3W
Aquarium Pump	20W	50W	N/A
AV Receiver	450W	450W	N/A
Bathroom Towel Heater	60W	150W	N/A	Towel Rail, Heated Towel Rail
Ceiling Fan	60W	70W	0W
CFL Bulb	11W	23W	N/A
Chromebook	45W	45W	N/A	Chrome Book
Chromecast	2W	2W	N/A
Circular Saw	900W	900W	N/A
Clock radio	1W	2W	N/A
Clothes Dryer	1000W	4000W	N/A	Tumble Dryer, Dryer
Coffee Maker	800W	1400W	N/A
Computer Monitor	25W	30W	N/A
Cooker Hood	20W	30W	0W
Corded Drill	600W	850W	N/A	Electric Drill
Corded Electric Handheld Leaf Blower	2500W	2500W	N/A
Cordless Drill Charger	70W	150W	N/A
Cpap machine	30W	60W	N/A	CPAP machine
Curling Iron	25W	35W	0W
DAB Mains Radio	5W	9W	N/A	DAB Radio
Deep Freezer	19W	19W	N/A	Chest Freezer
Dehumidifier	240W	240W	N/A
Desk Lamp	40W	65W	N/A

3. Estimate Daily Usage Time

For each appliance, estimate how many hours you use it each day. For example:

A TV might be on for 4 hours.
A ceiling fan may run for 6–8 hours.
A fridge runs throughout the day but cycles on and off — you can assume an average of 8–10 hours of active use.

4. Use the Formula to Calculate Energy Use

To calculate the energy consumption of each device:

Power (W) × Time (hours/day) = Energy (Wh/day)

To convert to kilowatt-hours (kWh), divide by 1000.

Example:

A 100W bulb used for 5 hours: 100W × 5h = 500Wh = 0.5kWh/day

5. Add Everything Together

Sum up the kWh values for each appliance to find your home’s total daily energy usage. This gives you a solid estimate of your electricity consumption per day.

6. Include Standby Power if Needed

Some appliances like smart speakers, TVs, and routers draw small amounts of power even in standby mode. You can either calculate this from the table or add a 5–10% buffer to your final total.

7. Use the Total to Plan Your Solar System

Once you know your average daily energy use, you’re ready to plan your solar power setup—selecting the right number of panels, inverter size, and storage capacity.

Need Help Estimating Your Usage?

If you’re unsure about calculating your home energy consumption or planning a solar installation, our experts are here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation and custom energy assessment.