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Uses of Energy in Homes
Types of Energy Used in Homes
Energy Use in Different Types of Homes
links page
The ability to maintain desired temperatures is one of the most important accomplishments of modern technology. Our ovens, freezers, and homes can be kept at any temperature we choose, a luxury that wasn't possible 100 years ago. Keeping our homes comfortable uses a lot of energy. Almost half of the average home's energy consumption is used for heating. Another 17 percent is used for water heating, 6 percent for cooling rooms, and 5 percent for refrigeration.
Almost one-fourth of the energy used in homes is used for lighting and appliances. Lighting is essential to a modern society. Lights have revolutionized the way we live, work, and play.
Most homes still use the traditional incandescent bulbs invented by Thomas Edison. These bulbs convert only about ten percent of the electricity they use to produce light, the other 90 percent is converted into heat. With new technologies, such as better filament designs and gas mixtures, incandescent bulbs are more efficient than they used to be. In 1879, the average bulb produced only 14 lumens per watt, compared to about 17 lumens per watt today. By adding halogen gases, the efficiency can be increased to 20 lumens per watt.
Compact fluorescent bulbs, or "CFLs", have made inroads into home lighting systems in the last few years. These bulbs are more expensive to purchase, but last much longer and use much less energy, producing significant savings over the life of the bulb.
Appliances such as water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines and dryers are also more energy efficient than they used to be. In 1990 Congress passed the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, which requires new appliances to meet strict energy efficiency standards. Learn more about energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, and other ways to save energy at home.
Natural gas is the most widely used energy source in American homes, followed by electricity, heating oil and propane. Natural gas and heating oil (fuel oil) are used mainly for home heating. Electricity may also be used for heating and cooling, plus it lights our homes and runs almost all of our appliances including refrigerators, toasters, and computers. Many homes in rural areas use propane for heating, while others use it to fuel their barbecue grills.
About 80 percent of residential energy use is consumed in single family homes, while 15 percent is consumed in multi-family dwellings such as apartments, and 5 percent is consumed in mobile homes.
More than half of the energy used for heating in single-family homes (either attached or detached) is natural gas, about one-fourth is electricity, and one-tenth is fuel oil (heating oil). Over three-fourths of single-family homes have some type of air conditioning. Almost all single-family homes have a washing machine and a dryer.
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In
2001, for the Main Heating Fuel and Equipment:
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For Appliances:
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Multi-family dwellings such as apartments use about equal amounts of natural gas and electricity for heating. About two-thirds of multi-family homes have air conditioning but only about one-fourth contain washers and dryers.
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In 2001, for the Main Heating
Fuel and Equipment:
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For Appliances:
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Mobile homes are more likely than the other types of homes to heat with propane(LPG). More than one-third of mobile homes use electricity and about one-third use natural gas for heating. Most mobile homes contain washing machines and dryers.
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In 2001, for the Main Heating
Fuel and Equipment:
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For Appliances:
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Last Revised: October 2004
Sources: Energy Information Administration, 2001 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.
The National Energy Education Development Project, Secondary Energy Infobook, Manassas, VA, 2004.
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