As the seasons change and the air becomes drier, many people turn to humidifiers to add moisture back into their homes. While this can be beneficial for our health and comfort, it’s important to understand the energy consumption and costs associated with running a humidifier. In this article, we will explore the energy consumption, cost, and money-saving tips for using a humidifier in your home.
How To Use This Calculator
Using this energy calculator is a simple and will help you determine the costs of running your appliance. Click on ‘Calculate’ to use the predefined values, or enter your daily usage in hours, appliance watts, and your current energy costs in dollars. The calculator will provide you with the daily, monthly, and yearly results. It’s important to ensure the accuracy of the information entered to get the most accurate results.
Hours Used Per Day
Enter the number of hours you estimate the appliance will be on throughout the day. To use fractions of an hour please use a decimal point in the form.
For example: 1 hour and 30 mintes would be 1.5, and 3 hours and 15 minutes would be 3.25
Power Used in Watts
The calculator already includes a default average wattage. If your appliance uses a different wattage then enter it in the calculator.
Your Energy Rate in kWh
The calculator includes an average energy rate (price in $/kWh) to use for the calculation. This may not be the exact price that you’re currently paying for electricity. If you know your energy rate please enter your price per kilowatt-hour.
Energy Consumption
Humidifiers typically range in power usage from 15-200 watts, with an average of 35 watts per hour of usage. This means that if you run your humidifier for 24 hours straight, you will consume 840 watt-hours of energy per day. To put this into perspective, if you run your humidifier for 30 days straight, you will consume 25,200 watt-hours or 25.2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per month.
It’s important to note that the energy consumption of a humidifier can vary based on its size, type, and settings. For example, a larger humidifier that runs on high may consume more energy than a small humidifier that runs on low. It’s important to read the manufacturer’s specifications and adjust your usage accordingly to conserve energy.
With more people working from home and spending more time indoors due to the ongoing pandemic, the air quality in our homes is more important than ever. A humidifier can help alleviate dry skin, throat irritation, and other respiratory symptoms that may be caused by low humidity levels. However, it’s important to balance the benefits with the energy consumption and cost to ensure that we’re not negatively impacting the environment or our wallets.
Cost in Dollars of Energy Usage
To calculate the cost of running your humidifier, you can use the following formula:
Cost = (Wattage x Hours Used) / 1000 x Cost per kWh
Using our default values of 35 watts and $0.12/kWh, running a humidifier for 24 hours straight would cost approximately $0.10 per day, $3.01 per month, or $36.52 per year. Keep in mind that this is an estimate and your actual costs may vary based on your energy provider’s rates and your actual usage.
Money Saving Tips
- Use a timer: Set your humidifier to run for specific periods of time rather than running it continuously. This can help conserve energy and save you money on your energy bill.
- Choose a humidifier with a lower wattage: Look for humidifiers with energy-saving features or lower wattages to reduce your energy consumption.
- Use distilled water: Using distilled water can help reduce the buildup of mineral deposits in your humidifier, which can reduce its efficiency and increase energy consumption.
- Clean your humidifier regularly: A clean humidifier will operate more efficiently, reducing energy consumption and prolonging the life of the unit.
- Use your humidifier strategically: Place your humidifier in the room where you spend the most time and close doors and windows to trap the moisture inside. This can help you achieve the same level of humidity with less energy consumption.
In conclusion, a humidifier can be a great addition to your home, providing numerous health benefits. However, it’s important to understand the energy consumption and costs associated with running a humidifier to ensure that we’re not negatively impacting the environment or our wallets. By choosing an energy-efficient model and following these money-saving tips, you can enjoy the benefits of a humidifier without breaking the bank.
