Home Energy Cost Calculator — Bill Breakdown 2026
Calculate your monthly electricity bill by appliance in 2026. Find your biggest energy users and see how much solar or efficiency upgrades could save.
How to use this calculator
- Adjust the refrigerator kWh/day slider — check your fridge's Energy Guide label or use 1.0–2.0 kWh for most modern fridges.
- Enter washing machine loads per week — the calculator assumes 0.5 kWh per load for a modern efficient washer.
- Set HVAC hours per day — this is the biggest variable in most homes. Use seasonal averages.
- Enter water heater kWh/day — 3–5 kWh for electric resistance, 1–2 kWh for a heat pump water heater.
- Enter your actual electricity rate from your utility bill ($/kWh). The national average is $0.163/kWh in 2026.
Understanding your results
HVAC is almost always the biggest energy user: Heating and cooling typically account for 40–50% of a US home’s electricity bill. At 2.5 kW average draw and 6 hours/day of runtime, HVAC adds 15 kWh/day — more than refrigerator, lighting and washer combined.
Water heating is second: Electric resistance water heaters use 3,000–4,500W and run 2–3 hours per day, adding 3–5 kWh/day. Switching to a heat pump water heater reduces this to 1–2 kWh/day — a $300–$500/year saving at national average rates.
Lighting is now minimal with LEDs: A home with LED bulbs uses 0.5–2 kWh/day for lighting — a 75–85% reduction compared to incandescent bulbs. Replacing the last incandescent bulbs is among the highest-ROI efficiency upgrades available.
How to lower your actual bill: (1) Thermostat setbacks — each degree of heating setback saves 1–3% on heating costs. (2) Water heater temperature — most are set to 140°F; reducing to 120°F saves 6–10% on water heating. (3) Phantom loads — unplugging unused electronics eliminates 5–10% of your bill. (4) Solar panels — a correctly-sized system can offset 80–100% of your total electricity consumption.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers for US homeowners.
Related solar guides
In-depth sizing, cost, and payback articles — with state-by-state data.