Energy Data Facts

• Households accounted for 21.8% of total energy consumption in the United States in 2014.

Calculations based on data from: Annual Energy Outlook 2016, Table 2: Energy Consumption by Sector and Source, U.S. Department of Energy, 2016.

• In 2014, there were approximately 114.8 million households, averaging 1,686 square feet. Of those, approximately 70% - 80.08 million - were single family homes.

Calculations based on data from Annual Energy Outlook 2016, Table 4: Residential Sector Key Indicators and Consumption, U.S. Department of Energy, 2016.

• Approximately 15.6 million homes were constructed between 2000 and 2009, about 14% of all households in the United States through 2009.

Source: Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2009, Table HC2.3: Structural and geographic characteristics by year of construction, U.S. Department of Energy, 2012.

• The average U.S. household used 90 million British thermal units (Btu) in 2009, or nearly 50% more energy than the average car in a year. Homes built since 2000 use only 2% more energy on average than older homes, despite being on average 30% larger.

 Source: “Newer U.S. homes are 30% larger but consume about as much energy as older homes,” U.S. Department of Energy, 2013.

• Of the energy used in U.S. homes in 2009, 48% of it was used for heating and cooling. Water heating, appliances, electronics, and lighting accounted for the remaining 52% of total consumption.

Source: “Heating and cooling no longer majority of U.S. home energy use,” U.S. Department of Energy, 2013.

• In 2014, an average household used energy that released an estimated 21,355 lbs. of CO2. To put this number in perspective, the average household is responsible for releasing more than twice as much CO2 emissions as the average car per year.

Calculations based on data from: Annual Energy Outlook 2016, Table: Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Sector and Source, U.S. Department of Energy, 2016.

• In 2012, the average U.S. household spent $1,945 on heating, cooling, appliances, electronics, and lighting.

Source: “Lower residential energy use reduces home energy expenditures as share of household income,” U.S. Department of Energy, 2013.

• Approximately 74% of U.S. households reported an average age for home heating systems of 5 years or more in 2009. About 32% of households report home heating equipment older than 15 years.

Calculations based on data from: Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2009, Table HC6.1: Space heating by type of housing unit, U.S. Department of Energy, 2012.

• Consumers can save 5-30% on their home energy bills by making home energy upgrades typically identified in a home energy assessment.
• The typical cost of a diagnostic home energy assessment is $300-500, depending on the local environment and home performance market conditions.

Source: #AskEnergySaver: Home Energy Audit, U.S. Department of Energy, 2014.

• Households can save as much as 5-15% a year on their heating and cooling bills by simply turning their thermostat back 10⁰ to 15⁰ for 8 hours a day.

Source: Energy Saver, Thermostats, U.S. Department of Energy, 2013.

• Other easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy on heating and cooling:
  • clean or replace filters on furnaces and air conditioners once a month or as recommended
  • clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed and make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes
  • place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators
  • during the winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night
  • during the summer, keep your window coverings closed during the day to block the sun’s heat.

Source: Energy Savers Guide, U.S. Department of Energy, 2011.

• Increasing a home’s insulation and reducing air leaks is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy waste. Proper insulation and air sealing techniques can typically achieve whole-house energy savings of 10-20% over pre-upgrade energy usage. In older homes and homes with little or no insulation, savings may be much higher.

Source: “Energy Renovations: Insulation, A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners,” Building America Best Practices Series, Vol. 17, U.S. Department of Energy, 2012.

• Upgrading a home’s heating and cooling equipment can reduce energy use by up to 20% or more, depending on the condition of the existing systems. Similar savings may be realized by improving the distribution efficiency of the heating and cooling systems.

Source: “Energy Renovations: HVAC, A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners,” Building America Best Practices Series, Vol. 14, U.S. Department of Energy, 2011.

• By combining proper equipment upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, homeowners can save about 30% on their energy bill.

Source: Energy Savers Guide, U.S. Department of Energy, 2011.

• An estimated 10-25% of an average household heating and cooling bill escapes through leaks associated with windows.  By installing exterior or interior storm windows with weatherstripping, homeowners can reduce heat lost through the windows by 25-50%.

Source: Energy Savers Guide, U.S. Department of Energy, 2011.

• Installing a low-emissivity (low-e) storm window over a low performing window can reduce a home’s heating and cooling costs by 10–35% annually.

Source: “Performance Validation of Low-e Storm Windows Paves Way for Market Acceptance,” U.S. Department of Energy, 2015.