More and more Americans are concerned about increasing costs of their utility bills and energy audits or home efficiency checkups are one of the best ways to quickly learn about the most cost-effective ways to save on home utility bills. To give you some perspective on whether or not you are paying significantly more than other homeowners in your state, see the breakdown below of costs as they relate to energy consumption in homes.
Energy and Utility Consumption Averages in South Dakota:
Total average South Dakota Home Energy Bill per year: $1,441
Home Heating/Cooling cost per year: $749
Home Water Heating cost per year: $352
Major Home Appliances cost per year: $173
Miscellaneous Home Energy costs per year: $66
Home Lighting cost per year: $99
Total average South Dakota Home Monthly Energy Bill: $120
For further comparison to your consumption, here are the South Dakota average uses in units:
Average Home Electricity Use per year: 5,951 kWh
(1 Kilowatt hour (kWh) = 1,000 Watts per hour, such as Ten 100 Watt Bulbs running for 1 hour)
Average Home Fuel Use per year: 1,173 therms/gal
1 Therm = 100,000 BTUs. A BTU is equivalent to the heat released from burning a common matchstick.
1 Therm = 100 cubic feet (Ccf) of Natural Gas The average U.S. household uses about 920 therms per year.
Average Home Water Use per year: 66,246 gal
(Some utility companies report consumption in Cubic feet. One cubic foot = 7.48 gallons)
If you want to take action to start saving money on your own utility bills, one of the best options is to get an Energy Audit or a Home Efficiency Check-up.