Electricity & Bills
How Much Does It Cost to Run an Appliance?
Watts to kWh to dollars: the one formula behind every appliance's running cost, with worked examples.
4 min read
What your home costs to run
Understand what your home costs to run — and what you can do about it. Clear explanations, checkable numbers and a calculator for your own home in every guide.
- Electricity & Bills
- Cooling & Air Conditioning
- Heating & Natural Gas
- Appliances & Electronics
- Water & Laundry
- Whole-Home Costs & Efficiency
Heating & Natural Gas
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Space Heater?
What a 1,500-watt heater really costs per hour, day and winter — and how the thermostat changes the math.
3 min read
Electricity & Bills
Why Is My Electric Bill So High?
A step-by-step way to find what's really driving your bill, from heating and cooling to always-on devices.
3 min read
Cooling & Air Conditioning
How Much Does It Cost to Run an Air Conditioner?
Window, portable, mini-split and central AC: running costs explained with BTU, EER and duty cycle.
3 min read
Appliances & Electronics
How Much Electricity Does a Refrigerator Use?
Why a fridge's yearly kWh matters more than its wattage, and what newer and older models cost to run.
3 min read
Heating & Natural Gas
How Much Does It Cost to Heat a House?
Home size, climate, fuel and equipment efficiency — what actually sets your winter heating bill.
3 min read
Whole-Home Costs & Efficiency
How Much Do Utilities Cost per Month?
Electricity, gas, water and sewer for a typical home — what shapes the total and how to plan your budget.
3 min read
Appliances & Electronics
How Much Electricity Does a Gaming PC Use?
Gaming, idle and sleep power for real builds, plus monitors — and what that adds to your monthly bill.
3 min read
Appliances & Electronics
How Much Does It Cost to Run LED Lights?
LED vs. CFL vs. incandescent at the same brightness, and how quickly switching pays for itself.
3 min read
Water & Laundry
How Much Does It Cost to Do a Load of Laundry?
Washer, water, hot water and dryer: the full cost of one load, and the settings that change it most.
3 min read
Water & Laundry
How to Calculate Your Water and Hot Water Costs
Reading a water bill in gallons or CCF, tiered rates and sewer charges — plus what heating the water costs.
3 min read
Heating & Natural Gas
How to Calculate Your Natural Gas Bill
Therms, CCF and meter readings explained, with the fixed charges that set your bill's floor.
3 min read