Kilowatt Hours

Anyone that has every looked at an electric or utility bill has likely run across the term kilowatt hour. This term gets thrown around but what does it really mean? What are kilowatt hours and what do they do? Why kilowatt hours and not minutes or seconds? Are kilowatt hours important and how do they relate to overall energy usage?

The kilowatt hour is used most commonly in electrical applications. It is what it sounds like. It is one kilowatt of power expended for one hour. Kilowatt hours are the unit that measures the amount of energy taken from electrical appliances. The larger or stronger the appliance, generally the more kilowatt hours it will require.

Kilowatt hours relate directly to the amount of money one pays on their electric bill. Most homes will have a kwh meter outside. Usually a representative from the utility company comes to check how many kilowatt hours are being used by the household. The more that is used the large the utility bill will be.

Some kWh meters will have two separate gauges. One will state how many total kilowatt hours have been used and the other will list the average daily consumption of kilowatt hours. This can be handy information when a family wants to cut back on the amount of energy they are using. Seeing what is being used on a daily basis makes knowing what to cut down on slightly easier.

There are several ways that a family can cut down on kilowatt hours and lower their energy costs. Simple measures like turning off lights and using energy saving light bulbs can make a large difference that many realize. Cutting down on hot water usage can also bring kilowatt hours down.

The term kilowatt hours is probably one of the most hears words in the English language. However, probably less than 10 percent of us know how to define it properly. Knowing what they are, what they do and how they relate to the energy is a way to start conserving. Use less kilowatt hours and pay less money.