Quiz: Test Your Home Energy Use Knowledge

Test your knowledge in our Home Energy Use Quiz!  Make sure to check your answers at the end and find out if you are the brightest bulb at our game.

1.     What accounts for the most energy use in homes?

a.      Heating and Cooling

b.      Electronics and Lighting

c.      Water Heating

d.      Appliances

 

2.     Which of the following is NOT true about LED lighting?

a.      LEDs are compound semiconductor devices that produce light when an appropriate electrical current is applied.

b.      LEDs emit light in a specific direction, reducing the need for reflectors and diffusers that can trap light.

c.      Because of their long life, durability, and efficiency, LEDs are becoming more common in residential, commercial, and outdoor area lighting applications.

d.      LED stands for light-energy diode.

3.     How much money can you save by switching to ENERGY STAR appliances, fans, and electronics over their lifetime?

a.      $500

b.      $750

c.      $1100

d.      $350

 

4.     Using a programmable thermostat to set back your temperature 10°F (12°C) for 8 hours a day can lower your heating and cooling costs by what percent per year?

a.      8%

b.      12

c.      6%

d.      10%

 

5.     How much is the typical family's average spending on home utility bills per year?

a.      $1,500

b.      $1,800

c.      $2,200

d.      $3,000

6.     What are phantom loads?

a.      Electronics and appliances consume power when they are turned off but still plugged in.

b.      Residual or unused energy that can be re-purposed to power electronics and appliances.

c.      The energy stored in electronics and appliances after they are unplugged.

d.      Warnings on electronic devices that indicate they need to be charged or plugged in.

Answers:

1. a. According to the most recent Residential Energy Consumption Survey, heating and cooling accounted for 48 percent of total energy consumption in American homes. However, this number is down from 58 percent in 1993 due to improved technology and products such as more energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, better insulation, and energy-efficient windows.

2. d. The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs use only about 20 to 25 percent of the energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

3.b. Using ENERGY STAR certified products -- which incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 15 percent less energy and water than standard models -- throughout your home could save nearly $750 over the lifetime of the products. For example, ENERGY STAR clothes washers use about 40 percent less energy than conventional clothes washers while reducing water bills.

4. d. You could save roughly 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs by using a programmable thermostat. Also, by resetting it when you are asleep or away from home, you won't have to sacrifice comfort for savings. (energy.gov)

5. c. According to Energy.gov, the 115 million residences in America today collectively use an estimated 22.5 percent of the country's total energy. The typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 a year on home utility bills. Switching to ENERGY STAR products and making home energy upgrades can help lower these costs.

6. a. A phantom load, also called standby power, refers to the power consumed by electronics and appliances while they are switched off. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a typical American home has forty products constantly drawing power. Together these amount to almost 10 percent of residential electricity use. (energy.gov)