How Much Electricity Does a TV Use?

Nearly every American owns a television. Some own multiple TVs, allowing them to catch up on their favorite show in one room while the rest of the family plays games or watches movies in another. Televisions are one of the most heavily used appliances in our homes. Americans run their washing machines 5-6 times a week and their air conditioning three to four months out of the year, but watch TV almost every day. However, with electricity prices rising across the United States, it’s natural for homeowners to wonder: “Exactly how much electricity does a TV use?” The answer depends primarily on screen size and display technology. In this blog, we’ll break down each of these factors, in order to estimate how much your television costs you every year.

What’s the Most Energy Efficient TV?

The amount of electricity a TV consumes depends largely on when it was manufactured. Modern televisions are at least twice as efficient as ones from the 1950s. Some are up to five times as efficient! In fact, screen technology has advanced so fast that even an older TV made ten years ago generally uses more electricity than one today.

As picture quality has improved, electricity usage has fallen. So, if you’re looking for ways to lower energy costs, purchasing a new TV is often more effective than changing your viewing habits. The most common models include:

• CTV TVs. Popular from the 1950s until the early 2000s, CRT TVs project images with electron beams. Though still in use, they’re no longer sold, replaced by technologies that offer better color and resolution.
• Plasma TVs. Create light and color with gas-filled cells. The most popular high-definition televisions until they were superseded by advancements in Light-Crystal Display (LCD).
• LCD TVs. Control light and image with liquid crystal panels. Their slim, lightweight design delivers better picture quality while reducing electricity consumption.
• LED TVs. Use Light Emitting Diodes (LED) for backlighting instead of fluorescent lamps, which improves energy efficiency, as well as brightness and contrast.
• OLED TVs. Each pixel in an OLED TV emits its own light, for perfect blacks, better contrast, and dazzling colors.
• QLED TVs. Illuminate the screen with tiny semiconductors called quantum dots, which enhance brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.

A modern TV is likely a smart TV as well. Because they have to remain connected to the internet, smart TVs constantly consume electricity because they enter standby mode when you switch them off. This allows them to reactivate faster, but also prevents them from powering down. They continue drawing power – generally at five percent of their normal level – until reactivated, which has a small but noticeable impact on your electricity bill.

TV Energy Consumption

The move away from florescent tubes has made televisions lighter and thinner. As a result, Americans are purchasing larger TVs. In 1985, the average TV size was around 20 inches. Today, it’s close to 65 inches. To understand how size affects energy usage, review the table below, which lists the average wattage (W) for different TV types.

To calculate the yearly cost of your television, first divide the TV wattage by 1,000 in order to convert it to kilowatt-hours (kWh), the standard billing unit for American utilities. Then multiply by the number of hours you watch every day and your local electricity rate. For instance, here is how to calculate the energy cost for a Pennsylvania household with a 55-inch plasma TV, who watches five hours of television a day and pays approximately eighteen cents per kWh.

400W/1,000 = 0.4 kWh

0.4 kWh x 5 = 2 kWh per day

2 kWh x $0.18 = $.36 per day

$0.36 x 365 = $131.40 per year

If they upgraded to a 55-inch LED TV, they’d only pay around $40.15 – lowering their yearly electricity cost by over $90.00! To help consumers save money, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy have created the ENERGY STAR program, which offers rebates and special offers on energy efficient appliances. Replacing your current television with an ENERGY STAR TV could reduce energy use by up to twenty-five percent a year. Better technology leads to greater savings. The best way to save is to upgrade!

Save on Home Repairs with Agway

Televisions rely on your home’s internal wiring in order to function. However, over time, heat, moisture, and electrical stress can wear down your equipment, gradually increasing the likelihood of failure. Sadly, home insurance doesn’t pay for this type of damage, but we do. Agway’s EnergyGuard™ Repair Program covers your heating, cooling, and electrical systems from damage caused by wear and tear – in order to protect your home and peace of mind.

When the need for repair occurs, our customers don’t waste time searching for a qualified technician. They contact us instead. We maintain a network of qualified electrician in your area. As soon as you report the problem, our team sends the first available repairman straight to your door. There are no service fees or deductibles either. We pay for the visit and all covered parts. Don’t let a sudden breakdown upset your finances. Sign up and start enjoying the benefits of EnergyGuard™ today!