How to Estimate Drying Equipment Electricity Cost

Drying equipment runs for days, and property owners or adjusters sometimes ask how much electricity it used.

To estimate your own equipment, open the Equipment Electricity Calculator. This guide explains how the calculation works and where the estimate can drift from the actual bill.

Watts Versus Kilowatt-Hours

Two units are easy to confuse.

• Watts measure power: how fast a device uses electricity at a moment.
• Kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy: how much electricity was used over time.

Utilities bill in kilowatt-hours. One kilowatt is 1,000 watts, so a device drawing 1,000 watts for one hour uses one kilowatt-hour.

The Calculation

For each type of equipment:

• Energy (kWh) = count × watts × hours per day × days ÷ 1,000
• Cost = energy × price per kWh

Virginia Cooperative Extension publishes the same approach for household appliances: multiply wattage by hours of use, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by the utility's rate.

A Worked Example

Hypothetical example: 4 units rated at 600 watts each, running 8 hours per day for 3 days, at $0.20 per kWh.

• Energy: 4 × 600 × 8 × 3 ÷ 1,000 = 57.6 kWh
• Cost: 57.6 × $0.20 = $11.52

The rate in this example is invented. Electricity prices vary by utility, rate plan, and time of use.

The calculator's Load Example button fills in a sample so you can see how rows and totals are shown.

Finding the Wattage

Equipment labels and specification sheets often list power in watts, amps, or both.

Enter watts in the Watts field. If a label lists only amps, the relationship to watts depends on voltage and other electrical characteristics, so use the manufacturer's stated wattage where possible rather than converting it yourself.

Use one row per equipment type in Equipment Name (Optional). A dehumidifier and an air mover draw different power and may run on different schedules.

Runtime and Cycling

Hours per Day must be between 0 and 24. Days can include decimals, such as 2.5.

Not every unit draws full rated power the whole time it is on. Some equipment cycles, and power draw can change with conditions. An estimate based on rated power may differ from measured consumption; the calculator does not model cycling.

If you have measured energy use, such as a reading from a plug-in energy monitor, use that figure in your records instead of the estimate.

Use the Actual Utility Rate

Price per kWh (Optional) should be the rate that applies at the property. A utility bill usually shows it, sometimes split into supply and delivery charges.

If you leave the price blank, the calculator shows energy in kWh only. That is often the more useful number to document, because the owner or adjuster can apply the rate on their own bill.

What the Estimate Does Not Tell You

• It is not circuit sizing and does not say how many units a circuit or breaker can carry.
• It gives no electrical safety guidance.
• It does not guarantee reimbursement. Whether electricity cost is paid, and how it must be documented, depends on the policy, the payer, and the claim.

For equipment you rent, the Equipment Rental Calculator totals the rental side. For documenting equipment placement and runtime in the file, see What Should Be Included in a Water Mitigation Documentation File?.

Estimate Your Equipment

Enter each equipment type in the Equipment Electricity Calculator and use Copy Summary to paste the kWh and cost figures into your job notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Convert Watts to Kilowatt-Hours?

Multiply watts by hours of use and divide by 1,000. A 600 watt unit running for 8 hours uses 4.8 kWh.

Why Might the Estimate Differ from the Actual Bill?

Equipment may cycle or draw less than its rated wattage, and utility rates can include several charges. The calculator uses the wattage, runtime, and rate you enter.

Can I Leave the Price per kWh Blank?

Yes. The calculator then reports energy in kWh only, which the owner or adjuster can price using the property's actual rate.

Does the Calculator Tell Me If a Circuit Can Handle the Equipment?

No. It estimates energy use only. It does no circuit sizing and gives no electrical safety guidance.

Sources and Further Reading

• Virginia Cooperative Extension — Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use

Disclaimer

This article explains energy arithmetic for educational purposes. It is not electrical, engineering, or insurance advice. Hypothetical figures are illustrations, not rates or benchmarks.