To translate space heater kilowatt-hours into dollars out of your pocket, we need to know how much electricity costs per kilowatt-hour in your area. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), energy rates depend on many factors to include “the availability of power plants and fuels, local fuel costs, and pricing regulations.” You can find your specific electric rate in the ‘electric charges’ section of your utility bill or use the average rate for your state. Electric rates can vary by as much as 29¢ per kWh in Hawaii to as little as 9¢ per kWh in Louisiana. That being said, the US average is a bit short of 14¢ per kWh, so we’ll use that number in the following examples. Additionally, electricity needs vary even between similar appliances (i.e. direct vs. indirect water heaters). Also, realize that your energy company may charge different rates depending on the time of day. Using electric power during the day, when the general consumption is much higher, may cost more. On the other hand, your nighttime energy consumption costs may be lower because not a lot of people are using electric power at that time. These are called on-peak and off-peak hours. Make sure to consider this when calculating how much using your space heater will cost to run.