Importance of Monitoring Your Energy Usage
Find out what an energy usage monitor is and how it can help you save money on your electricity bills.
Did you know that the average American household spends more than $2,000 a year on energy bills? In fact, if every American household reduced their energy usage by 10%, it would save the country more than $8 billion dollars.
But reducing your energy usage can be difficult–especially if you don’t know how much energy you’re using in the first place. That’s where an energy usage monitor comes in. An energy usage monitor is a device that helps you track your home’s electricity, gas and water consumption. This information can help you identify where your home is using the most energy and what changes you can make to reduce your overall consumption.
Types of Energy Usage Monitors
There are a variety of different types of energy monitors available, each with its own unique set of features and benefits.
-
The most basic type of monitor is a plug-in meter which plugs into an electrical outlet and measures how much power your appliances are using.
-
If you want to measure both electricity and water use, there are also combination meters which measure both.
-
More sophisticated monitors can provide data on historical usage, so you can see how your habits have changed over time, as well as real-time data so you can track what appliances are using the most energy at any given moment.
Prices for energy monitors vary depending on the type and features of the device, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $200 for a quality monitor. While the initial cost may seem high, monitors can ultimately save you money by helping you reduce your energy consumption. In fact, one study found that households who used an energy monitor saved an average of 4% on their energy bills–that’s a savings of more than $80 per year.
Why You Should Monitor Your Energy Usage
There are a lot of good reasons to monitor your energy usage. Here are just a few:
-
Reducing your energy usage can save you money. As mentioned earlier, the average American household spends more than $2,000 a year on energy bills. But by monitoring your energy usage and making small changes to your habits, you can reduce that number by 10% or more.
-
Monitoring your energy usage can help you become more aware of how much energy you’re using and where you’re using it. This information can help you identify areas in your home where you can make changes to reduce your overall consumption.
-
Energy monitors can be a great way to teach your children about conservation. By seeing how much energy different appliances use, they can learn which ones are more efficient and why it’s important to conserve energy.
-
Monitors can also help you track your home’s energy use over time. This information can be helpful in identifying long-term trends and patterns in your electricity, gas and water consumption.
So if you’re looking for a way to save money and become more aware of how much energy you’re using, an energy usage monitor may be the perfect solution for you.