With an increasing focus on energy conservation, many agencies conduct ongoing research on green energy solutions and energy efficiency. The government encourages homeowners to prioritize energy-efficiency and saving on their properties.
Energy-Efficiency is an important aspect, especially when you take into consideration that home maintenance accounts for a significant expenditure each month. With each passing day, we become more and more reliant on modern and advanced home appliances and devices. While these add convenience and comfort to our lives, their use also stresses our monthly home maintenance budget.
The good news is that homeowners can save money by increasing their awareness of energy consumption and learning how to improve the efficiency of their home. The first step is to determine out how much energy you are utilizing and the areas you can improve.
How To Measure The Energy-Efficiency Of Your Home
Here we take a look at some ways in which you can measure your home’s overall consumption. It will help you identify what is causing a spike in your energy bills each month.
1. Save your Bills and Compare Them
If you aren’t doing this already, now is the time to start. Learn to read the bill and ensure you compare your bills over a few months. They won’t have details of which appliances or installations are hurting you. However, the comparison will help keep you on track to maintain the energy-efficiency of your home.
2. Measure Kilowatt Hour Usage For Certain Devices In Your Home
The easiest way to spot which fixtures and appliances in your home are energy-guzzlers is to use a properly-calibrated usage monitor. These inexpensive devices are available at almost all electrical or hardware stores. The basic models are easy to use. You only need to plug it into an electrical socket and plug your appliance into it.
It will help you keep track of the amount of power the appliance is using over a specific period. You will get a clear idea of how much you are paying for it each week, month, or year. If your energy bills are on the rise, and you aren’t sure about what is causing the spike, this becomes a convenient tool. You will have visibility of which appliances are consuming more energy so that you can curb their use.
It will also give you an idea of which ones you need to replace or repair if they are old or not functioning correctly. However, there is a significant amount of legwork involved if you opt to use these devices, and you’d have to place many of them around your house. You can also switch them from one device to another, depending on your need.
3. Opt For Advanced Electricity Usage Monitors
If you are comfortable with investing a little more in these devices, you should consider buying electricity usage monitors that have complementing technologies. For example, some energy monitors have the functionality to switch the appliances off and on, depending on factors such as time, energy use, etc. More advanced systems allow you to access real-time information, and you can check energy usage via an app on your smartphone. These devices can be configured to help you keep track of your electricity bills each month.
An electrician can provide you information about these devices and install them for you. But the HVAC system has higher energy–consumption compared to most other appliances in your home. Despite this, you do need to run them, to maintain the comfort levels in your home.
However, monitoring and tracking their energy usage can help you curtail these costs to a certain extent. HVAC contractors are very knowledgeable in these matters and can provide tips on how you can increase the energy-efficiency of your HVAC system.
