Energy Monitors- Why Are They Important?: Energy Products Articles: Eco20/20

Energy Monitors- Why Are They Important?

Energy efficiency is very important these days for every power consumer. The cost of heating and cooling has skyrocketed to the point of straining the budget. In the past, homeowners were at the mercy of their utility company when it came to knowing just how much energy was being used in their homes. Most had to wait with baited breath to see whether that next bill would be a budget buster or not. Today homeowners can monitor and maintain a home that's energy efficient with the use of home monitors. Energy monitors come in a variety of sizes, styles and price ranges.

Monitor Individual Devices

In every home there are electronic devices that continue to use energy even when they are turned off. This "phantom energy" can make up to 5 percent of the electricity used in the average home. Some of these devices include power tools, cell phone chargers and digital cameras. Monitors that measure the energy use of energy devices are plugged into individual wall outlets in the home. They plug into the device or appliance and display how much energy is being used. With this information homeowners can unplug those gadgets and appliances that are wasting costly energy.

Monitor Total Energy

Devices which are used to monitor the energy used in the entire home are called power monitors. The total energy consumption of the household can be monitored from the main meter or the electrical panel. They provide concise, detailed information about the electricity used in the home and actually calculate the cost based on the homeowner's utility rate. This takes the guesswork out of how much the next electric bill will be. The monitor works in real time, so if the consumer turns off a light it will display a decrease in cost. Some power monitors use a wireless sensor next to the electric meter which feeds information to the monitor inside the home. This is ideal in determining the best time to turn off devices, appliances or lighting. Advanced power monitors come with Windows software that allows users to upload the data right to their computer.

Do it Yourself Energy Audit Kits

In some cities, utility companies offer energy audits to their customers at cost. Usually, the cost for the audit is added to an already high electric bill. Home audit kits are designed for the seriously energy conscience consumer. These kits packages come complete with several monitors that perform various functions. The kit allows monitoring of energy used by plug-in 110/120V appliances and up to 100 amps of measurement from the main electric panel. Energy is monitored real time; along with how much power has been used in the past. It calculates the total running cost and the peek demand for wattage in the home. It can be programmed to record at selected intervals and also evaluates projected energy costs.

Technology has truly come a long way in the field of energy. Gone are the days when homeowners were unaware of the amount and cost of the energy they consumed. With this information they can make the necessary changes in their homes to reduce their energy costs. These changes help to reduce their carbon footprint and, ultimately, help conserve the earth's resources.