Understanding and Reducing Home Energy Consumption
Modern homes consume much more electricity than they did decades ago. Back then, the main culprits were appliances, lights, radios, and TVs. Today, in addition to those, we have power-hungry devices like PCs, smartphones, routers, security systems, surveillance cameras, and smart speakers.
While you may not be able to significantly reduce the power each device consumes, you can still save money by tracking how much electricity each device uses. This will help you identify “vampire energy”—power consumed by devices in standby mode. Even when you think a device is off, it might still be using power, especially if it’s updating or staying connected to the internet.
These energy vampires can add up. According to a 2015 report by the NRDC, they cost Americans $19 billion annually, and the problem likely hasn’t improved since then. So, how can you minimize this wasted energy?
Key Energy Terms to Understand
When reviewing your electricity bill, you might encounter terms and abbreviations that can be confusing. In the U.S., the primary unit of measurement is the kilowatt-hour (kWh), which measures energy consumption. One kWh equals the amount of energy used by a device that consumes 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power over one hour.
For example, if a device uses 100 watts and runs for 10 hours, it consumes 1 kWh (100 watts x 10 hours = 1,000 watts = 1 kWh). This is how energy costs are calculated—typically, you’re charged a certain rate per kWh.
Why It Matters
To give a real-world example, one utility bill listed 786 kWh of electricity used over a month, costing $84.07. This bill included various charges beyond just the energy used, such as delivery fees, service charges, and taxes. Tracking your energy usage and knowing which devices are the biggest culprits can help you lower these costs.
Tools to Help You Reduce Energy Waste
To accurately measure how much electricity your devices use, you’ll need an electricity usage monitor. A simple option is a “plug load” monitor, which plugs into an outlet, and then you plug your device into it. These monitors, like the P3 Kill A Watt EZ, show how many kWh a device uses over time, giving you a clearer picture of your energy consumption.
With this information, you can make informed decisions about which devices to unplug or use less frequently, ultimately saving money on your electricity bill.
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