How To Track Energy Usage?

With the way electricity prices are rising, you’re probably looking for ways to lower your energy usage and save on your power bills. But before you can cut back on energy use, you’ll need to figure out how much you consume.  

Many of the things in the house run on power and contribute to the kWh you rack up. Devices, like smartphones, tablets, and computers, as well as home appliances, like washers, dryers, and the like, affect how much electricity you get from the grid, and you’ll see the result on your electricity bill.  

Fortunately, tracking energy usage isn’t as tricky as it once was. Different ways to monitor electricity consumption make keeping tabs on how many kWh it takes to run your home a breeze. Monitoring apps sense energy use, and some even provide real time data, eliminating the guesswork when it comes to determining your electricity use.  

Why It Is Important To Track Energy Usage?

There are proven benefits to tracking your energy usage. Because most of your daily activities require the use of energy, monitoring how much power your whole home expends helps pinpoint where you can cut back.

Increases Your Awareness  

By knowing how much energy your home draws from the grid, you become aware of your consumption habits. Seeing the actual power your electronics and appliances use in kW or kWh will give you a clearer picture of your energy usage and will likely motivate you to try and find ways of using less electricity.

Lets You Know Which Of Your Electronics Consumes Power The Most  

When you monitor energy consumption, you’ll find out which single appliance eats up considerable electricity. Thus, you can decide if you will limit using the said appliance to lower your energy bill.  

Another advantage of energy monitoring is that it helps you establish the least amount of power you can use without suffering any negative impact on your daily life.   

Shows You The Trend Of Your Electricity Usage 

By having a monitoring system in place, you get daily or monthly figures that show your power usage trends. The energy monitor will tell you if your energy use increases or decreases and at which times. 

The readings provided by your energy monitor will help you determine how much power you consume daily or monthly so you can choose the best ways to minimize the kWh of electricity your home eats up.  

Helps You Decide Whether To Change Your Energy Retailer

Keep in mind that it’s not just your energy consumption per se that determines how much your home energy bill costs. Other factors affect the price of your home’s energy use. The per kW rate charged by your utility provider is one of them. If, after taking the necessary measures to limit your usage, your bill remains high, then shopping around for a different power provider may be a wise move.   

Compare the rates of various retailers and choose one which is lighter on the pocket so you can save on the cost of your electricity. 

Different Ways To Track Energy Usage

Modern technology has made tracking your home energy use so much easier. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all method of keeping tabs on your energy consumption, there are common ways to monitor the kWh you rack up. Here are some of them.  

Appliance Energy Calculator  

Using online appliance energy calculators is one of the most effective ways of determining your kW consumption. To calculate your home energy use, you simply input the wattage of the appliance or device and the number of hours you use them each day. The energy calculator will crunch the figures to come up with the estimated daily, monthly, or yearly energy consumption of the appliance or device as well as the costs involved.  

This monitoring system not only calculates your home energy use but also helps pinpoint which of your electronics hinders your energy efficiency goals. Consider replacing appliances or devices that eat up a lot of power with newer and more eco-friendly ones. Buying a new device or appliance may entail some monetary outlay but will help boost your home’s energy efficiency. 

Smart Home Energy Monitor 

A smart home energy monitor will not only keep track of your power usage, but will even tell you which appliances or devices you use more frequently in your house. These monitors attach easily to your electrical panel, so using them won’t present too much of a challenge.  

You have several options to choose from when it comes to smart home energy monitors. Some can fully integrate into your home network, while others work as solitary devices. There are also those that can let you schedule when to turn off your electronics and alert you when you forget certain things, such as turning off the lights.  

The simplest home energy monitor lets you track the energy consumption of devices that runs on 120 volts. Take note, however, that you can’t use these monitors for appliances that need 220 volts, such as central air conditioners, electric dryers, and water heaters.   

Checking on the consumption of your devices is pretty straightforward. Simply connect the monitor to the electric outlet your device or gadget uses, then plug the device into the monitor, which will display how many watts the gadget uses.   

You’ll find this monitoring system particularly useful in keeping tabs on the kWh consumption of electronics that don’t run constantly, such as your clothes washer. To estimate the cost of running the device, you’ll just need to input the per kWh rate your utility charges.  

A smart home energy monitor is an excellent investment as the monitoring system takes the guesswork out of your calculations. With proper use, the monitor allows you to significantly reduce your energy consumption, thus lowering your electricity bill and increasing your savings over time.  

Smart Meters

The most accurate way to monitor your energy usage is by using a smart meter. In contrast with ordinary analog meters, which need to be read manually, smart meters provide detailed energy consumption in real time without a technician’s services.  

Smart meters link to in-home displays and web portals, which you can view using your computer.

Best Apps To Help You Track Energy Usage

One excellent way to cut back on energy usage is by keeping track of your home’s kWh consumption. When you monitor how much energy you use around the house, you get a better idea of where you can reduce your consumption.  

Fortunately, many excellent apps can help you easily monitor your power use.  

Here are some of them:  

Green Outlet

This app lets you monitor the energy usage of your appliances and devices. Using the Green Outlet app, you can track which of your electronics eat up the most electricity. It also helps you calculate your monthly power costs.  

The Green Outlet app has this great feature. It alerts you if you emit more than the recommended carbon usage based on existing government regulations.

Nest Mobile

The Nest Mobile app works in tandem with a Nest thermostat. The app allows you to monitor and control your energy consumption, thus adding to your savings, even when you’re not home. All you need are your devices, so even when you’re at work or dining out with friends, you can change the house’s thermostat setting.  

Moreover, this app also displays a history of your energy usage and will give you insight into your devices’ energy efficiency by showing their power consumption. Knowing how much energy your appliances or devices use, you can control or limit their usage to get more savings on your electricity costs.  

If you pair the Nest Mobile app with the Google Nest Protect, you can use your Nest thermostat to view your home’s camera footage and receive smoke or carbon monoxide alerts. 

Meter Plug

As the name implies, Meter Plug is a plug you place between the electrical outlet and your appliance. It then transmits the data it gathers to a mobile app.  

Using the app, you can track the amount of energy an individual appliance used and calculate the cost of that energy depending on the time of day the power was consumed. 

Meter Readings 

This app gives you a comprehensive record of your home’s various utility meters, such as electricity, gas, and solar. You can track up to nine individual meters, with the app displaying daily energy usage data, along with the costs per day. It also compares the data with the national average consumption.   

The Meter Readings app shows your data in easy-to-understand graphs on your mobile device. 

Energy Cost Calculator

With this app, you can track the average cost of your appliances and devices. Using the Energy Cost Calculator app is pretty straightforward. You just input the data regarding your devices and appliances’ energy consumption. Based on the information, the app calculates the cost per day, per week, per month, and your electronics’ energy use per year.  

The Energy Cost Calculator app also lets you track the amount of CO2 your energy use produces.

How To Choose The Electricity App That Suits Me?

The information on your electricity bill regarding your energy consumption doesn’t say much. It simply tells you how much kWh you used and how much those kilowatt-hours cost. If you want to track your home’s power consumption over time so you can control your usage or reduce your carbon footprints, you won’t find the data you need on your bill.  

To reduce the amount you pay for power, you’ll have to limit your overall consumption as a whole because you won’t know which particular appliance in your house sucks up the most electricity. A monitoring system takes the guesswork out of your efforts to go green and allows you to save a few bucks as well.  

Energy monitors connect to your breaker box and monitor your power use, letting you see how much energy you consume in real time.  

You won’t lack for choices when it comes to energy monitors as there are several types offered in the market. These energy monitors connect to your smartphone or home wi-fi, allowing you to quickly access the data you need. To come up with the best option for your family, you need to consider several factors. 

How The Energy Monitors Measure Power Use

All energy monitors track your electricity usage, but they vary in how they present the information. Getting the data in easy-to-understand graphs and charts is better than receiving a bunch of numbers you still need to crunch and analyze. Some energy monitors feature an interactive interface that gives the information you need in easy-to-digest formats.

Compatibility With Your Electrical System 

The best energy monitors work with various power voltages, such as 120, 208, and 240V. Ask your electrician what type of monitor is compatible with your current electrical setup.

Solar Energy Monitoring Options 

You may not have a solar panel installation yet, but a home monitoring system that can track solar production and usage is part of having a solar-ready home. Energy monitors that keep tabs on solar energy generation and consumption will give you a leg-up on your efforts to go green as you won’t have to purchase a new monitoring system if you decide to go solar and install a PV system in the future.  

Ease Of Installation

Look for energy monitors that feature easy installation and won’t require the services of an electrician. The wireless monitors, as well as the instruments that connect to your power circuit, should be so easy to install that they’re ready to go in at least an hour.  

Connectivity

Energy monitors with wi-fi connectivity make it easier to integrate the monitoring system into your current home network and track your power consumption to help you go green and save on power costs.  

Mobile Apps And Notifications Functionality

If you want to receive notifications, tips, and warnings regarding irregular appliance usage, look for energy monitors that connect to a mobile app. 

FAQs

Final Words

By spending a little money and effort to track your home’s energy use, you can reduce your power bill. In doing so, you not only save a few bucks, but you also lend a helping hand to the environment as you minimize your carbon footprints.

Updated on 10-17-22