from Mike in Eden, WI:
#955
How come I cannot find any information on electrical solutions? It looks as if you have everything except for electrical. I have heard of ways to manage my electrical bills by tracking electrical usage in my home and I cannot find anything here that helps me as far as an electrical auditor or electrical contractor.
There are trained personnel to assist in tracking electrical usage.
Often, utility companies have trained personnel to assist homeowners with tracking electrical usage. If your utility does not offer that as a free service, consider engaging the services of an independent energy consultant/auditor. In Wisconsin, we have Consultants that provide that service (and more) operating throughout the state. Find it with Focus can assist you in locating a Consultant in your area (assuming you are a Wisconsin resident).
If you would rather do it yourself, you can find out exactly how much energy your appliances and electronics use, even when they're turned off, with help from a watt meter. A watt meter is an electronic instrument that measures the power (watts) used by devices. When you plug the meter into the appliance, you can measure how much electricity your appliances/electronics are using and what they are costing you. Visit your local library to see if they have a watt meter you can borrow. If your library does not have a watt meter at that location, they can get one through an inter-library loan. A similar product, Kill A Watt, is also available to help you track electrical usage in your home.
To find out more about your household appliances and how much energy they use, view our appliance energy use fact sheet.
The two meters described above are used to measure individual appliances and electronics (120 volt only). Another device that is available measures the home’s total electrical usage in real time. This device is known as The Energy Detective (TED®).
Published Tuesday, March 08, 2011