Extreme Energy Savings Part 1
Extreme Energy Savings is intended for those who are interested in learning new ways to save money on energy costs beyond the typical advice. Lowering your energy consumption will not only save you money, it will help the environment too. Comments are welcome, as I am always looking for fresh ways to save.
For those serious about reducing energy costs, the first step beyond replacing all of your light bulbs is to pick up a Kill A Watt. The Kill A Watt is an electricity usage meter to measure how much electricity your various appliances and electronics are consuming. It is available at many home improvement stores and online.
Many of us have older appliances, and tons of devices referred to as “Energy Vampires”. These are typically electronic devices that consume electricity whether you have them turned on or not, and believe me there are many.
You simply plug the Kill A Watt into the wall and then plug whatever you wish to measure into the front of the Kill A Watt. The LCD display will display the energy consumption by the kilowatt-hour, the same as the electric company does when it calculates your bill. The device will also help you calculate the actual electricity cost to use the item you are testing for a day, week, month, or even a year.
It will also check the quality of the power on the line you are plugged into. You might be losing money simply because of bad connections at your circuit breaker box, or perhaps your lines are going bad. The Kill A Watt displays electricity quality by monitoring the voltage, line frequency, and power factor.
Test every device plugged into an outlet in your home both turned on and turned off and keep a chart. Once you do you will learn of, and probably be surprised, by the energy hogs in your home. How much does an X-Box use when it is turned off? What about your phone charger when there is no phone charging? Remember, this is extreme energy saving, so every penny makes a difference.
If you find devices using power when you don’t want them to, your best bet is to pick up a power strip with an on/off switch on it. Not only will this allow you to really turn off items plugged into it, you will protect your valuable equipment from power surges. For other energy hogs, you’ll want to decide whether to replace them with newer energy efficient models, get rid of them, or grin and bear it.
This is just step 1; stay tuned for future energy saving advice on appliances, electronics, heating, cooling, and more.
