What to Look for in a Home Energy Monitor

You get an energy monitor with your monthly bill. The majority of homeowners are concerned with the amount they will have to pay this month. Most utility providers provide information on overall energy consumption and monthly energy usage over the past 6-12 months. They also give fluctuations in price per kilowatt hour. Smart home energy monitors go a step beyond by monitoring minute-by-minute patterns of energy usage in the house.

Usually, these systems are connected to your home or meter’s electricity grid. These devices act as a hub of communication for household appliances, gadgets, and utility providers. They can monitor and track minute-by-minute patterns of energy consumption at home.

On the market, there are many different types of energy monitoring systems for homes. The majority, however, allows homeowners to track energy usage for each item within their home. These systems can be linked to your smartphone and home Wi-Fi and will provide you with real-time statistics and updates on your energy usage.

These systems can also provide homeowners with useful data, allowing them to track their energy usage daily, weekly, and monthly. These data can help identify habits and behaviors that contribute to increased energy consumption. If you learn that you have left many lights on in your home, you can use smart lighting management to turn them off.

Some energy monitors analyze patterns and trends and provide recommendations for energy savings, such as switching off the toaster at breakfast or upgrading to a more energy-efficient fridge. This vital tool is available to your family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can help you make better decisions and reduce your energy consumption.

What to Look for in a Home Energy Monitor

It is common sense that increased energy efficiency would lead to lower total energy usage. Unfortunately, as power becomes cheaper and more efficient, we tend to consume more. Energy efficiency gains will only reduce total resource consumption if they’re accompanied by behavior patterns that intentionally limit resource usage.

Each technology in the smart home can reduce energy consumption. The 50 billion smart gadgets expected to be used by 2020 will almost certainly increase households’ overall energy consumption. Smart home technology, such as energy monitoring systems, can encourage the necessary behavioral changes to reduce energy consumption.

You must first evaluate your home and what you expect from it. Others provide weekly or monthly data on energy usage. If you have solar panels installed or are considering installing solar, look for an energy monitor that is solar-ready.

Home energy monitoring systems have come a long way since their introduction almost a decade ago. The best home energy monitors should have the following:

Wi-Fi Connectivity

You must ensure that your home energy monitoring system communicates with other smart home devices you use. Choose products that are Wi-Fi enabled, as this will allow for easy integration with your smart home network. Bluetooth is another option for homeowners who want to monitor their home’s energy usage.

How consumption is measured

It’s a bonus that many systems for home energy monitoring show you your electricity consumption data. A graph or diagram is usually easier to understand than a long list of numbers. The best systems display both statistics in kilowatt hours and dollars and cents. It will help households understand how a reduction in energy consumption directly translates to monthly savings.

Compatibility with Your Home Electricity System

The majority of home energy monitoring systems can be used with different household voltages (120/208/240V). Some systems are only useful for homes with split-phase power. Ask an electrician what type of monitoring system will be best for your home.

Tracking Solar Energy Production and Usage

A home energy monitoring system, which can measure solar production even if you don’t have solar panels, is an essential component for a solar-ready house. This tool will help homeowners determine the right size for a future PV solar system and how to reduce their dependency on municipal networks.

Easy Installation

The homeowner should choose home energy monitoring systems that are easy to install and set up. Wireless monitors, as well as those connected to the power board, should be operational in less than one hour at a low cost.