What Is Home Energy Monitoring?
When you get your monthly power bill, you get a basic kind of home energy monitoring. Most homeowners are preoccupied with how much money they have to pay this month. However, most utility providers give overall energy consumption, monthly energy usage for the previous 6-12 months, and price per kilowatt-hour fluctuations. Smart home energy monitoring systems take things a step further by monitoring and observing minute-by-minute patterns in how energy is utilized in the house.
These systems are usually linked to your home’s electricity grid or meter. They act as a communication hub for households, appliances, gadgets, and, on occasion, the utility provider also; these devices can track and observe minute-by-minute patterns in energy consumption in the home.
There are numerous types of home energy monitoring systems available on the market today. Most, on the other hand, allow homeowners to track the energy usage of each item in their home. These systems are now linked to your smartphone or home Wi-Fi system and provide real-time updates and statistics on energy use in your home.
These systems may also provide useful data to homeowners, allowing them to track how they use energy daily, weekly, and monthly. This information can be useful in identifying habits and behaviors that contribute to higher energy use. For example, if you are notified that many lights in the house have been left on, you may utilize that knowledge to turn off those lights using smart lighting management.
Some energy monitors also analyze patterns and trends to provide energy-saving recommendations, such as disconnecting the toaster after breakfast and upgrading to an energy-efficient refrigerator. Having such a vital tool available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can help your family make better decisions and minimize your energy consumption.
What To Look For In A Home Energy Monitor?
Common sense would suggest that greater energy efficiency should result in lower total energy consumption. Unfortunately, when power becomes more efficient and less expensive, we tend to consume more of it. Gains in energy efficiency will only reduce total resource use if they are complemented by behavioral patterns that deliberately attempt to limit resource use.
In the case of smart home technologies, each technology on its own may be able to lower overall energy usage. On a broader scale, the 50 billion smart home gadgets anticipated to be in use by 2020 would almost certainly increase overall household energy usage. Home energy monitoring systems are one form of smart home technology that stimulates behavioral adjustments that are necessary for lowering our energy use.
To choose the finest home energy monitor for your family, you must first analyze your home and your expectations from the monitor. Some gadgets, for example, allow you to create personalized budgets and objectives, while others give weekly or monthly energy data. Look for an energy monitor that is solar-ready for houses with installed solar panels or those thinking about installing solar.
Since its introduction nearly a decade ago, home energy monitoring devices have gone a long way. Among the most creative aspects of the best home energy monitoring systems should be:
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Your home energy monitoring system must communicate with any other smart home gadgets you may be utilizing. Prioritize choices that have Wi-Fi connectivity since this will enable easy integration into your smart home network. For homeowners who wish to monitor their household energy use, simpler Bluetooth communication is also an option.
How Consumption Is Measured
The way many home energy monitoring systems show your domestic electricity usage data is an extra bonus. An interactive interface with graphs and diagrams is typically more understandable than a list of numbers. The finest systems will also display statistics in both kilowatt-hours and dollars and cents. This will assist households in understanding how lower energy consumption immediately translates into monthly savings.
Compatibility With Your Home Electricity Setup
Most home energy monitoring systems are compatible with various household power voltages (120/208/240V). Others, on the other hand, will be beneficial exclusively for split-phase homes. Inquire with an electrician about the sort of monitoring system that will work with your home.
Ability To Track Solar Production And Energy Usage
Even if you do not have solar panels, a home energy monitoring system that can measure solar production is a vital component of a solar-ready home. This tool can assist homeowners in correctly sizing a future solar PV system and determining the best strategies to decrease dependency on municipal networks.
Easy Installation
Homeowners should prioritize easy-to-setup and install home energy monitoring systems. Wireless monitors and those connected to your power board should be up and operating in less than an hour and at a low labor cost.
