Home energy monitors are designed to identify how much power your household is using and, more specifically, how you can reduce your power usage to save you money on your monthly utility bills. The primary way a monitor accomplishes its task is by identifying power hogs in your home so you can address your usage and attempt to be more efficient, lowering your electric bills.
If you’re looking for these cost savings, you might wonder if the initial price of a monitor is worth it when balanced against the potential savings, and if so, how long it will take you to break even. Let’s dive into how monitoring works and how, specifically, it can pinpoint where you’re spending the most on monthly energy fees.
What is a home energy monitor?
As the name implies, a home energy monitor keeps tabs on where and how power is distributed in your home. Most importantly, it identifies the main power draws so that you can reduce your power usage and, by extension, your energy bill.
Most monitors work by attaching to power cables inside your electrical/breaker box. Typically a monitor unit will slot in somewhere inside the box, and then clamps running from it to the primary power cables will track usage. The monitor unit will then output measurements either to a control panel or, more commonly with modern devices, to an app, where you can view data on how you’re using energy and tips on how to reduce usage.
Newer smart electric panels like the Savant Smart Budget we saw at CES 20205 may have this energy monitoring feature built-in, sparing you from having to install a separate device.
Is a home energy monitor worth it?
Typically, users who install a home energy monitor save money, though the exact amount will vary according to a few factors. The typical user saves around 8% of their energy bill each month after installing a monitor, according to Renuka S., a representative from monitoring system-maker Sense Energy who didn’t want to give their full name.
“The amount an average user can save with a home energy monitor like Sense varies depending on several factors, such as the size of the home, the number of devices being used, the efficiency of appliances, and the user’s current energy habits,” Renuka said.
This is where the question of whether a monitoring system is worth it gets a little thorny. A home energy monitor isn’t a magic wand that will save you money just by installing it. Ultimately, its only function is to provide you with data; whether or how you use that data is entirely up to you.
A home energy monitor “is designed to track and analyze your energy usage in real time,” Renuka said. “It provides insights into how electricity is being used throughout your home by identifying individual devices and appliances. The system uses sensors to detect patterns in your electrical usage and sends this data to the Sense app, where you can monitor your energy consumption, track costs, and identify energy-saving opportunities.” What it doesn’t do, however, is directly reduce usage.
If you’re already aware of energy inefficiencies and have taken steps to reduce them, the value of a home energy monitor is much more limited than if you’re approaching the problem for the first time.
Ultimately, being conscious of your usage, particularly by things like “always-on” devices, or whether or not you’re using high-draw appliances like washing machines or dishwashers during peak hours, can make a home energy monitor redundant. This is especially true if you’ve taken additional steps to make your home energy efficient, like reducing leaks that can sap heat during the winter or tax your AC during the hot summer months.
Many utility companies will now provide energy saving tips as well as data about your energy usage for free alongside or in addition to your monthly bill. That said, if you’re a novice in terms of energy efficiency and would prefer a single source of truth about your usage, a home energy monitor, particularly a highly rated one that provides ample information as well as tips for streamlining your setup and usage, can be a valuable boon for homeowners.
Options include the Sense Home Energy Monitor and Neurio Intelligent Home Monitor, both of which CNET has reviewed, and Smapee, which is geared more towards interfacing with EV charging and self-consumption.
Pros and cons of a home energy monitor
Pros
Gathers lots of useful information: The right energy monitoring system doesn’t just provide raw data about your energy usage, it also provides actionable tips about how to use that data to directly reduce your bill. If you’re completely lost about where to start in making your home more energy-efficient, a home energy monitor can be a powerful launchpad.
Can help identify vampire loads: Always-on devices can be one of the most costly contributors to your monthly electric bill. “Always On power accounts for 23% of the average electric bill, which makes it an opportunity for big savings,” said Sense’s Renuka. “A monitor lets you track it over time, so you can see the progress as you turn off idle printers, forgotten lights and devices sitting on ‘standby’ that don’t really need to be.”
Potentially identifies faulty appliances or other devices: By isolating energy spikes, a monitor can help you identify broken or faulty devices, particularly those that are activating at times when they aren’t supposed or scheduled to. Similarly, if an appliance starts uses more energy over time, this can indicate an appliance that’s deteriorating or leaking, like a fridge or damaged AC unit.
Cons
Doesn’t directly correct any inefficiencies: An energy monitor doesn’t address any of the issues directly with your home energy setup. Instead, it just provides data (and, in some cases, advice) that you can then wield to correct any inefficiencies on your own. Often, this data, and some of the most important cost-saving advice, is available from other sources, including the CNET Home Energy team, which has no shortage of ticks and tricks to lower your energy bills.
May not immediately recognize some devices: Energy monitors may take some time to identify individual devices, particularly systems that don’t have access to machine learning to help parse the data the monitor receives. When we reviewed the Sense Home Energy Monitor, it took time for the monitor to identify 14 new devices, including the HVAC, the oven, the ice maker and the refrigerator.
Typically requires a network connection: Many modern home energy monitoring systems require a stable Wi-Fi connection to function properly and transmit data. If your Wi-Fi goes down, your home energy monitor may not be fully functional or operate at all.
Should you buy a home energy monitoring system?
The value of a home energy monitor will vary based on your living situation and your current energy efficiency. If you’re a novice in saving energy or you’re facing a ballooning electric bill, a monitor can save you a significant amount of money. This is also true in larger homes or multifamily units that share the same breaker box, where it may be difficult to keep tabs on where costs are rising or what some of the biggest power hogs in your home may be.
However, if you’ve already taken extensive steps to reduce inefficiencies, you may find that a monitor isn’t worth the initial outlay. This is particularly true if your utility provider offers monitoring tips and tools, as an increasing number do, either online or by mail. With a monitoring system starting around $150 to $200, and many costing several times that, it may take a long time for an energy-efficient household to recoup that investment.
Home energy monitoring FAQs
What’s the best home energy monitor to buy?
While which system is best for you will depend on your needs and budget, we contacted Sense specifically because it provides some of the best and most highly rated energy monitors on the market. Neurio is another brand that CNET has reviewed. Siemens and Emporia also provide competent and well-regarded monitoring systems, like the Inhab Energy Monitor and Vue Home Energy Monitor.
Can a home energy monitor work in an apartment?
As long as you have access to your electric box, you can install an energy monitor in your apartment. However, bear in mind that it will monitor and provide information about any units that share the same breaker box, which could potentially present a privacy issue.
What information does a home energy monitor provide?
A home energy monitor can provide a range of data, including individual appliance or device usage, information on always-on power draws, historical data about your energy usage, advice on reducing energy usage, cost estimates, peak usage data and more.
More energy-saving advice
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