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Energy Adviser: Tracking home energy use can save money

By Clark Public Utilities
Published: May 7, 2019, 6:05am

Lowering your utility bill is a lot like dieting to lose weight: It can be difficult to make progress without keeping track of your consumption.

The most arithmetically inclined among us might still prefer to do the math for every appliance in the home, but today it’s easier than ever for the average person to discover, monitor, and reduce their energy consumption. The internet and the smartphone application marketplace are flooded with tools to help consumers do just that.

“The advantage of using an energy calculator is you can gain knowledge about your energy demands, better determine if certain home upgrades make financial sense and find new areas for potential energy savings,” said DuWayne Dunham, Clark Public Utilities energy services supervisor.

Research from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the University of Colorado shows that consumers can shave anywhere from about 4 percent to 12 percent off their energy bills if they have a clear understanding of their home energy consumption.

It’s up to you to decide how precisely you want to understand your home consumption. Are you fine with understanding the “big picture”? Do you want real-time feedback on your entire home? That self-knowledge will determine which approach is best for you.

The Clark Public Utilities Home Energy Calculator is a free and easy place to start. There are two versions available. One is accessed through the main website and offers a more general view, while the other is accessed through the utility’s MyAccount and gives a more specific view of the account holder’s home.

It’ll also tell you how your energy use compares with similar homes, which can provide useful perspective. As with other similar products, the accuracy of your results are dictated by how much information you enter.

The utility also offers calculators specifically for lighting, heating, appliances and programmable thermostats. If you’re considering upgrading in any of those areas, those calculators will help you understand your potential savings.

The more specific the better

Customers can also borrow a watt meter from the utility to find out exactly how much energy certain appliances use. Those are probably most valuable to understand refrigerator and freezer costs, because those appliances run on schedules that are difficult to predict.

Numerous websites and smartphone apps offer similar services, but how precise and informative they may be will vary — especially in terms of offering energy-reduction suggestions.

“Be cautious of certain apps or online calculators because they might be more of a national flavor than Pacific Northwest specific,” Dunham said. “We’re a little different up here. For instance, our kilowatt-hour rate is lower than the national average and our climate is wet and mild, which impacts heating and cooling costs. In general, it’s best to keep the information as regionally specific as possible.”

Consumers who want to get down to the granular level of their consumption should consider investing in an advanced home energy monitor. These products monitor at the meter level and many can integrate with “smart-home” devices. They are capable of relaying real-time energy consumption information through the internet or a smartphone app and often enable you to set up energy use schedules.

“Energy calculators are great for the do-it-yourselfers and the curious,” Dunham said. “These tools are great to get a first swipe at things, but contacting a Clark Public Utilities energy counselor can give you expert advice with regional, and even neighborhood-specific, knowledge.”

Energy counselors can offer advice over the phone, or schedule a free home visit to take a look and help you prioritize ways to lower your electric bill. To speak with an energy counselor, call 360-992-3355 during business hours.

Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.

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