Home and Garden Expo Guide Home & Garden Expo Guide 2020 | Page 28

getting neglected and should therefore
be unplugged. These simple tips will not
only improve your home’s efficiency but
also cut down on your electric bill.
Similar smartphone energy
management apps include PlotWatt,
WattBuddy, and Bidgely.
Meter Sensors and Smart Meters
Unlike the smartphone energy
monitoring apps, meter sensors, and
smart meters feed you information
directly from your home’s existing
energy meter instead of sending data
from your energy provider. They
monitor every aspect of your electric
energy use and continuously send
information back to you. This helps
you learn exactly when and where your
home uses the most energy so you can
make informed decisions about how to
better manage energy consumption and
keep costs down.
Blue Line Innovation offers two
different meter sensors. The PowerCost
Monitor tracks the cost of running
specific appliances and shows where
power is wasted, perhaps in electronics
28
Home & Garden Expo Guide 2020
you thought were turned
off overnight or while
you are at work. The Blue
Line Optical Sensor uses
optical readers attached
to your home meter to
monitor your energy
use comprehensively,
and alert you to any
problems that could
reduce your system’s
efficiency, such as
clogged air filters.
Smart meters
are only available
through your utility
company and make your home part
of the “smart grid.” The smart meters
connect homes and utility companies
in a two-way information stream with
the goal of optimizing energy efficiency
for homeowners and utility companies
alike. They allow the utility to read the
meter remotely so they can then offer you
“smart” pricing based what time of day
energy is cheapest. Homeowners can also
look online or use apps to assess their
home energy usage and reduce bills on
their own.
These are just a few home energy
management products that can help you
be a little kinder to the environment,
not to mention your wallets, without
sacrificing comfort or convenience in
the process.
To get more great tips on how to go
green and save on energy costs, visit
gbvbuilders.org or contact a Certified
Green Professional from the directory
at nahb.org.
INSITE February 2020