6 Green Gadgets Your Home Needs
By Janice Lieberman
My husband and I used to run around the house unplugging everything—TVs, computers, cell chargers. We had no idea how much energy we were using. We didn’t know if the house was leaking warm air in the winter or cool air in the summer, or where those energy vampires were hiding. But now that the rest of America wants to save money (and the earth), companies are stepping up with new advances that can help.
First find out how much energy you use. By identifying the power hogs, you can lower your electric bill by as much as 20 percent, experts say. To measure the cost of your energy usage throughout the house in real time, try the wireless TED 5000C ($239.95; theenergydetective.com). Yes, it’s pricey, but with electric bills averaging $103 a month, TED could pay for itself in as little as a year. Joe Hutsko, author of Green Gadgets for Dummies, tested it and found that turning on two outdoor lights cost about 2 cents per hour; his tankless instant water heater runs him $2 per hour. Connect TED to your circuit breaker yourself, or call an electrician. To track weekly trends, pair the unit with Google’s free PowerMeter energy tracker.
Read the entire article at: http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/6-green-gadgets-your-home-needs/article176583.html
First find out how much energy you use. By identifying the power hogs, you can lower your electric bill by as much as 20 percent, experts say. To measure the cost of your energy usage throughout the house in real time, try the wireless TED 5000C ($239.95; theenergydetective.com). Yes, it’s pricey, but with electric bills averaging $103 a month, TED could pay for itself in as little as a year. Joe Hutsko, author of Green Gadgets for Dummies, tested it and found that turning on two outdoor lights cost about 2 cents per hour; his tankless instant water heater runs him $2 per hour. Connect TED to your circuit breaker yourself, or call an electrician. To track weekly trends, pair the unit with Google’s free PowerMeter energy tracker.
Read the entire article at: http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/6-green-gadgets-your-home-needs/article176583.html