Home utility monitoring can help homeowners get a full snapshot of how they may unknowingly be using more energy than they need to. In this blog post, we’ll go over what utility monitoring is and how homeowners might benefit from making the switch. We’ll also briefly touch on the type of appliances you can use for better utility monitoring.  

The Evolution of Utility Monitoring 

Traditionally, home utility monitoring has been relatively passive – homeowners would call their utility company to request a meter reading be taken and then wait for an estimated bill to arrive based on historical usage. 

A home owner's only other option was to manually measure the utilities consumed themselves (perhaps with a notebook), which may not have accurately reflected actual consumption. Yikes! 

Thankfully, the home energy monitoring market has grown significantly in recent years as homeowners strive to reduce their utility costs, via home utility monitoring systems (HEMS) and home energy displays. 

Long gone are the days where receiving accurate energy readings was a tedious task, requiring manual readings of energy meters and calculations on how much electricity or water was used. 

Home Energy Monitoring and Control 

Machine learning has completely changed the landscape of utility monitoring by allowing real-time access to information that could only be accessed by contacting utility companies.

With the evolution of technology, home energy monitoring can now be achieved through information and data collection that records the consumption of electricity, water, and gas in any home or business. 

This allows for accurate assessments on how much utilities have been used over periods of time, which can then be used to create more efficient use throughout the day. 

This is how PowerX came into being. We improved home utility monitoring by creating non-invasive products that could work with AI to provide homeowners with real-time solutions for a more energy-efficient home. 

Utility Tracking with PowerX

PowerX products now make it easier for homeowners to learn how to monitor electricity, water and water heater usage in the home, understand their utility usage habits as well as receive notifications when thresholds are exceeded or unusual patterns arise. 

Our products are able to track electricity, water, and gas while centralizing all the information in the palm of your hand. 

We achieve this by utilizing home energy sensors that are set up in the home to measure your home’s electricity usage in real-time and provide you with the information needed to make more informed decisions. 

Home utility monitoring also makes it easier to know when different appliances are being used, so that they can be shut off or unplugged during periods of high use without sacrificing your comfort level.

Appliances Compatible with Energy Monitoring Products 

If you are considering purchasing an appliance that would benefit from home utility monitoring, there are some things to consider about whether it will work with your utility meter or need its own dedicated circuit.

Appliances like gas dryers and electric water heaters typically require their own dedicated circuits to operate. This is usually the case with electric ranges and air conditioner units as well. If you have a newer home built since 2000, it is much more likely to have circuits dedicated for specific appliances like this.

In homes that do not have dedicated circuits for individual appliances, there are options to consider. 

In order for homeowners to see significant savings with a utility monitoring device, appliances must be:

1. Plug and play - A plug-and-play product requires no special installation or wiring; it can simply plug into any outlet in the home.
2. Energy efficiency - The product must be more efficient than other products of similar size and type in order to gain significant cost benefits from utility monitoring products.

Appliances that fit these criteria include:

• Laundry machines -Appliances that are compatible with utility monitoring devices include front-load and condensing top load washers, which use a fraction of the energy used by older models. 

• Washers - Both front-loading and top-loading models can be used with utility monitoring products.
• Dryers - These units are 80% more energy-efficient than traditional ones, using an average of 8 kWh to dry a load 
• Electric ovens - Electric ovens consume 10% less energy than gas or electric coil models.
• Dishwashers - Dishwashers use 40% less energy than hand washing.
• Refrigerators - Consumer Reports recommends using a freezer drawer-type refrigerator for the least amount of energy usage

If you’re in the market for easy-to-use home utility monitoring products, check out our PowerX Suite for a complete line of home utility monitoring sensors, learn about our innovative technology and how it helps homeowners begin their home utility monitoring journey.