From Brown Library

Looking to reduce energy consumption and save money on an electric bill?

Try the Energy Check Toolkit program, offered in partnership with the City of Washington and made possible by Public Power.

Check out a kill-a-watt meter to find out how much electricity home appliances use and identify opportunities for savings.

The device is easy to use: simply plug it into any standard wall outlet, and then plug in an appliance. The meter will measure energy usage in watts and translate that into kWh.

With this number and the rate from an electric bill, residents can calculate how much the appliance costs each month to use.

The kill-a-watt meter is helpful for determining “phantom loads,” or the amount of energy used even when an appliance is turned off. Televisions, cellphone chargers and kitchen appliances may cost more than residents think! With the kill-a-meter, residents can determine which devices to unplug when not in use.

Use a George H. & Laura E. Brown Library card to check out a kill-a-watt meter, just like a book or DVD, or place a request if none are available. The devices can be checked out for 21 days, and renewed up to two times if no one is waiting.