I dread cold weather. My house has electric heating, and it's drafty. When the temperature drops below 40 degees, I am assured a case of sticker shock when the utility bill arrives. This year, however, I'm determined to keep my furnace from hemorrhaging cash.
It doesn't take much to cut your energy costs. Heating and cooling account for over 50% of your energy bill, but experts say the average house has gaps and leaks that lose as much energy as a hole about a foot in diameter!
Products like
Black & Decker's Energy Saver Series can help you reduce your electric bill by sealing leaks and getting a handle on power consumption.
Thermal Leak Detector
Let's start with the TLD100DS Thermal Leak Detector, a handheld device that instantly identifies drafty windows and doors, hidden leaks, and insulation "soft spots" around electrical outlets, recessed lights, or along floor molding. The EPA says the average household can save up to 20% a month on electric bills by eliminating these leaks.
All objects, even cold ones, give off infrared light. The TLD100DS measures it and calculates the temperature. To use the device, you aim it like a laser pointer. When the LED beam hits a cold or hot spot, the dot changes from green to blue or from green to red, depending on whether the area is colder or hotter.
The beam, however, doesn't measure the temperature. The infrared sensor inside the device makes the call, so the so-called
inverse square law of light applies. The farther away the target, the wider the area measured. Thus, for accurate readings, you should keep the distance under two feet.
Readings can be taken in Centigrade or Fahrenheit, and sensitivity to temperature variations is adjustable (1ºF , 5ºF or 10ºF), so slight changes are ignored. If you prefer to measure areas without the beam changing color, there's even an option for that.
The device retails for
$49.99 (9-volt battery not included). For more information, visit the
Black & Decker website, and for tips about sealing your home to save energy costs, see
ScanSealSave.com.
Power Monitor
Black & Decker's EM100DS Power Monitor tracks changes in energy consumption in real time, along with the associated cost in dollars and cents, so you can stop squandering power.
No wiring is required. An ingenious weatherproof, wireless transmitter is attached to the electric meter to detect power consumption, and a handheld receiver displays the resulting information. Data can be displayed in kilowatts (kW) or dollars, including instantaneous usage, running totals and monthly bill predictions.
The Power Monitor is compatible with up to 90% of electric meters (see
Electric Meter Compatibility List). To use the device, however, your meter must be located within 60 feet of the handheld device. This could be a problem if you live in an apartment or condominium. Metal cabinets, steel beams, or metal stud walls can also reduce the transmitter's range.
The device retails for
$99.99 (batteries not included). For more information, visit the
Black & Decker website.
Lights Out AutoSwitch
The Black & Decker SW100DS Lights Out AutoSwitch addresses a basic human frailty: we forget to turn off lights when we leave a room, which wastes energy. The self-contained motion detector mounts over almost any toggle-style light switch plate. Powered by three AA batteries, it requires absolutely no wiring and can be set to extinguish the lights off 1, 5, 15 or 30 minutes after motion in the room ceases to occur. The device sells for
$29.99 (batteries not included). For more information, visit the
Black & Decker website.
All three device are sold at
Black & Decker’s Online Store,
Amazon.com, and other major retailers.
