A house energy monitor may be a good idea if you want to check how much power your family uses and how you can cut down on your monthly utility bill. A house energy observe can help you discover the power pigs in your home, so you can find out ways to cut down your use or change the time of the day when you use certain appliances in order to be more efficient and lower your energy bills. &nbsp,

You might be wondering if the original investment in a home energy check is worthwhile because you’re trying to save money around, and how long will it take for those benefits to offset the cost. This take a look at how checking works and how you can use it to your advantage by figuring out exactly where most of your electrical bill comes from.

What exactly is a home energy track? &nbsp,

As the title implies, a home energy check keeps tabs on where and how power is distributed in your home. Most importantly, it lists the main energy sources so that you can reduce both your electricity bill and your energy utilization. &nbsp,

Most screens function by attaching to power wires inside your electrical/breaker field. A typical monitor unit will fit inside a box, and clamps connecting it to the main power cables likely track usage. You can view information on how much energy you’re using it and suggestions for how to cut costs using a control panel or, more recently, an app that the screen unit you send measurements to.

Newer intelligent electronic panels&nbsp, like the Savant Smart Budget we saw at Les 2025 may have this power monitoring have built-in, sparing you from having to install a split device. &nbsp,

Is a house energy check worth it? &nbsp,

Generally, installing a home energy monitor saves money, but the precise cost will depend on several factors. The typical user saves around 8 % of their energy bill each month after installing a monitor, according to Renuka S., a representative from monitoring system-maker&nbsp, Sense Energy&nbsp, who didn’t want to give their full name. &nbsp,

According to Renuka,” The number an average person can protect with a home energy observe like Sense varies depending on many factors, including the size of the home, the number of devices being used, the appliance efficiency, and the user’s current energy habits.” &nbsp,

The question of the worth of a monitoring system becomes more complicated in this regard. A home energy monitor is not a magic wand that can be installed to save you money. Ultimately, its only function is to provide you with data, whether or how you use that data is entirely up to you.

A home energy monitor “is designed to monitor and analyze your energy usage in real time,” Renuka said. It helps identify individual devices and appliances to gain insights into how electricity is being used throughout your home. The system uses sensors to detect patterns in your electrical usage and sends this data to the Sense app, where you can monitor your energy consumption, track costs, and identify energy-saving opportunities”. However, it doesn’t directly reduce usage.

The value of a home energy monitor is much more limited than if you’re approaching the issue for the first time. If you’re already aware of energy inefficiencies and have taken steps to reduce them, you’ll be much more valuable.

In the end, having a home energy monitor in place can make sense of it, especially by things like “always-on,” devices or whether or not you’re using high-drawn appliances like washing machines or dishwashers during peak hours. This is especially true if you’ve taken additional steps to make your home energy efficient, like reducing leaks that can sap heat during the winter or tax your AC during the hot summer months. &nbsp,

Numerous utility companies now offer free energy-saving advice as well as data on your energy usage in addition to or alongside your monthly electric bill. That said, if you’re a novice in terms of energy efficiency and would prefer a single source of truth about your usage, a home energy monitor, particularly a highly rated one that provides ample information as well as tips for streamlining your setup and usage, can be a valuable boon for homeowners.

CNET has reviewed the Sense Home Energy Monitor and Neurio Intelligent Home Monitor, as well as Smapee, which is more geared toward integrating EV charging and self-consumption. &nbsp,

Pros and cons of a home energy monitor&nbsp,

Pros

Gathers lots of useful information: The right energy monitoring system doesn’t just provide raw data about your energy usage, it also provides actionable tips about how to use that data to directly reduce your bill. A home energy monitor can be a powerful launchpad if you’re completely confused about where to start in terms of making your home more energy-efficient.

Can identify vampire loads: One of the most expensive contributors to your monthly electric bill can be always-on devices. ” Always On power accounts for 23 % of the average electric bill, which makes it an opportunity for big savings”, said Sense’s Renuka. When you turn off idle printers, forgotten lights, and other items that aren’t really needed, a monitor allows you to track it over time.

Potentially detects broken or faulty appliances or other devices: By isolating energy spikes, a monitor can help you identify them, especially those that start up when they aren’t supposed or expected to. Similarly, if an appliance starts uses more energy over time, this can indicate an appliance that’s deteriorating or leaking, like a fridge or damaged AC unit.

Cons

Doesn’t directly address any errors:   An energy monitor doesn’t fix any issues with your home’s energy setup directly. Instead, it just provides data that you can use on your own to fix any errors ( and, in some cases, get advice ). Often, this data, and some of the most important cost-saving advice, is available from other sources, including the CNET Home Energy team, which has no shortage of ticks and tricks to lower your energy bills. &nbsp,

May not immediately recognize some devices: Energy monitors may take some time to identify individual devices, particularly systems that don’t have access to machine learning to help parse the data the monitor receives. When we reviewed the Sense Home Energy Monitor, it took time for the monitor to identify 14 new devices, including the HVAC, the oven, the ice maker and the refrigerator.   

Typically requires a network connection: Many modern home energy monitoring systems require a reliable Wi-Fi connection to function and transmit data. If your Wi-Fi goes down, your home energy monitor may not be fully functional or operate at all.

A home energy monitoring system is a good investment. &nbsp,

The value of a home energy monitor will vary based on your living situation and your current energy efficiency. A monitor can save you a significant amount of money if you’re a novice at saving energy or are facing a skyrocketing electric bill. This is also true for larger homes or multifamily units that share the same breaker box, where it might be difficult to keep an eye on where costs are rising or what some of the biggest power hogs in your home might be. &nbsp,

You might find that a monitor isn’t worth the investment if you’ve already taken extensive steps to reduce inefficiencies. This is especially important if your utility provider provides monitoring advice and tools, which are becoming available online and by mail. With a monitoring system starting around$ 150 to$ 200, and many costing several times that, it may take a long time for an energy-efficient household to recoup that investment. &nbsp,

FAQs for home energy monitoring