A Greener Home Can Start with a Trip to Your Power Outlets

Do you know which appliances in your home consume the most power? While large appliances such as dryers and washing machines are obviously major consumers, you might be surprised to discover that smaller appliances, especially those drawing "phantom power" can really add up over the course of a month.

But how do you hunt those power hogs?

Purchasing an inexpensive electricity usage monitor like the P3 International "Kill A Watt" can give you visibility into the previously hidden wilds of your home's power hogs. For less than $30 these devices can be plugged in between sockets and appliances to show you how much power they draw over a period of time. I actually bought the Kill a Watt last year and was surprised to learn that one of the biggest power hogs in my home was from my computer and printer.

You may be surprised by what you find as you hunt power hogs in your home. Did you know that many new flat screen televisions have their brightness and contrast settings turned up to look good under the harsh lighting conditions of big box retail stores? For most home settings you can adjust these settings so they consume less power and look just fine.

Small tweaks can add up to a lifetime's worth of savings. So don't let your common day energy usage be a drain on your wallet.