Calculate Your Home Energy Usage:
...........And Learn How to Save Money on Your Electric Bill

Ever wonder what you could save by changing your thermostat setting or adding storm windows? Now you can find out with just as few clicks of your computer mouse.

Give it a try at the new HomeEnergyCalculator here on our Web site (Links to the right on this page). The calculator’s a quick, one-screen form that asks approximately a dozen questions about your home. Simply click to indicate your home’s approximate square footage, age, number of occupants, fuel type and several other variables. Then hit “Calculate” to get an estimate of the monthly and annual energy use and costs for your “base house.”

Now the fun begins. What changes would you like to consider? One easy step might be to reduce the temperature on your water heater. Try making that change on the calculator’s drop-down menu and click “Calculate” again to see what you might save. Then try some others: adjusting heating settings down or cooling settings up; tightening up your home by reducing air leaks; adding insulation; installing storm windows; or changing out your heating system. Click “Calculate” after each change to see the difference in your monthly energy bill.

Then, go ahead and do what most calculator users do -- add or remove one of the home’s occupants! We’re not sure why that’s such a popular inquiry, but it usually ranks as the first or second most popular change selected.

Once you’ve gotten a feel for your home’s energy costs and what various changes might save, it’s time to take a big-picture look at overall home energy usage. Click the “Chart” button and you’ll see a pie chart with the percentage break-down of total annual energy use by appliance or system type. “With one more click you can display a colorful, stacked bar chart showing monthly energy use by system.”

To learn more, notice that each of the items on the calculator’s face is a click-able link. By clicking on Heating System or any other of the links, you are taken to an encyclopedia of home energy information that can help you better understand that system, how it operates and what improvements are possible.

So, there you have it. Try this new online tool next time you are surfing the Internet. It’s available on this site 24/7, and is just one more way we’re working to help you manage your home energy costs.

In addition to the HomeEnergyCalculator, there is also a commercial energy calculator and several special purpose calculators including, irrigation, CFL, commercial lighting, space heaters, and TV’s.

For more information on the energy calculators, please contact Victory Electric at 620-227-2139 or 800-279-7915.