Sometimes the biggest challenge in saving energy is knowing where to start. Your monthly gas and electric bills come in big lump sums, so how can you identify the best opportunities to reduce your consumption? One of the smartest ways to get a clear idea of your energy consumption is to break it down appliance by appliance.

Disaggregation Technology

You can get a general idea of how much electricity your household devices use by reading the wattage labels and tracking how much time they are in use. However, to get an accurate picture of your household energy consumption, you need advanced technology that can break out and analyze exactly how much energy is being consumed by each appliance and device.

That's the gist of a recent report prepared by the energy startup Bidgely in cooperation with Pacific Gas & Electric. They teamed up to study 850 customers who were given a device that provided real-time readings on how much electricity their various appliances were using. The device used information it pulled from the home's smart meters to break down consumption for things like air conditioners, refrigerators and clothes dryers.

The data then allowed homeowners to make changes as to how and when they used their equipment, and the results were dramatic – households reduced their consumption by an average of 7.7 percent.

More Savings to Come

Most impressively, those gains came solely through behavioral changes. There remains much room for improvement if homeowners use the system to identify energy hogs in their households and replace inefficient appliances with newer, more efficient models.

Furthermore, the test was limited to people who already use time-of-day energy pricing, who tend to be savvier consumers when it comes to energy use.

“By definition, these people have already optimized some of their energy consumption in the home,” Bidgely CEO Abhay Gupta said to Greentechmedia. “We were able to demonstrate 7.7 percent energy savings on this time-of-use customer base. Imagine what we could do with a non-optimized home.”

Make Disaggregation Work for You

Bidgely is not the only company getting into the energy disaggregation game. Greentechmedia identifies others, like PlotWatt and Smappee, who are pushing into the market to provide the technology to help people save.

If you're interested in learning more about disaggregation or to find out if any of the companies are offering programs in your area, contact your local electrician, who can steer you towards the option that works best for your family.

Unite to Light, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-cost solar lighting to global communities without electricity, and were humbled to learn just how much lighting is taken for granted. Recently, Mark and Valerie Malangko sent us a note of thanks along with heartwarming photos as the lights were handed out to the students at St. Augustine’s Secondary and Technical School, one by one.

We are proud to have played a small part in this huge effort to bring light to deserving students across the globe, and we thank all of our customers that celebrated with us by contributing to this terrific cause.

Learn about the Pegasus Lighting Bring the Light Campaign at www.unite-to-light.org.

This post is part of a series designed to help newlyweds get the most out of lighting. Also be sure to check out our post about Click here for the perfect soundtrack for this post, then grab your bags and passports, because we’re taking you on a worldwide tour to find the most exsquisite, romantic lighting around the globe! The following list details some of the best honeymoon destinations in the world that are perfect for lovers of light.

1) Paris, France.

2) Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

3) Alaska, Norway, Greenland… etc.

Basically, anywhere you can see the honeymoon packages that include viewing the northern lights, so you’ve definitely got a lot of options. Bonus: the University of Alaska has an Image via niagarafallslive.com

4)  Niagara Falls, New York, USA.

What’s better than mixing the breathtaking power of North America’s biggest waterfall with the dazzling glow of colored lights? You can enjoy the raw beauty of nature and the fascinating art of a light show at night. Combine that with the rustic charm of upstate New York and the Canadian border towns, and you won’t be disappointed!

5) Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA.

6) Anywhere you can get away from light polution.

Did you know that your outdoor lighting installation needs maintenance every once in a while? It’s true! To keep your outdoor lights shining bright, there are a few things you should master.

Whether you’ve already got a bunch of outdoor lighting or if you’re a first-timer, there is plenty to learn in this checklist. And it’s really quick and easy, too!

Check Exterior Bulbs

The biggest headache for a homeowner is a bunch of burnt out bulbs. If you’re not prepared, it can really eat up time to get the right bulbs. But the solution here is to be prepared! When you first get your outdoor lighting installation, be sure to write down the bulb type for the fixture, and go grab some spares for later use.

After that, it’s all about anticipating need. But how can you tell if a bulb is about to blow out? There are some easy tells! Your bulb is close to bringing out if:

Keeping an eye out for these issues can be a huge time saver, and ensures your bulbs burn beautifully all year long. Just do a quick walk around once a week to check for these common signs!

Check Your Outdoor Lighting Wiring

During your light bulb check, do a quick look over for your wiring. If there are cuts, cracks, or missing bits of wiring, get them replaced with the help of a professional! Faulty wiring can be pretty dangerous when left alone, particularly if it gets damp or if the wiring is coming into contact with flammable materials. Damage is easy to spot, so as long as you’re looking for it, you’re gonna find it.

And that’s pretty much it! Any other issues should be handled by a professional for safety reasons, but these two things are the most common causes for exterior lighting failure. Feeling more confident about an outdoor lighting installation now? Contact the certified electricians at Kolb Electric to learn more about how outdoor lighting can benefit your home!