Menlo Park residents can reduce energy consumption by utilizing Kill A Watt meters

Residents are now able to check out Kill A Watt meters at the Menlo Park Library and its Belle Haven branch to assist with monitoring home electricity usage and costs. The device measures energy consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh) for specific appliances. Using this value, residents can calculate how much each appliance costs to leave plugged in, and where potential energy bill savings can be achieved.

Even when turned off, many appliances continue to draw electricity. These “phantom loads” are accrued when an appliance is in standby mode and might be seen as the red light on your DVD player, the clock of your coffeemaker, or even the seemingly idle phone charger. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 75% of electricity used to power the average home’s electronics is consumed when the products are turned off.

The Kill A Watt meter can help conserve energy by showing which appliances should be unplugged when not in use, or which devices are energy inefficient and in need of an upgrade.