Check Your Energy Costs with a Power Meter
Offered by the Aurora Public Library and Xcel Energy
YOUR NEWS | AURORA | The Aurora Public Library, in partnership with Xcel Energy, is now offering power meters for customers to check out. Library patrons can check the energy usage of various household appliances, such as refrigerators, microwaves and washing machines.
By using the meter and then uploading the data to a computer, customers can calculate the operating costs of home appliances, and determine the potential cost savings of replacing older energy-hogging appliances with newer more energy-efficient ones.
The power meters from Xcel come with a detailed instruction booklet and a USB cable to interface the meter with a PC for advanced calculation capabilities. Users can download free software from the Xcel Energy website to use with the power meters, but the meter can also be used as a stand-alone product. Even without the software, customers will find it useful to figure out which appliances in the home use the greatest amount of energy. With this knowledge, energy can be saved by simply using these appliances more efficiently.
The power meters can be checked out for three weeks at a time and can be renewed if there are no holds by other customers. Power meters can be checked out in person at any full service Aurora Public Library location. It is advisable to first place the item on hold to ensure it will be available when you visit the library.
To check the availability of a power meter, go to www.auroralibary.org and type “Power Check” into the library catalog “Key Word” search box. When you visit the library in person, please ask a staff member for assistance.
For more information about the program and ways to save energy, please visit www.responsiblebynature.com.