According to a University of Oxford study, people who monitored their energy use saved 5 to 15 percent more energy. Still not convinced? Here are just a few reasons to try energy monitoring.

• Understand energy costs of ‘vampire’ devices, long showers, leaving the lights on, keeping the HVAC system on, etc.
• Detect if appliances need maintenance or repair
• Track power generated by home solar panels or micro wind turbines
• Learn how energy use affects your carbon footprint
• Ensure your home’s energy-efficient features are performing well
• Gather baseline data and energy-use trends to monitor any spikes in usage
• Have solid data to encourage your household members to save energy