We explained the higher bills in our previous blog article about seasonal impacts but what can you do about it? Well, around here we’re great believers in the old adage “that which is measured improves”. The trick is putting a little bit of time into measuring.
First, there is the production monitoring that came with your system. Maybe you don’t want to look every day but put it on some sort of schedule. Think of it as checking out the weather forecast. That way you’ll spot a drop in production early. Second, review that electric bill. It is kind of crazy complex I know, but it will tell you what you used in kW hours the last month and what you used in the trailing twelve. Again, this will help you spot a ripple before it becomes a wave.
But if you really want to monitor your electricity, you might consider a system that monitors usage throughout your home in real time. We’re installing more and more of these and people seem to really love them. One such system is Energy Curb and it will measure your power usage and even allow for setting up real-time notifications to your browser, smartphone or even smartwatch. Another we like and that competes with it is Sense. They are both good systems and either could work well for you. Regardless of which one you install, it will give you valuable insight into where all that power is going. If you’re interested in exploring options, contact us at service@newenglandcleanenergy.com and we can discuss options and installation costs.
Or if you’re just worried you’re not getting the production you should from your system, consider our Solar Tune-Up offering. It’s certainly not something you need to do every year or even every two, but like a modern car it doesn’t hurt to do a full inspection periodically. A Solar Tune-Up involves our service group coming out and doing a head to toe inspection of your system. Out of that we will give you details on what might be amiss and what you should expect for production going forward. It’s purely optional, but it’s a good preventative maintenance option every 3 to 5 years. Again, just give us a call or email us at service@newenglandcleanenergy.com.