Monitor your parasitic power sucking devices

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, June 07, 2010

Start Watching Your Watts with Kill-a-Watt

WHEATON, Ill. – With the help of a device available for free check-out, Wheaton residents can begin watching their watts. Today the City of Wheaton launched another portion of its Energy Efficiency and Conservation initiative called the Wheaton Kill-a-Watt Program.

Grant funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act through an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant has enabled the City to purchase 10 Kill-a-Watt devices that allow residents to calculate how much power electronic devices in their homes consume. The device plugs into an electrical outlet, and users plug their electronics into the Kill-a-Watt device to find out how much energy each electronic device consumes.

The device comes with a CD that allows users to enter data about their specific appliances and electronics into a spreadsheet that calculates how much it costs to operate the devices on a monthly or annual basis. Using the Kill-a-Watt device can help residents identify energy “hogs” and determine which appliances are not worth keeping on all of the time.

Wheaton residents can check out Kill-a-Watt devices from the reference desk of the Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St. Each Kill-a-Watt device can be checked out by library card holders for two weeks. Wheaton residents who do not have a library card and live within city limits can register for one by bringing two forms of identification (such as a driver’s license and utility bill to show proof of your current Wheaton address) to the main checkout desk.

Residents who have questions when using the device can reference the Kill-a-Watt manufacturer’s website at www.p3international.com.

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