Home energy guides
Plain-language guides on electric bills, appliance cost, solar payback and exports, heat pumps, winter heating, EV charging and upgrades after 2025.
How to Calculate Appliance Electricity Cost
Convert watts to kWh to dollars, understand nameplate versus actual draw, duty cycles and standby loads, and measure real use with a plug-in watt meter.
Understanding Your Electric Bill and kWh Rates
Break down energy, delivery, fixed charges, taxes, riders and rate structures on an electric bill, and learn to compute your effective and marginal kWh rate.
Is Solar Worth It After the Federal Credit Ended?
See what the IRS says about the Section 25D credit ending, which inputs drive solar economics now and how to test a proposal with PVWatts and utility sources.
Solar Payback Period Explained
Learn the simple solar payback formula and how degradation, rate escalation, self-consumption versus export, upkeep and inverter replacement change the result.
Net Metering and Solar Export Rates: The Basics
Understand how utilities credit exported solar power, from retail-rate net metering to lower avoided-cost or time-varying credits, and find your tariff.
Heat Pump vs Furnace: Comparing Running Costs
Compare heat pump and furnace running costs per delivered MMBtu using Btu conversions, AFUE versus COP, break-even electricity price and cold climate caveats.
Winter Heating Cost Tips That Actually Move the Needle
Practical winter heating tips on thermostat setbacks, air sealing, insulation, filters, ducts and space heater cost math, with basic safety reminders.
EV Charging Cost vs Gasoline Per Mile
Work out gas and EV cost per mile with MPG, kWh per mile and charging prices, and see how home versus public fast charging changes the comparison.
Home Energy Upgrades and Incentives After 2025
See what the IRS says about the 25C and 25D credits ending after 2025 and where to check state, local and utility incentives before you plan upgrades.
Year-End Home Energy Checklist
A November and December home energy checklist: gather 12 months of bills, check thermostat and filters, seal drafts, test alarms and plan upgrades.