The East Central Regional Library system has a new resource to help patrons take the guesswork out of determining how much power each electronic device in their home uses.
An appliance is plugged into the Kill-A-Watt, which is plugged into an electrical outlet, and the device measures energy consumption in the same units that the utility company uses, said Sherryl James, the community service and outreach librarian.
"It's a really simple device," she said, "very easy to use."
It is recommended that the appliance remain plugged into the device for at least an hour to get an accurate measurement.
"We suggest that people look up what the average consumption should be for that particular appliance and compare it to the actual consumption to see whether or not you are operating at the lowest possible energy cost," she said.
Each branch library has one Kill-A-Watt available for checkout with a library card. The device can be checked out for two weeks.
Ms. James hopes people will take advantage of the devices.
"If you're cost-conscious or you're experiencing some difficulty paying the electricity bill, this can really help out in determining where you can cut back on your consumption," she said. "Saving even 10, 15 dollars a month would be a big help for many people. It's a free resource, so it's definitely worth giving a try."
The devices were made available through a partnership of the Governor's Energy Challenge initiative, Georgia Public Library Services and the Georgia Environment Facilities Authority.
Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.
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