Home energy guides
Plain-English, researched guides to solar, batteries, heat pumps, EV charging and lowering your bills — with worked examples and the trade-offs spelled out.
Are solar panels worth it? A payback-first way to decide
Decide if solar pays for your home: calculate simple payback, see which factors matter most, and learn when solar is a strong, marginal or weak investment.
7 min read →Heat & HomeHeat pumps explained: cost, savings and cold-climate performance
How heat pumps work, what they cost to run compared with gas, oil, propane and electric heat, and how modern cold-climate models perform in deep winter.
7 min read →SolarHow much do solar panels cost in 2026?
What a home solar system really costs in 2026: price per watt, totals by system size, what drives quotes up or down, and how to judge a fair price.
7 min read →Bills & Rates30 proven ways to lower your electric bill
Thirty practical ways to cut your electricity bill, from free habit changes to smart upgrades, with real arithmetic so you can see what each one is worth.
7 min read →SolarHome battery storage: sizing, cost and when it pays
How to size a home battery for backup or bill savings, what storage costs in 2026, and the rate structures that make a battery pay for itself.
7 min read →EVEV home charging: Level 1 vs Level 2, cost and setup
Level 1 vs Level 2 home EV charging explained: charging speeds, circuit sizes, installation, running costs and how off-peak rates cut the cost.
7 min read →SolarCommunity solar: clean power without a roof
How community solar subscriptions work, what renters and homeowners can realistically save, and the contract terms to check before you sign up.
6 min read →Heat & HomeDIY home energy audit: a room-by-room checklist
A room-by-room checklist for finding drafts, insulation gaps and energy-hungry appliances yourself, plus how to rank fixes and when to call a pro.
7 min read →EVEV vs gas car: the true cost to drive per mile
How to calculate cost per mile for an electric car and a gas car, with worked examples, comparison tables, and the factors that tip the result either way.
7 min read →Heat & HomeHeat pump water heaters: are they worth switching to?
What heat pump water heaters cost to buy and run, where they fit, how they compare with electric and gas tanks, and when the switch pays back fastest.
6 min read →SolarHow to compare solar quotes (and spot the red flags)
Compare solar quotes like for like: normalize price per watt and per kWh, check production claims, read warranties, and spot sales tactics to avoid.
7 min read →Heat & HomeInduction cooking: costs, benefits and switching from gas
How induction cooktops work, what they really cost to run versus gas and electric coil, what you need to switch, and the honest case for and against.
6 min read →Heat & HomeInsulation and air sealing: the cheapest energy upgrade
Why sealing air leaks and adding insulation usually beats new equipment, which areas to tackle first, recommended R-values, and a worked savings example.
7 min read →Bills & RatesNet metering, net billing and export rates explained
How utilities credit the solar power you send to the grid: net metering, net billing, feed-in and export tariffs, and how each one changes your savings.
7 min read →Heat & HomeSmart thermostats: how much do they really save?
What field data says about smart thermostat savings, how to estimate your own payback, and the settings that matter most for furnaces and heat pumps.
6 min read →SolarSolar lease vs loan vs cash vs PPA
Cash, loan, lease or power purchase agreement? Compare how each way of paying for solar affects your savings, risk, ownership and home sale.
7 min read →Bills & RatesStandby power: finding and killing phantom loads
How to find the devices quietly drawing power around the clock, what standby loads cost per year, and the simplest ways to cut them without hassle.
6 min read →Bills & RatesTime-of-use electricity rates: how to win on them
How time-of-use electricity rates work, how to tell if one will save you money, and which appliances to shift out of peak hours for the biggest wins.
7 min read →How we write guides
Every guide starts from primary sources — government energy agencies, national laboratories and utility regulators — and includes at least one worked example so you can follow the arithmetic. We label illustrative numbers clearly, date every page, and update when prices or rules change. Read our editorial policy.
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