It’s almost Father’s Day, and for many of us that could spark a last minute scramble to find a gift suitably different from the assortment of ties, personal grooming products and leather goods we’ve been falling back on for a decade or more. This year, Energy Circle has your back: we’ve rounded up a selection of gifts that will make your dad say thank you (and mean it this time): gadgets and tools that will give him what he really wants – to save money on his energy bills this month and every month.
Programmable Thermostats
Give Dad complete power over his home climate and help him save up to $15 a month* with Aube’s sleek, easy to read, easy to program, 4 setting, 7-day digital thermostat. It is simple to install, can control multiple sources for both heating and cooling, and is available in Low Voltage and Line Voltage models. ($55 to $57.50)
Home Energy Audit & Air-Sealing Tools
If you are serious about helping Dad save money on heating and cooling you could give him a professional home energy audit. The auditor will be able to point out problems (like air leaks and poor insulation) and identify smart energy efficiency measures for any budget. A good auditor will even recommend applicable government incentives to help pay for the improvements. If your Dad is the DIY type you can also give him the tools that air-sealing professionals use – like the Todol Pur Shooter Foam Gun ($32) with a case of low VOC, formaldehyde free, OSI GreenSeries PRO Foam II ($23 per can)– to help fill the gaps by the floor joists and the holes in the attic after the audit is complete. If you are feeling generous you could pick up a spare caulk gun and offer to help.
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Crank Powered
If you are trying to stay practical but gadgets are a Father’s day must, we recommend the Freeplay Flashlight Emergency Center. These high quality crank powered LED flashlights provide a great mix of frugal convenience and smart disaster preparedness. During a power outage the charging case lights up so it’s easy to find, and while each flashlight trickle charges when docked, they can be recharged over and over in an emergency with less than a minute of cranking.
Home Energy Monitors
Give dad the gift of knowledge with a home energy monitor, like the easy to install Blue Line PowerCost Monitor ($109) which provides real time data on the whole house’s energy use. Upgraded with the optional wifi-gateway ($149), the PowerCost can also connect to Google Powermeter or Microsoft Hohm to track energy usage over time.
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Of course, if your Dad is already an energy efficiency geek you may need to step things up to the eMonitor Home Energy Monitoring System ($687 to $1,387 with 2 years of service). This best-in-class energy monitor will give your father total home energy awareness - circuit by circuit detail on every kilowatt hour. The eMonitor also has an iPhone app (Android app coming soon) that will allow your father to monitor his home from anywhere. The eMonitor now features customizable safety, cost and usage updates that trigger an automated message sent to your dad’s e-mail or mobile phone to let him know when the lights are left on or if any of his large appliances start to lose efficiency.
*EnergyStar estimate for average savings when properly using a programmable thermostat. Varies by climate region and fuel source
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