Seventeen topics, every page listed
Make and store your own power
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Plug-in solar
Balcony kits that plug into an outlet, and the ten states that allow them
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Power stations
Battery backup that runs the fridge and Wi-Fi in an outage
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EV charging
Level 1 or Level 2, plugs, and what a mile costs at home
Heating and cooling
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Heat pumps
Window heat pumps and DIY mini-splits for one room at a time
Around the house
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Draft-proofing
Window film, weatherstripping and finding leaks for under $100
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Water heating
120 V heat pump water heaters, showerheads and pipe insulation
Laundry, yard and pool
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Battery lawn gear
Gas leaf blower bans by town, and picking a battery platform
Know your numbers
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Electric rates
Prices and average bills in all 50 states and D.C.
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Energy monitors
Find what's using power, down to the always-on load
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Your state
Prices, average bills and the rules that apply where you live
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Coming up
Laws and rules that change what you can buy, in date order
Coming up
- Alexandria, Virginia's ban on using gas leaf blowers starts.
- Plug-in solar becomes legal in California, Virginia and New Hampshire. Colorado's protections for renters and HOA members start.
- Gas leaf blower bans start in San Mateo and Burbank, California.
- New Jersey's plug-in solar law takes effect (about six months after signing).
- Portland, Oregon and Ann Arbor, Michigan move to year-round gas leaf blower bans.
- A 2024 federal rule would require far more efficient light bulbs (about 120 lumens per watt), ending most CFL sales.
- California's plug-in solar exemption from utility approval expires unless extended.
Run the numbers
- Plug-in solar savingsYour state’s sunshine and price, or your ZIP code
- Power station runtimeHow long a battery keeps the fridge and Wi-Fi on
- Space heater costCost per hour, day and winter
- EV charging costPer month at home, compared with gas
- Generator sizeRunning and starting watts for what you must keep on
Where plug-in solar is legal
Ten states have signed laws that let you plug a small solar kit into a regular outlet without utility approval. Six are in effect now; California, Virginia and New Hampshire start Jan 1, 2027, and New Jersey around March 1, 2027. See all 50 states and D.C.
How we work
We read the bills, the agency data and the product specs ourselves, link every source, and re-check each page weekly. We don’t show prices or star ratings, because they change by the hour and we can’t verify them. Some links pay us a commission; that never decides what we recommend. How we check