The Compare feature (Dashboard > Compare) provides a peer-to-peer view into your average usage compared to other Sense homes. Comparison insights can act as a benchmark, helping you evaluate whether your energy usage is within a “normal” range.
How Comparisons Are Made
The comparisons we make are to other Sense homes represented in average Watts. This metric reflects how much power, on average, your home consumes at any given time.
By default, comparisons are generated based on “all Sense homes”. By providing data in Home Details (Settings > My Home) you can tailor comparisons to “similar Sense homes”.
Presently, comparisons can be tailored by the following home dimensions:
- Location - Your zip code allows the comparison of your home to more granular locations that experience the same weather and seasonal changes.
- Size - Square feet allows you to compare to homes of a similar size, making your comparison more relevant to you.
Once you have recorded your home’s information, the details screen will both show those details you’ve entered and provide a dropdown menu so you can manage the comparison by toggling between:
- My Area - Sense homes in my zip
- My State - Sense homes in my state based on my zip
- Anywhere - all Sense homes
In some instances, there aren’t enough Sense homes similar to yours to display a tailored comparison. In those cases, you will default to compare with all Sense homes. Overtime, these comparisons will get better as more users join Sense.
Note: Sense needs to see data from 15 homes in your area in order to tailor your comparison. “Area” is based on the postal code that you provide under Home Details. If not enough matches are found in your immediate area, Sense will widen its search to the area defined by the first three digits of your postal code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How should I use this comparison info?
The Compare feature helps you benchmark your usage against peers, to help you better understand your usage in the context of other homes. This can be both motivating and reassuring as you get to know your usage.
Can I add more chips to make my comparison more similar?
Today, Compare uses locations and home size to tailor your comparison. In the future we may add more dimensions. These will update automatically, so no action from you will be needed.
When should I use the Compare feature?
As often as you wish! You will certainly want to return to Compare as your home’s usage changes with the seasons. And as Compare evolves with more and more Sense homes, comparisons become more reliable.