How we work
Methodology, sources & editorial standards
A calculator is only useful when you can understand its inputs, inspect its assumptions, and reproduce its result. This page explains how the MyEnergyToolkit Editorial Team builds and reviews every tool and guide.
Published by the MyEnergyToolkit Editorial Team · Last reviewed July 23, 2026
Our purpose and scope
MyEnergyToolkit turns common energy questions into transparent planning calculations. We focus on household electricity costs, appliance use, heating and cooling, solar and batteries, electric vehicles, backup power, and basic electrical conversions. We do not publish unrelated topics simply to attract search traffic.
Every result is an estimate, not a quote, guarantee, engineering design, or substitute for a licensed professional. Utility tariffs, equipment specifications, climate, installation conditions, incentives, and electrical codes vary by location. The tool pages identify the assumptions that matter most so you can replace a default with your own figure.
How a calculator is built
- Define the question. We identify the decision the result should support and the minimum inputs needed to answer it.
- Choose a traceable formula. We use standard unit relationships, energy-balance equations, or published industry methods. The formula is shown in plain language on the calculator page.
- Separate facts from defaults. Fixed relationships—such as 1 kWh equaling 1,000 watt-hours—are treated differently from adjustable assumptions such as an electricity rate, efficiency, sun hours, power factor, or charging loss.
- Test known examples. We check hand-calculated cases, boundary values, unit conversions, zero and empty inputs, and the calculator’s behavior on small screens.
- Explain uncertainty. Result notes identify factors the simple model cannot know, such as shading, temperature, duty cycle, battery aging, tiered tariffs, wiring conditions, or vehicle trim.
Formula families used on this site
Energy and cost
Energy (kWh) = power (kW) × time (hours). Cost is energy multiplied by the user’s rate, plus any fixed charge the tool explicitly requests.
Solar production
Production = array kW × peak sun hours × days × performance ratio. This is a screening estimate; location-specific modeling should use tools such as NREL PVWatts.
Batteries and charging
Usable energy accounts for depth of discharge and conversion losses. Charge time is energy divided by effective charging power, with efficiency entered or stated.
Electrical conversions
Tools use Ohm’s law and standard DC, single-phase, and three-phase power relationships. Safety-critical sizing results remain planning checks and must be verified against local code.
How we choose defaults
Defaults are starting points, not claims about your home. We prefer values that are easy to replace and display the unit beside every field. Electricity prices and other regional presets are labeled as examples; your current utility bill is the source of truth. Equipment wattage should be replaced with its nameplate or measured consumption whenever possible.
When a guide includes a market price or “typical” range, it includes a review date and a caution that geography and time can move the number. We avoid presenting a changing price as a permanent fact.
Source hierarchy
We prioritize primary and authoritative sources: government datasets, national laboratories, standards organizations, equipment labels and manuals, and utility tariffs. Secondary sources may help identify a question, but they are not our preferred basis for a technical or safety claim.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electricity Data
Residential consumption, prices, revenue, and average-bill benchmarks. - EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey
Household characteristics and energy use by end use. - National Renewable Energy Laboratory — PVWatts
Location-specific photovoltaic production estimates and solar modeling context. - U.S. Department of Energy — Heat Pump Systems
Heat-pump operation, efficiency, system types, and limitations. - U.S. Department of Energy — Energy Saver Guide
Home heating, cooling, appliances, water heating, and conservation guidance. - U.S. EPA and Department of Energy — Electric Vehicle Label
kWh per 100 miles, annual fuel-cost assumptions, range, and charging-time context. - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Portable Generators
Carbon-monoxide and safe-operation guidance for portable generators.
Editorial review and independence
Calculators and guides are published by the MyEnergyToolkit Editorial Team. We review the formula, units, default assumptions, explanatory copy, safety notes, and related links before marking a page updated. The team is not presented as a licensed engineering practice. Where a decision affects wiring, fuel combustion, structural work, finances, or a major installation, we tell readers to verify the result with the relevant utility, manufacturer, code authority, or licensed professional.
Advertising and affiliate relationships do not determine a result, default, ranking, or recommendation. Sponsored links, if added, are labeled and use the appropriate link attributes. We do not publish dead product placeholders as recommendations.
Updates and corrections
We update a page when its formula, assumptions, source data, safety guidance, or user experience changes materially. A visible review date does not mean every external price changes on that date; it means the page was checked against the process above.
If you find an error, email [email protected] with the page, inputs, result received, and result expected. Reproducible calculation and safety corrections are prioritized. Material corrections are applied to the affected calculator, explanatory text, and structured data together.
What our review cannot guarantee
No browser calculator can inspect your utility tariff, roof, climate, wiring method, appliance nameplate, or local regulations. Results can therefore be mathematically correct for the inputs and still differ from a bill, installer quote, or code-compliant design. Use these tools to understand and compare scenarios, then confirm consequential decisions with current local information.