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In order to work out your gas, electricity and water bills, your suppliers will require regular readings from your meters.
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In order to work out your gas, electricity and water bills, your suppliers will require regular readings from your meters. Usually, they will either check your meters themselves or they may estimate your usage, which can sometimes lead to higher or lower bills. In this guide, we’ll be explaining how to find and read your gas, electricity and water meters so you can ensure they are accurate and avoid paying too much.
Before you can read your gas meter, it’s important to actually find it first. You may be surprised by how many people aren’t aware of where their gas meters are located.
In most properties, the gas meter is either located in the hallways, the kitchen or outside in a cupboard or meter box, so start out by checking these places. If you haven’t managed to locate it and you own your home, it may be worth asking a neighbour where their meter is as they are usually fitted in similar places when built.
If you live in rented accommodation, your landlord should be able to tell you where you can find the meter.
You will have one of three types of gas meter: analogue, digital or smart.
Analogue/Dial Meters
Analogue meters typically feature six dials with numbers around each. To read your gas usage:
Read the dials from left to right
If the pointer is between two digits, always use the lower number
If the pointer falls between 9 and 0, use 9
Ignore any red dials, ones marked ‘100 per rev’ and the largest dial.
In this example, the reading would be 5634
Each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so make sure to check the direction of your dials as they may not be identical to the ones in the diagram above.
Digital Meters
Digital meters feature displays which show the exact number, so reading it is rather straightforward:
Read the numbers from left to right
Ignore any numbers shown in red
Ignore any printed zeros
Ignore and numbers after the decimal point
Smart Meters
Normally, you won’t have to check your smart meter as they automatically send their readings to your supplier, however, you may wish to check it every now and then for your own peace of mind.
There are two ways to check your gas usage when you have a smart meter. The easiest way is to check the in-home display you typically receive when you have a smart meter installed. Here, the reading on the screen should be easy to see and read.
If you’d rather read your smart meter, start out by checking which type you have.
If your meter has A and B buttons beneath the screen:
Press the A button
Press the A button again until you see ‘METER INDEX’ and numbers followed by ‘M3’
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has three square red A, B and C buttons:
Press the left ‘A’ button
Read the number form left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has a circle button and two arrows either side:
Press the middle circle button
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has a keypad:
Press the number 9- you should see ‘VOLUME’ on the screen
Wait for this to change to numbers followed by ‘M3’
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has orange and blue arrow buttons:
Press the orange button
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has two white buttons to the right of the screen:
Press the right button (this may be labelled ‘OK’ or have an arrow on it)
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
If your meter has a button to the left and right of the screen:
Press either of the buttons
Wait until you se ‘01’ with numbers followed by ‘M3’
Read the number from left to right
Ignore any zeroes at the beginning and any numbers after the decimal point
Electricity meters are usually located on an outside wall, inside in your porch or hallway, or inside a cupboard in a sitting room. In some apartments and multi-dwelling buildings, meters will be grouped together. So make sure you're checking the right meter for your unit or flat.
You will have one of four types of electricity meters: analogue, digital, electronic and smart.
Analogue/Dial Meters
Analogue meters typically feature six dials with numbers around each. To read your electricity usage:
Read the dials from left to right
If the pointer is between two digits, always use the lower number
If the pointer falls between 9 and 0, use 9 and reduce the reading you’ve taken for the dial before it by 1.
Ignore the last dial on the right.
Digital Meters
Digital meters feature displays which show the exact number, so reading it is rather straightforward:
Read the numbers from left to right
Ignore any numbers shown in red or in a red surround.
Electronic Meters
Some electronic meters have a cycle display button that you need to press to take the readings, whilst others automatically scroll through the various displays. If you have a meter with two rows of figures, read the numbers from left to right in each display, ignoring any numbers in red or red surround. The first readings will typically be your day rate and the second will be your night rate.
You can usually find your water meter under the kitchen sink where your water supply comes into your home. It may also be in an underground box in the garden, or the footpath outside your property (look for a small round plastic lid).
If your home was built in the last few years, the meter may be in a box fitted to the outside wall of your property. If you live in a flat, it may be outside or in a communal metering cupboard.
Internal Water Meters
Generally, internal meters have black and red numbers. Make sure to read the black numbers from left to right and ignore any red numbers and numbers after the decimal point if you have a digital meter.
External Water Meters
If your water meter is outside your home, you will need to lift the cover in order to read it. There may also be a foam or polystyrene disc beneath the cover to protect your meter from frost, so make sure to keep it safe and replace it once you’re done.
External meters typically have black and red numbers. Make sure to read the black numbers from left to right and ignore any red numbers.
Sometimes, external water meters can be difficult to access, such as when it is on the road or if the cover is heavy. In this case, you can arrange to have your water meter checked by your local provider.
For more advice and the latest updates on gas, water and electricity, why not check out our other helpful blogs.
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