Do you wish to keep track of your gas consumption to make sure your gas bills are accurate? Additionally, would you like to save money, conserve energy, and reduce your carbon footprint? Well, you’ve come to the right place! This article will help you learn how to read a gas meter in no time at all.
Types of Gas Meters
- traditional
- smart
Traditional gas meters require submitting regular meter readings to your supplier. That way, you pay only for the amount of gas you actually use. Otherwise, your supplier will just estimate your usage, and as a result, you could end up over- or under-paying.
Traditional meters can be:
- imperial
- metric
- dial
On the other hand, the data from smart meters is automatically submitted to your supplier. That means you don’t have to worry about doing it yourself!
How to Read Imperial Gas Meters
An imperial meter measures gas consumption in cubic feet (Ft3) and has four main numbers. Here is how you can decipher it:
- Read the first four numbers from left to right.
- Include zero values at the beginning.
- Exclude numbers in red and any other numbers that might follow them.
How to Read Digital Metric Meters
A digital metric meter measures gas usage in cubic meters (M or M3) and has five main numbers. You read it by recording the first five numbers from left to right. Make sure to ignore red numbers or the ones after the decimal point.
How to Read Dial Meters
Dial meters have clock-style dials that might be a bit trickier to read, but don’t worry — here is all the info.
Your reading will be a single 4- or 5-digit number, with each dial representing one digit. To begin with, write down the numbers indicated by the rotating pointer in each dial from left to right, ignoring any red or large dials.
If the pointer is between two numbers, choose the lower number. For example, if it is between 4 and 5, use 4. When the pointer is between 9 and 0, you should count the 9 as the lower number.
On the other hand, if the pointer is directly on a number, write it down and circle it. Doing so is important because when you finish writing down all the numbers, you should go back to the circled ones. If they are not followed by a 9, then your reading is complete.
However, if the circled numbers are followed by a 9, there is one more step. Each circled number followed by a 9 should be subtracted by 1. For example, your reading is 3759 with the number 5 being circled. That means your final reading should be 3749.
How to Read Smart Meters
Smart gas meters allow you to view the gas consumption of your household at any given time. Furthermore, most smart meters come with a portable device called an in-home display that can show you all the data you need. By using it, you can always double-check your consumption and keep track of it more easily.
How to go about reading your smart meter will depend on its type. In most cases, you will need to look for numbers followed by M3. Omit numbers after the decimal place. Additionally, you might need to push a button or two for the numbers to appear, depending on which smart meter you have. If in doubt, it’s best to contact your supplier and inquire about the instruction booklet for that particular model.
In Conclusion
Reading your gas meter will depend on the type of meter that you have. Though the numbers on the display might look different on various meters, the process of taking your readings will be pretty much the same. Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to read your gas meter, as it will enable you to monitor and optimize your gas usage, thus saving energy and money.
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