Most people in Hatfield ignore their meters and only think about gas and electric use when the bill shows up every month. But, by ignoring those meters, you miss possible warning signs that something is wrong with an appliance. Imagine getting a huge gas bill because of a faulty boiler or furnace. Had you checked the meter in advance, you would have been able to fix it before the usage increased so much.
Here are some tips for reading different types of meters in your home.
Electric Meter
The electric meter measures usage in kilowatt-hours. A watt is the basic unit of electricity you use and a kilowatt is one thousand watts. A kilowatt hour is the usage of 1,000 watts in one hour. As electricity moves through your meter, it causes a motor to turn and your meter increases, matching your total usage.
The more current you draw at any given time, the faster the gears turn and the more your meter goes up. To read an electric meter, write down numbers from right to left and make sure you go to the smaller number if the hand falls between two numbers.
Gas Meter
Gas is measured in cubic feet. For every cubic foot of gas you use, you are billed accordingly. Of course, your bill isn’t as simple as that. Instead of simply billing for a cubic foot, the gas company often bills in “therms” which represent 100 cubic feet or (CCF). The meter installed in your home measures the gas pressure as it flows through the meter. To read your gas meter, go from left to right, recording the numbers across the meter.
Using Your Meter Readings
It is a good idea to keep an accurate count of your meter readings, especially if your gas meter is only read once every two or three months and the rest of your bills are estimated. This allows you to know what you owe and make adjustments to your consumption throughout the month to keep your bills down. If you think that your heating and cooling system is using too much fuel, give Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling a call to schedule an inspection.