Knowing how to read your gas meter is essential for staying on top of your energy usage and making sure you're not paying too much or too little on your bills.
By regularly checking your meter readings, you can keep track of how much gas you're using and submit accurate readings to your energy supplier. This helps you avoid those frustrating estimated bills that can sometimes be way off the mark.
Whether you have a traditional meter or a smart meter, submitting regular meter readings (or ensuring your smart meter is working correctly) is crucial. Accurate meter readings mean you only pay for the gas you’ve actually used rather than being charged based on estimates.
This can prevent overpaying, which ties up your money unnecessarily, or underpaying, which could lead to a larger bill later when your supplier catches up with your actual usage.
If you rely on estimated readings, you might find that your bills are higher or lower than expected, leading to financial surprises down the line. Regular readings help you avoid this and ensure your energy bills are accurate.
Before you can read your gas meter, you'll need to find it. Gas meters are usually installed outside your home, often in a meter box on the side or front of the house.
If your meter is inside, it might be in a cupboard under the stairs, in the kitchen, or even in the basement.
The way you read your gas meter depends on the type of meter you have. There are a few different kinds, but the most common are traditional meters (which can be either digital or have dials) and smart meters.
Identifying which type of meter you have will make it easier to get an accurate reading.
If your meter was installed before 2011, it will be a traditional meter. These meters have been around for a long time and are still common in many homes. Traditional meters can either be digital or dial.
Smart meters are the newest type of gas meter, installed as part of the UK’s initiative to upgrade homes with more accurate and efficient energy monitoring. These meters automatically send gas usage data to your energy supplier, eliminating the need for you to submit readings manually.
Smart meters come with a digital display and often have additional features, such as an in-home display (IHD) that shows your real-time gas usage and costs.
Now that you know what kind of meter you have, let’s dive a bit deeper into how to read each one.
If you have a digital metric meter, you’re dealing with a meter that measures your gas usage in cubic meters. These meters are straightforward to read.
Just find the numbers on the display and write them down from left to right. If there’s a decimal point, ignore everything after it.
For example, if your meter shows 00567.89, your reading is 567.
A digital imperial meter works the same way as a metric one, but it measures gas usage in cubic feet instead of meters.
The method for reading it is identical: write down the numbers from left to right and ignore anything after the decimal point.
Dial gas meters might look old-fashioned, but they’re still used in many homes. They can be a bit more challenging to read, but once you understand the process, it’s not too difficult. Here's a step-by-step guide:
Smart meters are designed to make your life easier by automatically sending your gas and electricity usage data to your energy supplier.
However, there may be times when you need to check the readings yourself, such as when you want to monitor your consumption or if there's an issue with the automated process.
If you have a traditional meter, you’ll need to manually provide meter readings to your energy supplier.
This can usually be done online through your supplier’s website, over the phone, or sometimes even through a mobile app.
If you also need to read your traditional or smart electricity meter. The specifics will depend on the type of meter you have, whether it’s a traditional one with dials, a digital display, or a smart meter. For detailed instructions, you can visit our full blog post on how to read electricity meters.
If you’re having trouble reading your meter or if you suspect it’s not working correctly, it might be time to call a professional.
JustFix can connect you with a trusted electrician who can assist with meter readings, installations, and troubleshooting.
Our teams of Fixers work nationwide to provide you with professionals for fair, fixed prices. When you book online with us, we'll match you with a qualified local electrician who can check your electric meter at a time that suits you.