How to Get the Most From Your Metre Readings

Your electricity metre readings are a valuable source of information.

You can use them to help you understand your energy usage and make changes that will lower your total monthly bill. This blog post will show you how to get the most from these readings.

Check Your Metre Once a Month

Understanding how to read your electricity metre will help you spot areas where you may be using more energy than you realise.

First, look at the display on your metre. You will generally find it on the control panel at the front of your home.

The moment you check its display, you will see a number. That number is the amount of energy used since you last checked your metre.

If you check your metre once a month, this number will change over time. You can use this number as a guide to how much you are using.

Over time, this number will also tell you what areas in your home are consuming the most energy. Your metre/metres will measure both electricity use and gas use.

You might have a switched-on light or fan that uses electricity, but also a heater or fireplace that uses gas. You can see how much of each fuel type you are using.

If you have a smart metre installed, you may be able to have a more in-depth look at the energy consumption and see exactly where that energy is going. You can compare this to other months and get the most out of your readings.

You could notice on a specific day after a big event that you notice a higher than normal amount of electricity being used. This could indicate that you are cooking or using the heater more frequently than usual, or perhaps you’ll notice that the weekend’s energy usage is higher due to people using their appliances.

Adjust your usage accordingly and you will be able to see the benefits of your electricity costs.

Compare the Readings to Last Year’s Usage

If you want to keep a record of your energy usage, it can be useful to compare this year’s usage with last year’s.

Checking your energy use regularly will give you an idea of how much energy you’re using, where this energy is going, and how you can cut back. You may be able to notice an increase in your energy consumption due to special occasions such as attracting a larger crowd to your home.

Comparing your energy use with last year will give you a better idea of how much you normally use on your appliances, so you will be able to adjust accordingly if your usage increases unexpectedly. If you notice a huge increase that is persistent, this might mean there is a problem with your electricity somewhere, so you should call your power provider or an electrician to take care of it.

Check any new Appliances That you’ve Installed or Other Changes in Your House

If you notice any spikes in your bill or energy consumption and you have recently installed any new appliances or had any electrical work done in your home, then you may want to consider adjusting the settings of your appliances or checking that you have done everything correctly.

You may need to upgrade or change your fuse board or appliances. If you aren’t sure what you should do at this point, then contact a qualified electrician.

Sometimes, just checking your settings or circuit breakers can take care of the problem and save you some money. If you are unsure what to look for or just want general advice, most power companies can provide you with a free health check or send a professional to your home to check your electrical system.

The electrician will know where the problem lies and will provide the best solution for your home.

If There are any Reading Discrepancies, Contact an Electrician

If you notice any metre reading discrepancies, you should contact a qualified electrician before reaching out to your energy provider.

An electrician will be able to inspect your home and determine the cause of these discrepancies. If an electrician finds that there have been electrical faults in your home, they may recommend that you contact your energy provider and provide the readings that were gathered by the electrician.

If the readings are significantly different, your energy provider will need to determine whether or not you have received an appropriate service. If your energy provider thinks a second reading was necessary, or if the electrician determines that the readings were incorrect, they will reimburse you for the money you were overcharged by the electrician.

Check to See if Your Home is Properly Insulated and Sealed

Checking to see if your home is properly insulated and sealed is always a good idea because if it isn’t and draughts are getting in, this can drastically affect your heating bill.

Checking around your home and looking to see if draughts are coming in around windows, doors, and pipes can be fast and easy. If you do have any, then get these sorted as soon as possible to significantly reduce your energy costs.

Turn off Lights When They are Not in Use

Turning off lights when they are not in use is an easy way to control your energy costs.

Most of us might leave the landing light on for our children to make their way to the bathroom at the night, or perhaps we have been upstairs and forgotten to turn the light off when dashing out of the room for some reason. We should probably mention here that you should use energy-efficient bulbs where you can to aid in reducing overall energy costs.

On average, turning off lights around the home can save up to £180 per year.

Examine the Metres for Signs of Tampering

Although it is not as common in this modern age, you should check your metre for tampering on a regular basis.

If there happens to be anything out of place, you should report this to your energy supplier immediately! If your metre looks like it has been tampered with, then you may be wondering why someone would do this.

There are many reasons. If you have had someone in your energy metre box and your metre looks different, then you should contact your energy supplier immediately.

They will need to investigate this further. If the metre has indeed been tampered with, it may be worth contacting an electrician as well.

They may be able to advise you on the issue.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that your metre readings are a valuable indicator of how much power you’re using and where.

By checking them monthly, comparing the reading to past months, and making sure all appliances in your house are operating correctly without any damage to their electrical components or insulation issues, you can help reduce unnecessary costs on energy bills. Your utility company will also be able to take action if there’s ever been tampering with metres or inaccurate readings detected so make sure they know about it!

With these simple steps for taking care of your electricity usage at home, you’ll have more money left over every month while being environmentally conscious.