Meter Minding
Do you know where to find your gas and/or electricity meters? Do you read them on a weekly or monthly basis? If you do, you're probably sensitized to seasonal increases and decreases in consumption and have an idea how much it costs to operate a dehumidifier in summer or to heat the house in winter. You'll find it a game of sorts to reduce consumption: will watching less TV or turning off lights lower your next reading? Then, of course, you're on top of things if consumption suddenly leaps. Was it due to a cold snap, is that dripping hot water tap really costing as much as figures say, did you just buy a frost-free refrigerator or could it be that the meter is malfunctioning?Your gas meter is usually located outside (except in low-pressure areas) making it easy for the meter reader. But your electricity meter is sometimes in the basement and the meter reader has to get in to read it. Generally, consumption is estimated three times a year, and the meter is actually read three times a year. When the meter is read, errors in the estimate are corrected. If an actual reading cannot be made for several months, you may be asked to read the meter yourself and phone in the numbers.
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December 4, 2008