How to Take a Meter Reading: What Does It All Mean?

Meter readings should be taken regularly to ensure that utility bills are as accurate as possible, along with being essential when tariffs or business energy. However, it can be hard to understand how to take and interpret these if you’re a first-time business space owner.  

This blog will offer the basics on taking a gas, water or electric meter reading, explaining all the essentials so you can save money on your bills during the ever-looming energy crisis. 

What is a meter reading?

A meter reading is a record of the water, gas and/or electricity used by a business premise. These records are then sent to energy suppliers for them to use when calculating bills. If not, the supplier will estimate the consumption and bills themselves, which can lead to significantly increased costs.

The units in which meter readings are taken are:

• Gas – cubic metres (m³)

• Water – cubic metres (m³)

• Electric – kWh

The figures show how many of each unit you have used from each utility format. 

How do I take a meter reading? 

Meter readings are generally taken from one of three different formats. A water or energy meter reading can be read from a standard meter, electric meter, smart meter or dial (clock) meter, each of which uniquely offers the information. Before you take your readings, make sure to locate the displays, whatever form they take. Meters will usually be found in areas like the fuse box, the boiler room and outside the house in small boxes and cases.

Standard meters

These are plastic meters that use rolling digits (not unlike a padlock) to show readings. To read them, you simply record the numbers from left to right, including any 0s, and ignore any numbers either in red or after decimal places. 

Electric meters

Electric meters work similarly to standard 24-hour meter, albeit displaying the digits on a digital screen rather than a rolling set of digits. Again, record the numbers including any 0s and disregarding anything in red or after decimal places.

Dial (clock) meters

With dial meters, there will generally be five dials in a row, each with a pointer pointing to a number between 0 and 9. The total number will be read taking the single digits from left to right. If the pointer lands in between two numbers, you always round down, unless it’s between 0 and 9 – in this case, write down 9 and subtract 1 from the number to the left. Again, ignore any red dials or dials labelled 1-10. 

Smart meters 

Smart meters are the only form that eliminates the need to read, being software-powered devices that automatically send usage data to suppliers, saving business’s time and effort. Most smart meters do include an at-home display that you can easily flick through to see how much of each utility you’re using and how much it’s likely to cost. 

Once you’ve taken these readings, get them over to your suppliers in the way laid out when you chose them. For many this could be a call or email, while others use apps to streamline the process. 

Tips for accurate meter readings

Beyond understanding meter readings in their most basic form, there are some important things to remember to maximize accuracy in your energy bills.

• Reading the meters at the same point monthly

• Double-checking readings before submitting them

• Contacting energy suppliers to fully understand their approach

• Taking photos of meter readings for reference and proof

• Installing a smart meter if you don’t already have one

With this guide, you should feel ready and capable of completing accurate meter readings and ensure that you never overpay for energy or water!

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• How To Make Sense of Your Electricity Bill