Reading Your Gas Meter

Reading your gas meter is like reading a clock. The dials on the gas meter show the amount of gas used in units of 100 cubic feet, or what is typically referred to as one "therm." To read your gas meter, follow these easy steps:

Reading your gas meter.

1) Face the meter and read the dials from left to right. Note that each dial turns in the direction opposite the dial next to it.

2) Record the numbers for each dial following these rules:

• When the hand on the dial is between two numbers, always record the smaller number.
• If the hand is on or very close to a number, record this number if the dial hand immediately to the right is on or has just passed zero (note the direction the hand is moving).
• If the dial hand to the right has NOT passed zero, record the smaller number of the dial you are reading.

3) Your consumption can be determined by subtracting your previous reading from your present reading. This will give you the volume of gas used in hundreds of cubic feet.

Tracking Electricity

Follow these steps to measure your energy usage.

Your use of electricity is measured by a meter on your house. Above is a sample of a five-dial electric meter. The pointer in each dial moves from a smaller number to a larger one. Some move clockwise, others counter-clockwise. Dials are read from right to left and written from left to right. When a pointer is between two numbers, the smaller number is recorded.

Subtracting the previous month's reading from this months reading will indicate the amount of electricity used during the month. For example, if the previous reading was 13,467, the kilowatt-hour use during the current month would be 1,200 kWh.

Calculate the amount of electricity used

Energy Savings of Home Improvements | Wind Chill Factors Explained