Learn how to read your electric meter correctly. Follow our simple, step-by-step guide to track your energy usage and understand your utility bill.
Electrical
Tools Required (4)
•Flashlight
•Notepad
•Pen or pencil
•Smartphone camera (optional)
Materials Needed (1)
•None
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Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Locate your electric meter on the exterior of your home, near the foundation, or inside near your circuit breaker panel.
2.Identify if your meter is digital or analog by checking for an LCD screen or a series of clock-like dials.
3.Read a digital meter by simply writing down the numbers displayed on the screen from left to right, ignoring any decimals or extra digits at the end.
4.Read an analog dial meter by starting from the left-most dial and moving to the right.
5.Record the lower number if a dial pointer is positioned between two digits, unless the pointer is between nine and zero, in which case you record nine.
6.Note that adjacent dials on analog meters often rotate in opposite directions, but you should focus only on the number the pointer has most recently passed.
7.Take a photo of the meter display with your smartphone to verify your reading later or to share with your utility company if needed.
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