You probably have enough to worry about when it comes to finances (just like the rest of us) without having to be concerned that your utility bill is accurate. When we step outside and see the utility meters on our house, they offer cryptic information that some can find difficult to interpret without experience.
If you’re concerned about the accuracy of your utility bill and you’ve run into some surprises, there are ways to ensure that you’re getting charged appropriately.
Call to see if your utility meters are working
It’s not frequently the case that the meters measuring your utilities are inaccurate. Given the complex formula for calculating your utility bill, it might be hard for you to figure out if there is an issue with the meter on your own. But if you’re in the same season and your utility usage hasn’t changed at all, or the periods of time that you’ve been using your utilities hasn’t changed, give your utility company a call to check out your meters. Even if they don’t break down often, it doesn’t hurt to ask your company to come check on the meters and make sure everything is working properly. This does require some trust in your utility company to make sure that they find an issue, so if you don’t have faith that they know what’s wrong, you can also check on the meters yourself and compare their findings with the Cheapest Gas Rates VIC to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Reading the meters
There’s a whole process of reading energy meters, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They might seem like a headache to read, but with a little assistance you will be able to read the meter you’re concerned about. If you’re finding reading your meter difficult you might use this guide to help you more accurately interpret your meter. USave’s guide provides an outline on how to read: electric digital, electric meter – electric, dial meter electric, and dial and digital meters for gas. If you’re not sure what meter you need to look at, a simple google search of images will offer a good comparison.
Re-evaluate energy consumption
You might just be using more energy than you think you are. Rates can be dependant on season, and they are even dependant on time of day that you’re using them. Is there a high cost time in your area for certain utilities? Are you using utilities more often during that time of day? You could be like many parents and have a teenager that decides to jack the heat up when you’re not at home. There’s a lot of variables at play, and there’s a big chance it could be that you’ve actually increased your energy consumption. Some new appliances in the house may alter this number, a change of energy-conservative light bulbs, almost anything and everything changes your utility usage.
File a government complaint
If you’re unhappy with your utility provider’s response to your concern that the meter isn’t working there might be a government complaint you can make in your area. The utility company may charge you an additional fee for removing the meter so you’re going to want to be absolutely sure that that’s the issue. The government agency responsible for ensuring accuracy will test your meter and make sure it’s working. Meter technology has to go through some pretty rigorous testing so there’s a good chance it’s functioning properly, but you could be right if you’ve absolutely narrowed it down. As a result, you will be paying for a bill you don’t know where it’s coming from. For this reason, it’s essential to find a provider that can properly inform you about their services. Many of them offer cheap electricity plans that can suit your budget and will satisfy your needs.cheap electricity plans
Ensure rate accuracy
Trying to figure out your utility company’s rate formula is a lot like going back to grade-12 calculus, you’re not even sure this makes sense to anyone. If you do happen to decide to plug away at deciphering the code that is the rate formula, you’ll be able to find any errors in the system there. The meter rate formula will be measured depending on the season, time of day, and there might be a surcharge associated with your highest rate of usage in the month.
On top of phone bills, car insurance, the cost of gas, you don’t want to have anything else to worry about. There are ways to contact your utility company and ask them to review the accuracy of your meter, but there might be a cost associated with removing the meter to test it. If you want to see for yourself if your meter is working properly, you can read the meter with some guidance, or contact a government agency if your utility company isn’t working with you. There might be a chance you have pesky teenagers or a new appliance as the culprit for your increased energy usage, so make sure you talk to everyone in the house and figure out if this might be the case. If you’re brave enough, you might be able to tackle the complexity of your utility companies rate formula. With this knowledge in hand, I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of finding out your utility bills are accurate.