Guide To Gas And Electricity Meters

Why Do Gas And Electricity Companies Use Prepayment Meters

In a situation where a household falls behind on gas and electricity payments, the energy provider would have to install a prepayment meter. The essence of having the prepayment meter installed in a home is to provide a more manageable electricity budget. It is commonplace to find it installed on rented properties. Whereby an individual falls behind on electricity payment, the prepayment meter rate will be increased to compensate for this. With this installation, the tenant can make payments in bits, conveniently, while still being supplied electricity. You can find out from your energy provider, how much the electricity bill costs per unit, and how much needs to be paid to off-set your debt.

How To Take Readings From A Prepayment Meter

A prepayment meter comes with a default display that shows the amount of credit left on the meter. If you need to get the actual reading of your electricity usage, you need to press a button located on the meter. Once, you find the actual reading display, you can go ahead to take your reading. To find out more about 2020 NEC Handbook Changes click here.

The Up And Downsides Of Prepayment Meters

It is more expensive using electricity via prepayment meters. Traditional meters provide a cheaper form of electricity and gas supply. Nevertheless, using a prepayment meter comes with its upsides. We will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of using this type of meter:

Upsides

• You will not have to fall behind on your electricity bill using this meter system.
• With this type of meter, you will be able to keep tabs on your bills.

Downsides

• It requires that you step out to purchase individual top-ups.
• It is very pricey to use.
• In a situation where you do not top-up after an exhausted credit, your energy supply would be cut off.
• For some outdated prepayment meters, the individual would have to reset the prices manually. This implies may be time-consuming to benefit in a situation where the energy price is reduced.

How To Maintain A Prepayment Meter

The first step to take in maintaining your prepayment meter is to understand its top-up process. Should you fail to top-up after exhausting your credit level, the supply of your gas and electricity will be cut off. To prevent this from happening, it is advised that you take a mental note of energy stores around you that sells top-up credits. Also, take note of certain days they won’t operate - these could be holidays or weekends, or both. Always have an extra top-up credit available should your credit level get exhausted at odd hours of the day or days when there is no operation.

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