How to Read a Gas Metre?

A gas metre keeps track of how much gas your home uses. Energy providers receive the data recorded in gas metres and charge consumers accordingly. 

If you want to keep an eye on your gas consumption and steer clear of those shockingly high energy bills during the winter, it’s helpful to be aware of the precise spot of your metre if your home has many gas appliances, such as stoves, ovens, and heating systems.

In this blog post we’ll cover everything you need to know regarding your gas metre so you can confidently read your gas metre and better understand your energy consumption.

Types of Gas Metres

As mentioned, there are two types of gas metres – one is gas imperial metre and the other is gas metric metre.  

The former uses cubic feet when measuring gas consumption. On the display, you will see five black numbers, the decimal points, and then more numbers. Older residences typically still have this type of gas metre. 

In contrast, gas metric metres measure gas consumption in cubic metres. This one uses a digital display of numbers on its panel; typically, four black digits and two red numbers.  This gas metre type is commonly found in modern homes and businesses.

Simple Guide to Reading Your Gas Metre

The condition and layout of a property will determine where the gas metre will be positioned. It is advised that the gas metre is in a bright, easily-reachable spot  so you can read the readings clearly.  In most houses, you may find the gas metre right next to the electricity metre, which is often situated either near the front doorway or along the house’s side.

On the other hand, gas metres in multi-unit buildings, such as apartments or townhouses, are often found in the basement, parking lot or beneath the kitchen sink. Make sure you are reading the right metre; they should all have unit numbers on them. Your landlord or building management should be able to help out if you are unable to locate your gas metre.

There are differences in reading an imperial gas metre and metric gas metre. Regardless of the type, it is wise to verify your readings to ensure accuracy and reliability. Taking a moment to double-check ensures that you’ve captured the numbers correctly, which can be crucial for identifying discrepancies and maintaining precise records.

For Imperial Gas Meter

• Look at the pointer. Begin by observing the pointers on each dial that shows the volume of gas consumed. 
• Ignore the extra dials. It’s essential to note that on older Imperial gas meters, additional dials situated at the top and bottom should be disregarded – as they are solely for testing purposes and do not contribute to the accurate measurement of gas usage.
• Record numbers from left to right. As you inspect the gas meter, focus on noting the numbers displayed on each dial and record from left to right. 
• Refer to the lowest number. This is only when you see the pointer falls between two numbers on a dial.
• Convert to cubic metres. After successfully recording the numbers from each dial, the next step is to convert them from cubic feet to cubic meters – which is the appropriate unit of measurement.

For Metric Gas Meter

• Find eight numbers. When examining a metric gas meter, you’ll typically find a display panel showing 8 numbers, followed by “M3” indicating cubic metres and representing the volume of gas consumed. 
• Record numbers from left to right. The same approach to the imperial gas metre. 
• Ignore the ‘red’ numbers. These red numbers do not contribute to your actual gas usage, only for testing.

For digital gas meters, a slight adjustment is necessary when interpreting the readings. You’ll notice a decimal point within the number sequence. To obtain the accurate reading, simply move the decimal point two spaces to the right. For example, if the display shows a reading of 16.523, it should be recorded as 1,653.

Conclusion

Confused about gas meter readings? Let the professional gas fitters at Melbourne Gas Plumbing help you!

If you own a residential or a commercial property, knowing how to interpret your gas metre readings is crucial to track your energy use and be charged with a precise amount. 

If your numbers remain relatively constant or stable from month to month, there’s nothing to worry about. A higher reading, on the other hand, could be due to a number of things, like installing a new gas-powered equipment, increased usage, or even a leak – which you should look more into. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to read your gas meter accurately, our team at Melbourne Gas Plumbing is here to help. We specialise in all aspects of gas-related needs – from gas meter installations to gas line connections and maintenance tasks.

Whether you’re facing an emergency gas leak or simply need routine maintenance, you can count on us to deliver top-notch solutions with professionalism and expertise. Contact us today!