Your electric meter measures the amount of electricity you use in kilowatt-hours. As the electric current enters your home through the meter, dials on your meter turn to track electric usage.
How to Read Your Electric Meter
Most meters have five dials, while some have four. Every other dial moves counterclockwise. The reading for the five-dial meter below would be 15,964. The reading for the four-dial meter below would be 5,964.
When the pointer is between two numbers, you should record the lower of the two numbers.
When the pointer is directly on a number (see above, the second dial from the left), look at the dial to the immediate right. If the pointer on the right-side dial has passed "0," then write down the number the pointer is on. If the pointer on the right-side dial has not passed "0," write down the next lowest number on the dial you are recording.
To determine usage for a period of time, subtract your previous reading from the new reading.
Water Meter
Your water meter measures the amount of water passing through your service line onto your property. This measure is in gallons. The water meter is usually located in a small metal box buried in the ground just outside the property line of your front yard.
How to Read Your Water Meter
As water passes through the meter, the meter's dial hand will rotate clockwise. Each time it makes a complete rotation, the register will increase by one. To get the latest reading, read the register from left to right.
