Is there a problem with my meter?

Question

I own a 3 bedroom two storey home and for the past year or so I have been using about 180-220 kwh in electricity per month. At that time I had a manual meter. My energy suppliers inserted a digital meter on the 18.06.08 and I was amazed to see that my meter read 458 kwh today (15.07.08). That is about twice the amount I used on a monthly basis. I have basic appliances i.e a television, a refridgeator, washing machine, desktop, microwave, toaster, stereo, kettle, Iron etc. I do not own a tumble dryer or dishwasher. There are 12ceiling lights in the house 7 of which are used with energy saving bulbs and these are the lights that are used on a daily basis. I also have central heating but its gas operated. My oven is also gas operated. Could there be a problem with my meter or is there probably an electrical fault in my home that is causing my meter to be racing?

Answer 1

call the electric company.

an electrical fault would have caused a lot of heat, and a fire. You would have noticed.

.

Answer 2

180 to 220 kWh a month is very low for a 3-bedroom home.

It is more likely that the previous meter was running slow.  Old mechanical meters had bearing and moving parts that can wear over time.  

The new meter is probably measuring your usage accurately.  Consider the previous low bills a gift from your electric company.

Answer 3

The actual reading on your meter today doesn't tell you anything about your electricity consumption. It may not have been set to zero when it was installed. If it was not, the installers should have made a record of what the reading was when they installed it, and they should take that into account when they calculate your next bill.