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How to Read Your Natural Gas Meter

3/29/2023
close up of a meter outside of home

Reading a gas meter isnā€™t what youā€™d call easy, so weā€™ve broken it down into basic steps to help you make sense of it all.

There are two types of metersā€”a rolling digit meter and a dial meter.

Reading a digital gas meter is a no-brainer because you read it from left to right just like youā€™d read the odometer on a car.

Reading a dial gas meter, on the other hand, can be more challenging since there are typically four or five dials running both clockwise and counterclockwise.

To Read a Gas Meter with Dials, Follow These Steps:

  1. Read only the dials with numbers. Read them from left to right. Record the number each hand points to. When the hand is between numbers, use the smaller number.
  2. Keep this reading and read your meter one month later. The difference between the two readings is the amount of energy you used during the month.
  3. Remember, your numbers may differ slightly from the numbers on your bill unless you read your meter at the exact same time as your meter reader.

How to Tell if Your Gas Meter is Accurate

Locate your gas meter at your home or business and compare the reading to the one found on your gas meter bill under "How We Calculated Your Gas Charges: Ending Read". The reading on your meter should be equal to or higher than the one recorded on your bill. 

Keep in mind, Atlanta Gas Light is responsible for reading your meter each monthā€”they own and maintain gas pipelines and your meter. Theyā€™ve gotten reading meters down to a science, but that doesnā€™t mean mistakes canā€™t happen. If you find your meter is reading lower or incorrect, please call us at 877-472-4932.

*This offer is valid $DATE and is only available for new Gas South customers who sign up and use promocode $PROMO. $PROMODESCRIPTION This offer is subject to Gas South's terms and conditions, including a credit check at the time of enrollment. A $6.95 or $9.95 monthly customer service fee applies ($4.95 for qualified seniors), based on location and credit score. All commercial rate plans are also subject to taxes and Atlanta Gas Light charges. Fixed rate plans are subject to a $300 early contract cancellation fee if you choose to terminate your fixed rate contract before it expires. This offer is nontransferable and cannot be combined with any other offer.