A Smart Meter Can Save You Money On Your Energy Bills

Discussed by the Total Boiler Experts

The introduction of smart meters is well underway in the UK, with over 22.2 million smart and advanced meters installed in homes and small businesses around the country. Smart meters will help support the UK’s transition to net-zero energy and can help you save energy and money on your household and business bills. Learn about the advantages of installing a smart meter in your home in our full and informative article.

Do smart meters save you money?

A lot of people believe that having a smart meter installed in their home will help them to save money on their energy bills. Whilst it is true that you can use a smart meter to see how much electricity your home is using and to track your usage over time, there is no guarantee that you will actually save any money. In fact, some people have found that their energy bills have gone up after getting a smart meter.

It really depends on how you use the information from your smart meter to make changes as to whether you will save money or not. If you take the time to learn about your energy usage patterns and make changes accordingly, then you will likely save some money. However, if you don’t check your smart meter regularly or change the way you use energy, then a smart meter probably won’t make much difference.

Smart meters in the UK

A smart meter is an energy meter that records the consumption of electricity, gas, or water in intervals of an hour or less and communicates this information at least daily to the utility for monitoring and billing purposes. Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. This allows utilities to remotely read the meter and to control and/or communicate with customer premises equipment such as in-home displays, thermostats, demand response devices, and other appliances.
In 2010, the UK government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) consulted on proposals to roll out smart meters to all domestic customers by 2019. The consultation set out possible options for detailed arrangements regarding communications infrastructure, data security, consumer engagement and benefits realization. In December 2012, DECC published a Smart Metering Implementation Programme strategy document, which provided further details on timetables, technical standards, communications infrastructure development plans and DECC’s governance framework for delivery.

You can find out more here.

As part of its commitment to meet carbon budgets laid down in the 2008 Climate Change Act, [1] the UK has set a legal target of reducing emissions by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. One way it plans to do this is by making homes more energy efficient; insulation reduces heat loss in winter, while solar panels can generate renewable electricity during summer months. Switching from traditional fossil fuel heating systems such as gas boilers to low-carbon alternatives such as air source heat pumps releases far less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for each unit of energy used.

What is the role of a smart meter?

Smart meters are digital devices that track and record energy usage in a home or business. By tracking energy usage, smart meters provide customers with information that can help homeowners and businesses save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, smart meters can help utilities better manage power demand by providing data on when and where electricity is being used.

How do smart meters work?

A smart meter is an electrical meter that records the consumption of electricity in intervals of an hour or less and communicates that information at least daily back to the utility for monitoring and billing purposes. Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. This allows utilities to remotely read the electricity usage in intervals, usually hourly or shorter, without having to send a person out to each location. It also provides near real-time visibility of power quality parameters to help prevent problems before they happen.

In addition to this, smart meters can provide valuable data that can be used by consumers to make informed decisions about how to best manage their energy use and save money on their monthly bills. Most smart meters measure the voltage, current, and power going into and out of a home or business in order to accurately calculate how much electricity has been consumed over time. Some may also measure other aspects such as phase angle, frequency, and power factor, which can indicate whether equipment and systems are operating efficiently.

Smart Meter

How to get a smart meter

If you’re a customer of an electricity or gas supplier in England, Scotland, or Wales, you can ask for a smart meter to be installed.

It doesn’t cost anything to have a smart meter fitted, and it usually takes less than an hour. Your energy supplier will need to access the inside of your property to fit the new meter.
To arrange for someone to come and install your smart meter, contact your electricity or gas supplier directly and they will send out an engineer at a time that’s convenient for you.

6 reasons to install a smart meter

  1. Smart meters can help you save money on your energy bills by helping you understand your usage patterns and help you find ways to reduce your energy consumption
  2. They support the environment by reducing the amount of energy wasted through inefficient use
  3. Smart meters can provide peace of mind in knowing that you are not overpaying for your electricity or gas, as well as avoiding the hassle of having to constantly submit meter readings manually
  4. More accurate meter readings also mean that you are less likely to be unexpectedly hit with a large bill at the end of the year based on an estimated reading
  5. A smart meter ensures you are paying the right amount for your energy every month rather than an estimation. Often energy companies won’t reduce your monthly bills when transitioning from winter to summer which means they will be holding your overpayments in their account than it being in yours
  6. Some smart meters even come with additional features such as in-home displays that provide real-time feedback on energy usage, meaning you can make changes immediately if necessary to keep costs down

Smart Meter Conclusion

As of June 2019, there were over 17 million smart meters installed in UK homes and businesses. Smart meters offer a number of benefits for both consumers and businesses, including:

  1. Increased awareness of energy consumption leading to potential savings
  2. More accurate billing. The ability to remotely monitor and manage energy use
  3. The potential to enable new services and applications such as time-of-use tariffs

Overall, smart meters offer a range of benefits that can lead to improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions.

If you are thinking about a Smart Meter for your home or business our experts can help you understand if it is possible with the boiler system you have and ensure you understand the full benefits. Contact us today on 02922 407934 and we can answer any questions you may have and arrange a time for one of our Gas Safe engineers to visit your property.