Your electric meter measures the amount of electricity you use in kilowatt-hours. Some electric meters display numbers digitally and some have dials. For either type of meter, you can determine usage for a period of time by subtracting your previous reading from the new reading.

Reading Meters with Dials

The dials on your meter turn to track electric usage as electric current enters your home through the 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.