How to read your gas meter in Australia

KEY POINTS

How you read your gas meter depends on whether it is imperial or metric.
Gas meter readings are conducted by the energy distributor in your area, who then passes on that information to your gas retailer for billing purposes.
Submitting your own gas meter reading could help you save money if your recent gas bill was based on an estimated reading.

What is a gas meter?

A gas meter is a device that records natural gas consumption in households and businesses, which is then relayed to individual energy retailers for billing purposes.

A property’s gas usage is measured in megajoules (MJ). Most gas appliances, such as ovens, will detail their energy consumption in terms of megajoules per hour (MJ/h), meaning an oven with an input of 20 MJ/h will use 20 MJs in one hour.

How to read a gas meter

Before reading your gas meter, you’ll need to identify which type of meter your property is connected to – imperial or metric.

As a rule of thumb, an imperial gas meter will have an analog clock face and a metric gas meter will have a digital screen.

Imperial gas meter reading

Take note of the pointer on each dial and record the numbers from left to right. If a pointer is positioned between two numbers on a dial, always read the lowest number.
Some old imperial gas meters may have an additional two dials on the top or bottom which are for testing purposes, so disregard them.
Once you’ve noted the numbers from each dial, you’ll need to convert them from cubic feet into cubic metres, with one cubic metre roughly equal to 35.3ft3.

Metric gas meter reading

The meter should have a display panel of about eight numbers with M3 (cubic metres) next to it.
Record each number from left to right, ignoring the numbers in red.
You’ll need to move the decimal point within the sequence of numbers two spaces to the right. For example, it may read 17.225, which equals 1,722.5M3.

If all of this is too overwhelming, contact your gas provider for support.

How do I find my gas meter number?

Your gas meter number should be listed somewhere on your gas bill, which matches the number that is physically printed on your gas meter.

Typically, your gas meter number will be located on a faceplate in plain sight, either on top or the bottom of the meter.

In NSW, gas meter numbers usually begin with two letters followed by six numbers (e.g. AB123456), while in Victoria, they’ll have four numbers followed by two letters (e.g. 1234AB).

Where is my gas meter located?

If you live in an apartment, townhouse or a multi-dwelling: Gas meters for every unit are typically centralised in a room in the carpark or basement. Search for the gas meter that corresponds with your unit number. In NSW, your gas meter could be below your kitchen sink.
If you live in a standalone house: The gas meter should be located outside in your front yard, behind or at the side of your house.

If you still can’t locate your gas meter, reach out to your real-estate agent, body corporate or landlord (if you’re renting) for help.

Why read your gas meter?

Gas meter readings are conducted by a representative every two to three months (depending on your state), sent by your energy distributor who owns and maintains the gas infrastructure in your area. Each bill read is then passed on to your retailer, who bills you for the gas consumed.

However, if you fail to provide safe and clear access to your gas meter, your gas provider will estimate your next bill. This could leave you paying more than you really should.

That’s when reading your gas meter comes into the picture. You could save more by providing your distributor with more accurate gas usage data.

Typically, if a representative fails to conduct a gas meter read safely, they’ll leave behind a gas meter read card in your letterbox that looks like this:

Image: www.australiangasnetworks.com.au

On this card, you’ll find instructions on how to submit a gas read to the distributor in your area.

All you have to do is populate the card with the required information and submit it through the correct channels:

Meter number (MIRN)
Meter Number
Date of customer read
Gas Meter Reading

Alternatively, you can also submit your actual read information on your retailer’s website or dedicated smartphone app.

Once your meter reading is done and dusted, remove the original obstruction (e.g. locked gate) or hazard (e.g. unleashed dog) before the scheduled date of the next meter reading, which can be found on your gas bill.

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Here are some of the cheapest gas deals on our database for NSW. These estimated annual costs are based on the Jemena Gas Network in Sydney and yearly gas usage of 18,800 MJ/year, but prices will vary depending on your own circumstances. The products are listed in order of lowest estimated price/year (including conditional discounts), then by the highest value rank (out of 10), then by highest brand satisfaction rating. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

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