Before we get into everything you need to know about Smart meters, we thought it might be useful to run through the key benefits of why measuring your energy in this way could be so beneficial for you in the long term.
Your bills become much more accurate.
With a smart meter, you’ll know exactly what you spend on energy down to the final kilowatt hour (kwh). This effectively means the end of estimated bills and overpaying for your energy, as well as a marked reduction in strangers asking to come into your property, asking to read the meter.
Gain a better understanding of your bill and how much energy you use.
Now you have an accurate measure on just how much gas and electricity you’re using, you can now start to make key decisions on how you use energy in your home. What a smart meter should allow you to do is make a decision on whether it might be time to switch suppliers, now that you have accurate data to back it up with.
It will help you pay lower, more innovative bills in the future.
The data captured by smart meters will be passed on to energy suppliers, allowing them to form patterns about how usage is changing in the UK. This may lead to lower bills in the future.
Key Smart Meter questions
When do I get a Smart Meter?
In the next 18 months or so - every household in the UK will be offered a smart meter by 2020. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get one by this date, only that you’ll be offered one by your energy supplier by then. If you’re still curious about when you will receive your smart meter, get in contact your supplier to check on your meter’s progress.
Do I have to have one?
Not at all. Law only states that you are offered one; it is completely choice whether you take this up or not. Again, speak with your energy supplier to understand how this might work.
Will a smart meter actually save me any money?
On its own, no, the smart meter can’t save you money - but what it does is give you an accurate reading on how much you consume, providing you with key insight over time on your energy efficiency. At that point, as we mentioned above, you can start to make decisions on whether switching energy makes sense for you.
Can I switch supplier once my smart meter is installed?
You can, but there are some things you need to know...
With the first set of meters to be installed, they can lose their ability to accurate track usage if you happen to be in the process of switching energy. An upgrade that happens remotely enables these meters to become compatible with a range of energy suppliers
However, there are a new set of smart meters who fortunately aren’t blighted with the same challenges. Instead, these meters “speak” to what’s known as the DCC, a network that joins together all of the suppliers. With these new meters (known as SMETS 2), you should find switching energy a seamless process.
I’ve got solar powered panels on my home. How do smart meters work with them? Yes, and no. There have been reports that some customers with panels say their energy suppliers can ’t support a smart meter, whilst others say that they have experienced issues with the meters accuracy when panels are involved. This seems to fluctuate, so to be sure to check with your energy supplier.
