NEWS

Still on the fence about getting a smart meter installed? Let’s find out about the brilliant benefits smart meters can bring you.

There’s been a lot of talk about smart meters in the news at the moment, especially around the current energy supply issues affecting the country. But is it really worth taking the time to get a smart meter installed in your home?

In this article, we’ll go through ten benefits of smart meters. Maybe it’ll get you to book an installation?

1 – You can monitor your energy use

Smart meters are great because they allow you to see how much energy you are using in real-time, bringing your energy consumption to life in a way that your old meter just can’t do.

Your smart meter allows you to see which of your devices use the most power, the times of day when you use the most energy and how it stacks up over time.

2 – You can save money

As well as showing you how much energy you use in real-time, your smart meter also shows you how much money you spend on your energy. It’s easy to see how much money you pay when you put your kettle on – or save when you switch off the lights.

For most smart meter users, this encourages them to look for ways to save money – for example, switching devices fully off rather than leaving them on standby.

3 – It’s good for the planet

When you make small changes to the way you use energy, you don’t just save money; you reduce your impact on the environment. We all want to do our bit for the planet and reduce our carbon footprint. Your smart meter can point you in the right direction.

In the future, your smart meter may be able to help you use more renewable energy instead of power from fossil fuels.

4 – No more manual meter readings

It’s pretty annoying having to send your meter readings to your energy provider every month or quarter – and if you forget, you could end up with a higher estimated bill.

Smart meters let you say goodbye to this inconvenient process. Your smart meter connects to your home Wi-Fi, automatically communicating with your energy supplier and calculating an accurate reading.

Your supplier may send people to check your smart meter from time to time, but it will be far less frequent than it was when you had a traditional meter.

5 – No more estimated bills

As well as being super convenient, your smart meter means your bill is always fair.

When you get a smart meter, you’ll only be charged for the energy you actually use. You can say goodbye to estimated bills which may be higher than they should be. It makes it much easier to budget for energy bills. You also have an accurate picture of your energy use for when it’s time to switch.

6 – It’s easy (and free) to get one

Worried that getting a smart meter might be time-consuming and expensive? It’s actually the opposite.

When you request a smart meter, an expert installer will come to your home and do everything that needs to be done:

• Removing your old meters safely
• Fitting smart meters and connecting to your home Wi-Fi
• Showing you how to use your new smart meter

The whole process takes 2-3 hours. And the best thing? It’s free! You won’t pay to get your smart meter installed.

7 – You don’t have to switch suppliers to get a smart meter

Requesting a smart meter is easy and you won’t need to switch suppliers or tariffs straight away.

Smart meters work just as well for customers who prepay for their energy as they do for customers who pay bills. In fact, prepayment customers get special features, such as alerts that tell you when your account is running low. Smart meters also let prepayment customers top up their accounts online rather than going to the shop.

8 – Smart meters make switching easy

But, if you want to switch suppliers, having a smart meter makes it much more manageable.

Your smart meter will ensure you have the right readings at the right time, so you can switch without any inconvenience.

You may also be able to take advantage of new tariffs only available for customers with smart meters, such as time-of-use tariffs. When you get on a time-of-use tariff, you can adjust your energy consumption to times when power is cheaper.

9 – The future’s bright

Smart meters are great today – but in the future, they will be even better.

As the country moves to an automated, renewable future, your smart meter will be the energy hub in your home. You’ll be able to link your smart meter to your devices, including your smart home devices, to make running your home easy and cost-effective. If you choose to generate your own energy, with solar panels, for example, your smart meter will run it all.

10 – People like their smart meters

If you get a smart meter, you’ll be in good company. At the last count, more than 24 million smart meters were running in the UK, with more customers requesting them all the time.

Customer surveys regularly show that people with smart meters are pleased that they made the move. For example, 90% of smart meter customers were satisfied with their installation, with two-thirds saying they would recommend smart meters to their friends.

What are you waiting for?

So, if you’re still considering getting a smart meter for your home, what’s stopping you? The benefits are there – for you and the planet.