Hey guys check those electric bills carefully

[4HppyCamprs]

WOW!!! You really think your meter readers are lazy.. Sounds like they are still walking house to house and are probably walking 5 to 10 miles a day to get the routes finished.

Hate to tell you, but your electric company is way behind the times if they are just now going to drive by technology. We have had it since 1996 and are now moving to smart meters. The down side of both is they put people out of work. They are not changing technology because they realize how lazy their Meter Readers are, but because they can cut jobs and save a lot of money on payroll.

Our meter readers are lazy and that is the job they signed up for. They estimate as much as they can. Yes we have had several conversations with supervisors at Nipsco/Nisource. Yes I am educated and know how the business models work. Job cuts are part of the American business models to make every practice more effective and efficient. Meter reading is their job title they knew they would be walking in all weather to READ meters for several miles. They make good money to do just that. As for being behind the times, nipsco very well might be. They are certainly making enough money to pay for upgrades but if they would rather pay their CEOs and shareholders instead of investing in their equipment there is nothing I can do about that. I will insure that my meter is accurately read and that I do not have estimated that do not qualify even as "best guess."

My husband is a firefighter and paramedic and guess what they are constantly downsizing departments, going without raises and working in all weather. Why? Because that is the job he signed up for.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

WOW!!! You really think your meter readers are lazy.. Sounds like they are still walking house to house and are probably walking 5 to 10 miles a day to get the routes finished.

Hate to tell you, but your electric company is way behind the times if they are just now going to drive by technology. We have had it since 1996 and are now moving to smart meters. The down side of both is they put people out of work. They are not changing technology because they realize how lazy their Meter Readers are, but because they can cut jobs and save a lot of money on payroll.

It's not like we have any control over the technology our gas/elec. company uses. Ours still walks door to door for gas meter readings but the electric meters are electronic. I don't know if it's automatic or they have to drive by.

I've only had one problem with them estimating when we had an actual reading. Since we're both at work on weekdays, we rarely got an actual reading so I'd be thrilled to be off on the day they came. When I called to ask why my bill was estimated when I know for sure it was read, I was told that the reading was probably inaccurate. I asked if my meter was not functioning properly & the guy got really mean. I then asked to just send me the bill reflecting what the meter reader got. The bill was super low and simply because I had been overpaying due to overestimating for 6 mos.
Now my retired next door neighbors keep our key and let him in so it's rare we get an estimate.

FWIW, our mail carriers still walk too. They park at the corner and carry a big bag. Most of us have a flip top mailbox right on the front porch or a mail slot in the door. It's not like that everywhere; my parents are in the same town and have a box by the curb & they drive. If someone parks in the street anywhere near the mailbox, they'll skip that delivery to avoid getting off their rear ends to deliver.

 

[nordkin]

I realize people do not have a choice in the technology their electric, gas, or water company uses. They all make their own decisions based on many factors including what the regulating bodies in their state will allow them to do.

I do get concerned when someone makes a blanket statement that a group of people are lazy and will do anything to estimate meters. I am not saying there may not be individuals that fit in this category, but they should not be allowed to continue being employed. I have been supervising Meter Readers for 14 years and read meters for 17 years prior to that. Yes, Meter Readers do get tired of dealing with dogs, locked gates, moving things from in front of meters, difficult access to the same locations every month, and any other thing you can think of to make it difficult to get to a meter, but this should not be an excuse for laziness. Most people do not think about these things when they get a estimated bill and I have had some customers who have actually told me they don't care they are getting estimated bills when I attempt to correct a problem causing them.

I also understand customers get upset when they get a incorrect bill or estimated bill. We are all human and make mistakes, therefore there will be incorrect bills on occasion. I know I am not happy when it happens to me, but I understand and make the phone call to get a check reading to correct the bill.

I know I am defending Meter Readers and I am because I have done the job and live it everyday. It is one of least appreciated jobs by other employees in any utility. Our company started referring to our department as the cash register of the company and it has helped change the way other employees think of our department. We also stress accuracy the first time and take corrective action when employees are not meeting the expectation on accuracy. We have a goal of 99.96% of all meters read monthly. We do realize there are some we will not be able to access.

Bottom line is estimates happen for many reasons and incorrect readings happen as well, but they are not intentional.

 

[Kathi OD]

That would be typical for here too. Ours bills monthly and it's around $80/month with no sprinkler. We plan to get one next spring and I think I'll have to be sitting down to open the first bill.

We live in South Jersey and have a sprinkler system for our lawn. Instead of hooking up to the water utility, see if you can have a well for just your sprinkler system. That's what we have and our water bill is never over $30/month (there are only 2 of us living here, so if you have a family I understand the much higher bill now). It will be more in the upfront cost, but cheaper in the long run.

 

[disney54us]

Most places you either haver supplied water or well, and you don't have a choice to switch to well water.
Our gas meter is inside, electric outside. Though the previous owner paid to have the gas meter wand read from outside. It worked fine until we moved in. Then I had them showing up with new meters and telling me the finished basement area that also hides it behind a door is not big enough and would have to be demolished no I don't think so, I will either leave a meter reading card or he will come in and take the reading. I have noticed if I'm not home the utility companies estimate is always way higher. They have my average use, and they still go far higher then my highest month!

 

[Kathi OD]

Most places you either haver supplied water or well, and you don't have a choice to switch to well water.

I guess I wasn't clear. I didn't mean for you to switch your household water to a well system.

We have utility water for the household and well water just for the sprinklers. So we didn't switch the household from the utility when we got the well dug, it's just for the sprinkler system.

 

[disney54us]

I guess I wasn't clear. I didn't mean for you to switch your household water to a well system.

We have utility water for the household and well water just for the sprinklers. So we didn't switch the household from the utility when we got the well dug, it's just for the sprinkler system.

Oops get it now. No that's not a option here. I've seen areas that have well water and when it's decided that the utility department is moving in, guess what they lose even if the don't want to switch.
At least this year it rained so much haven't had to water my lawn yet. Granted it was also hot, the air ran more. Thank goodness for dual zone A/C it does help.

 

[Kathi OD]

Oops get it now. No that's not a option here. I've seen areas that have well water and when it's decided that the utility department is moving in, guess what they lose even if the don't want to switch.
At least this year it rained so much haven't had to water my lawn yet. Granted it was also hot, the air ran more. Thank goodness for dual zone A/C it does help.

that's a shame...we save so much money during those dry summers by using the well for the sprinklers. but you're right about the rain this year; we've hardly had to use them.

The dual zone A/C is great! Our electric bill was much lower than many people we know w/ smaller homes.

 

[Dizisfun]

They just last month put a smart meter on our house and our electric bill more than doubled. Smh

 

[disney54us]

that's a shame...we save so much money during those dry summers by using the well for the sprinklers. but you're right about the rain this year; we've hardly had to use them.

The dual zone A/C is great! Our electric bill was much lower than many people we know w/ smaller homes.

I know, most people would think I was basting if they knew what I can keep my thermostats at.

They just last month put a smart meter on our house and our electric bill more than doubled. Smh

See it's working. It's a very smart meter..... For the utility companies profit

 

[Dizisfun]

I know, most people would think I was basting if they knew what I can keep my thermostats at.

See it's working. It's a very smart meter..... For the utility companies profit

Haha, yep. I knew when the power co said they were installing them that the cost would fall back in the consumers lap. I just didn't think my bill would over double. Ugh

 

[Gamegrl1]

I guess I'll have to do the investigating since DH just shrugs his shoulders.

In my area (N. CA) the energy providers have a program where they'll come to your house if you want and go around it and show you ways to save money. Shame on me...I haven't done that yet, but check and see if they have something similar in your area. With such a humongous house as yours, the potential for savings must be great, I imagine.

 

[tuckerkeys]

I have to tell you, this MUST be ongoing at Atlantic Electric & i am PI$$ED!!!!!!

My bill is always in the 1000's for kWh used......ranges from the 1500-2000 kWh every month, sometimes in the low 2000 kWh when Christmas lights are on, hot hot couple of weeks.....

My LAST bill from AC elec they had me at 3200 Kwh used! I was like ***???

I went online, looked at my last 2 years worth of kWh, and have never gone over 3000kWh used, ever....

I was pretty stingy w/ the ac for the heat wave in July too...I live at the beach so my windows are pretty much open all the time b/c we do get ocean breezes....

They were pretty snippy on the phone with me, so I gave up & hung up & will let my husband deal with it. There is no way we used that much & when I checked my meter, most of the numbers are right inbetween each other..... ridiculous...