Many of our natural gas
customers keep a close watch on their monthly usage. When a gas bill appears
excessive a re-read is requested. The information below on how to read your
meter (dial type) will help you verify the accuracy of the meter
reading.
Dial Type Meter
The meter reading in the
illustration above is
5 9 6
4
Your gas meter is read from the
row of four to six dials appearing in the index window (dials in the other row
are for testing). Notice how each dial rotates in the opposite direction from
the dial next to it.
Read each dial in the
direction shown by the arrows. If the dial hand is between the numbers, use the
lower one (if between 9 and 0, read 9). If the dial hand is exactly on a number,
look at the dial to the immediate right. If its dial hand is not passed zero,
record the lower number for the dial in question.
While the number of dials
on your meter may vary, the procedure for reading them is the same.
Digital Type Meter
Digital
type meters have no dial hands such as shown at left. They have reading indicators somewhat
similar to an automobile odometer, and are read the same as you would read your
automobile odometer from left to right.
We
Need Your Help
Although every attempt is
made to obtain correct meter reads, sometimes incorrect reads do occur. You can
help ensure correct meter readings by:
Making a key available to meter readers if inside a
fenced or within a enclosed location!
Being sure the meter dials can be seen through shrubs.
Always keep the gas meter
visible.
Seeing that the "welcoming committee" (any
dogs or pets) are kept indoors,
or on a leash,
when the meter is due to be
read.
Measurement Definitions
Cubic Foot
(cf)
A measurement of
gas volume.
One cubic foot is equal to the amount of gas required
to fill one cubic foot under standard temperature and pressure (60 degrees
Fahrenheit and 14.7 pounds atmospheric
pressure)
CCF
100 cubic
feet
MCF
1,000 cubic
feet
BTU (British
Themal Unit)
A measurement of
heat.
One BTU is equal to the amount of heat required to raise a
pound of water one degree Fahrenheit
Therm
(th)
A unit of heat
equivalent to 100,000 BTUs
Dekatherm
(Dth)
Equal to 10
therms, 1,000,000 BTUs, or 1
MMBTU
The heating value of gas (or its calorific value) is an important factor in
its purchase and sale. This "heat content" of the fuel is the principle measure
of its ability to perform a heating service.
Gas is usually sold on a "therm" basis, which necessitates an accurate
handling of its calorific value. So basically, a therm is a quantity of gas
with the heating value factored in. The Interstate Pipelines from which Greater
Dickson Gas Authority receives its gas determines this calorific value, or BTU
factor and passes the value on to
us. This value is then used in buying and selling natural gas.
GDGA's BTU factor ranges from 1.030 to 1.040. Its average value is 1.032. A
higher BTU factor results in fewer cubic feet of natural gas required to produce
a given amount of heat; a lower BTU factor results in more cubic feet of natural
gas requried to produce the same amount of heat.
Our
Billing Procedure:
A GDGA meter reader visits each
customer's meter monthly and records the reading in hundred cubic feet (ccf).
We mutiply the reading in hundred
cubic feet by the monthly BTU factor given to us by the Pipeline to determine
the amount of therms used.
We then bill using the cost as given
in the appropriate rate
sheet.
Sample Bill Calculation
For example, a customer has a natural gas hot water heater. This customer
would be in the Rate 22
Class. The meter shows that
12 hundred cubic feet (or 12ccf) of natural gas had been used during November.
The interstate pipeline has determined that the BTU factor is 1.038 for this
particular billing period. What will be this customer's bill?
Number of therms = (usage in hundred cubic feet) x (BTU
Factor) = (12) x (1.038) = 12 (rounded nearest whole
number)
*Note that the Purchased Gas Adjustment
is a price of GDGA purchased gas from the pipeline that is adjusted on a
monthly basis and is passed onto the customer, whether it rises or falls with
each month.
Greater
Dickson Gas Authority | 605 East Walnut Street, Dickson
Tennessee 37055 | 615-441-2830, Fax 615-441-2845
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