How to read your natural gas meter safely

Your natural gas meter records the volume of gas delivered to your property. Reading it regularly can help you understand seasonal usage, compare consumption with your utility bill, and notice unusual changes before they become expensive problems.

Most residential meters display usage in cubic feet, often in units of 100 cubic feet called CCF. Your bill may also show therms, which account for the energy content of the gas. The meter reading itself and the amount charged on a bill are related, but they are not always expressed in the same unit.

A meter check takes only a few minutes. Read the display from left to right, record the number and decimal information accurately, and compare it with the previous reading shown on your bill. Never remove a meter cover, adjust a valve, or interfere with utility equipment.

Find the meter and identify its display

Natural gas meters are commonly installed outside a home, near a wall, walkway, or property boundary. Look for a round or rectangular metal device connected to a gas service pipe. The meter may have a glass-covered register, a digital screen, or a combination of displays.

Before taking a reading, make sure you are looking at the correct meter for your address. Apartment buildings and multi-unit properties may have several meters together. If the meter is difficult to access, damaged, obstructed, or covered with condensation, contact the appropriate utility or City of Susanville Public Works office rather than attempting to move it.

Keep the area around the meter clear of stored materials, vehicles, vegetation, and debris. Clear access supports safe inspection and maintenance, especially during winter weather or an emergency.

Read an analog gas meter

An older analog register may use four or five dials. Each dial has numbers and a pointer, and adjacent pointers can rotate in opposite directions. Read the dials from left to right, using the lower number when a pointer falls between two numbers. If a pointer is exactly on a number, check the dial immediately to its right before deciding which number to record.

For example, if the first three dials show 2, 7, and 4, the reading begins with 274. Some meters include a final dial or decimal position that the utility does not use for billing. Follow the unit labels on the register or the reading instructions printed on your bill.

Do not estimate a pointer that is moving or try to open the meter enclosure. A photograph can help you preserve the reading and compare it with a later inspection, provided you can take it without touching the equipment.

Read a digital gas meter

A digital meter usually shows a row of numbers on an electronic display. It may cycle through several screens, including the cumulative gas reading, a meter identification number, test information, or status messages. Wait for the usage screen and write down the digits in the order displayed.

Some digital registers show leading zeros, while others omit them. Leading zeros do not change the value. Ignore labels or symbols that are not part of the consumption reading, and check your bill for the number of digits or unit used by the utility.

Digital meters may be powered by batteries or by the measuring equipment itself. A blank display, warning message, cracked cover, or unexplained reading should be reported. Do not press buttons unless the utility’s instructions specifically say that customers may do so.

Compare the reading with your bill

Your current consumption is generally calculated by subtracting the previous meter reading from the latest reading. A bill may use an actual reading taken by utility staff or an estimated reading when access was unavailable. Estimated readings are often adjusted on a later bill when an actual reading is obtained.

Item	What it means	Where to find it
Current reading	Latest cumulative amount recorded by the meter	Meter display or bill
Previous reading	Earlier cumulative amount used for billing	Prior or current bill
Usage	Difference between current and previous readings	Bill usage section
CCF	One hundred cubic feet of natural gas	Utility bill or rate information
Therm	Energy unit used to price gas consumption	Utility bill
Estimated reading	Utility calculation used when an actual reading was unavailable	Bill notation

If your meter reads 18,642 and the previous bill shows 18,510, the difference is 132 cubic feet. If the utility bills in CCF, that amount is 1.32 CCF. The bill may convert that volume into therms using the gas’s heating value, so the final billed usage may not match the raw meter difference exactly.

For rate details, billing assistance, conservation guidance, and available payment resources, review the utility information published by the City of Susanville.

Watch for unusual changes

A single high reading does not automatically indicate a meter problem. Cold weather can increase heating demand, and usage may rise when a home has additional occupants, older equipment, open windows, or a malfunctioning thermostat. Compare the same months from previous years when possible.

Check that the reading on your bill is close to the number on the meter. A large unexplained difference may result from an estimated reading, a billing-cycle change, a meter-reading error, or a real increase in consumption. Keep dated notes or photographs so you can provide clear information when requesting assistance.

Municipal infrastructure work also depends on coordinated planning across streets, utilities, drainage, and development. Information about city engineering projects can help residents understand how public improvements are designed and managed.

Respond to gas odors and meter concerns

Natural gas is odorized so leaks can be detected by smell. If you notice a strong sulfur or rotten-egg odor, hear hissing near a gas appliance or service line, or see damaged equipment, leave the area immediately. Do not operate switches, use a phone near the suspected leak, light a flame, or start a vehicle.

From a safe location, call 911 and the gas utility’s emergency number. Follow instructions from emergency personnel and do not return until officials say it is safe. A meter reading should never delay action when a leak is suspected.

For non-emergency concerns, report a damaged meter, exposed pipe, blocked access, or suspected billing issue through the relevant utility or municipal channel. Stormwater and gas infrastructure are separate systems, but keeping public areas clear of debris supports broader maintenance goals, including stormwater pollution efforts.

Make regular meter checks part of home care

A monthly reading taken on roughly the same date creates a useful record of household consumption. Store the reading with your utility bill and note unusual weather, appliance changes, vacancies, or repairs that could affect usage.

Use these practices during each check:

Confirm that the meter belongs to your property.
Read the display from left to right without opening the enclosure.
Record the date, reading, and unit shown on the bill.
Compare usage with the previous bill and similar months.
Report damage, access problems, suspicious readings, or gas odors through the proper channel.

Regular monitoring gives you better information without interfering with utility equipment. When a reading appears inconsistent or you need help understanding charges, contact City of Susanville Public Works or your natural gas provider through the official service information and report the details you recorded.