Read Any Good Oklahoma City Water Meters Lately?

how to read your water meter allows you to easily and quickly track water usage in your Oklahoma City home, including trends and potential spikes due to leaks. If you discover high usage, it would be advisable to contact your Oklahoma City plumber who will be able to find the exact location and repair the leak before your water bill continues to increase needlessly.  Most water meters are one of two types: a straight-reading meter or a dial-reading meter. A straight-reading meter contains a simple number tally that provides the readout, while a dial-reading meter contains either five or six distinct dials that are used to determine the overall usage.

 

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• Screwdriver

1. Reading a dial meter

• 1

Use a screwdriver to remove the lid of the water pit. Check the area for any dangerous insects or animals before proceeding.

• 2

The dials are labeled in increasing tenth values (i.e. 10, 100, 1000, etc). Begin reading the water meter with the highest value dial, generally the 100,000 dial. Note the smaller of the two numbers nearest to the needle as the first digit.

• 3

Read the dial labeled 10,000 and note the smallest of the two numbers nearest to the needle. Continue this procedure until you have read all dials and have a full six-digit number. The final number provides the units of water in either gallons or cubic feet that have been consumed since the meter was installed.

 

• 4

To monitor water usage, simply subtract the “before” reading from the “after” reading and the result will be the amount consumed over a specified period of time. This value can assist with monitoring usage.

• 5

If the value given by the readout is in cubic feet, you may want to convert the value to gallons. One cubic foot is equal to 7.48 gallons. As a general rule, water companies will charge you based upon usage in terms of either 100 cubic feet or 1000 gallon units. The best way to know how you are charged is to check your Oklahoma City water bill, which should indicate the unit of measure.

• Reading a straight meter

• 1

Locate the number tally on the water meter and record the number listed. It is the area that looks similar to a car’s odometer.

• 2

Determine the unit of measure. It is generally listed as either cubic feet or gallons in the area above or below the number tally.

• 3

Subtract the “before” reading from the “after” reading to determine usage.

• 4

Convert the value of the readout as needed (between gallons and cubic feet) for consistency with how your Oklahoma City water company bills you for usage.

Tips & Warnings

• To determine whether or not a leak is present, turn off all of the water outlets in your Oklahoma City home and note the position of the 1-cubic-foot-dial on your water meter. After 30 minutes, check the dial for movement. If the dial has moved, then you have a possible water leak in your home. Call your Oklahoma City plumber for assistance in finding and repairing the leak before your water bill skyrockets.
• Many new water meters have digital readouts which provide a straight number for consumption and do not require any special techniques for reading.

References

• H2ouse: How to Read Your Water Meter
• “Complete Home Plumbing;” Scott Atkinson; Sunset Books; 2001

Read more:   How to Read a Water Meter | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5809560_read-water-meter.html#ixzz1iPjqq9tx

If you are looking for a professional Oklahoma City plumbing repair contractor, then please call us today at 405-802-7769 or complete our online request form./h3>

Oklahoma City Should Your Home Be Inspected With Infrared Thermography

Home inspections have taken on an even more practical role in home buying with the advent of infrared thermography, or thermal imaging. In the past, inspectors have relied heavily on visual cues to let them know if there are plumbing issues or leaks in a home. While highly trained inspectors can detect problems way better than your average homeowner, there was always the chance that an issue “hiding” in the walls would surface after the sale was complete. With infrared thermography, inspectors now have a camera that can detect problems not easily seen before they become a larger issue. Though it looks like an average camcorder, a thermal imaging camera sees differences in the amount of heat held by an object. Differences in ambient temperature show up as gradations of blue/green (colder) or red/yellow (warmer.)

Infrared thermography can be useful for both the home buyer and home owner. For instance, if you detect a musty odor in a house or hear water dripping but do not see any sign of leakage you can “see” the surface differently with infrared thermography to help find the leak. The system will show the temperature difference between wall and water, indicating the leak points. Think about it; if your plumber is able to pinpoint the exact spot of the leak before water stains appears, that means fewer holes, less mess, and less money spent fixing the problem.

Water leaks are not the only problems easily found by infrared thermography. Use of the camera can indicate areas where electrical systems are overloaded. Age and improper installation can result in shorts, high electrical use, even fire. Before this detection technique, a homeowner might never know there was a potential hazard until it was too late. The hazardous areas will show up as glowing hot points on the system screen, making it easy to detect. This method can be used both to see into walled areas, and to thoroughly inspect electrical boxes, junctures, etc.

The infrared thermography inspection does more than detect problems, it can save you money. Insufficient insulation can cost you thousands per year in heating and cooling bills. Scanning your home will reveal the areas around windows and doors that lose heat or improperly insulated walls and ceilings. In addition, those cracks and crevices not only lose energy; they can allow pests into your home. Thermal imaging can verify pest infestations of all types without having to drill or remove wood.

Infrared thermography is not a substitute for a traditional home inspection. It is a tool that can help your home inspector verify findings, provide visual evidence of a problem, and yes, find issues that the naked eye may not see. For homeowners who suspect an unseen leak, pest infestation, energy loss, or electrical problem, it can pinpoint the source without using invasive measures. A certified home inspector armed with traditional tools plus infrared thermography can doubly assure you that your home investment is safe and secure.