Smart meters replace traditional energy meters in homes by providing accurate readings to your supplier on a half-hourly, daily or monthly basis – helping monitor and promote sustainable energy practices in addition to encouraging good energy habits.
Smart meters may come with some drawbacks. In this blog post, we’ll outline both sides so you can decide whether they’re appropriate for you.
They’re more accurate
Recent months have seen an impressive push towards installing smart meters in households, which can help people save money while remaining cost effective and accurate. But they’re not mandatory and some households may have concerns regarding accuracy, cost or privacy associated with these devices.
An IHD, which comes standard with smart meters, shows householders exactly how much energy is being consumed at any one time in real-time. They can identify which appliances are using up most energy and make changes accordingly to cut usage and lower bills. You can even monitor online how much electricity and gas your household is using!
Smart meters also allow for “time of use” tariffs, where prices change based on when you use electricity. This can save money, as only paying for energy used at times when it is cheaper for suppliers to source from the grid is best. So running your washing machine or heating your home during off-peak hours would benefit both yourself and your supplier!
Smart meters transmit data automatically to your energy company, eliminating the need for manual meter readings. This provides an accurate picture of your energy use that should make it easier to spot any irregularities in your bill; with standard meters, energy providers may estimate your usage based on previous billing periods or their estimation of future usage – potentially leading to inaccurate estimates that can lead to unexpectedly higher bills when your tariff comes to an end.
An energy supplier will automatically receive your information via a secure national communication network that does not rely on WiFi or Bluetooth to work. A smart meter costs under PS1 per year to run, comprised of small energy costs used to power its infrared display unit which displays readings and transmits them.
There remain security worries regarding smart meters, with campaigners citing them as an invasion of privacy and providing too much insight to energy companies into our usage patterns. Yet according to Household Money Saving, no hacking incidents involving smart meters have taken place thus allay any fears regarding them being compromised.
They’re more convenient
Traditional meters require you to submit readings yourself; smart meters connect directly with energy suppliers. As a result, every month they can pinpoint exactly how much you’re using – making your bills more accurate in turn. Depending on which smart meter type you get, this data may be provided via in-house displays, smartphone apps or websites, providing insight into usage week over week or month over month and ways you may reduce usage where possible.
Smart meters also help eliminate estimated bills. Old-style meters force suppliers to estimate your energy use based on past bills; such estimates can often be inaccurate, according to green technologies website The Switch; leading them to unexpectedly increase your bill when your tariff comes to an end. With smart meters, however, you have access to exact energy use on an hourly basis directly with your supplier; this gives you direct control of peak time electricity usage and some energy providers even offer incentives if you can limit these instances.
Communication between energy suppliers and their customers also brings them numerous advantages, as it allows suppliers to quickly recognize service issues more quickly. If someone’s power goes out at 9am but doesn’t report it until 5:30pm when they return home, sending an emergency truck out during night shift and incurring overtime fees; with smart meters this information can be constantly updated and quickly corrected by engineers as problems arise.
Smart meters can also help you save energy by helping to identify when electricity usage is most economical. This could enable you to switch to an off-peak tariff which offers cheaper rates or is completely free, something not available with traditional meters – saving both money and carbon footprint.
They’re more expensive
Energy providers are actively encouraging households to switch over to smart meters. These devices offer real-time meter readings and help reduce your bills by altering usage habits; however, their installation may incur an upfront fee, plus ongoing monthly charges for broadband connection services that link your smart meter with its provider.
An IHD unit that comes with a smart meter can help you reduce bills by showing which appliances are using the most electricity. By doing so, you can identify energy guzzlers and make them more efficient; even frugal savers may not have been aware that their dishwasher or washing machine was taking in too much power.
Prepayment meters offer prepayment customers the potential to save money by using their smart meter monitor to see how much credit is remaining and set automatic top-ups, and use IHD unit tracking their balance and consumption. Be wary however if on a prepayment tariff as some suppliers may switch you remotely without warrant if you fail to pay bill; although Ofgem expects them to use this facility “fairly and appropriately”.
An additional issue surrounding smart meters is their transmission of household usage data to energy companies, raising privacy issues; however, energy firms reassure consumers they do not store information such as individuals’ addresses or phone numbers. Unfortunately, however, smart meters remain susceptible to hacking attacks, giving third parties a way to view your consumption data.
If these concerns concern you, smart meters may not be right for you. Some suppliers have been accused of bullying their customers into agreeing to install one; alternatively, you could request that your supplier replace an existing smart meter with a traditional one; although there may be additional fees involved.
They’re more vulnerable to hacking
Smart meters employ wireless protocols that are vulnerable to attack by hackers, giving them access to data and alter settings without authorization – potentially leading to incorrect billing for both the utility company and its customers. Furthermore, hacking into smart meters reveals details about household energy consumption which could provide criminals with valuable intelligence about energy consumption patterns in homes across America.
Some smart meters may contain defects that cause them to overheat, leading to house fires. Most of the fires were actually caused by faulty wiring rather than by smart meters themselves; nonetheless, these fires have damaged their reputation and undermined consumer trust in this technology.
In a report issued by the FBI, they have warned of smart meters’ vulnerability to attack and recommended increasing their security by upgrading them with stronger encryption support and having users change passwords frequently. This will protect them from being affected by malicious software programs designed to change settings or steal personal data.
Energy providers have made a concerted effort to encourage households to switch over to smart meters, as these offer numerous advantages for both providers and customers. Smart meters allow energy providers to see exactly how much a household is using – helping identify cost-cutting measures which may be implemented; plus eliminating the need for workers to come out to read meters which reduces labor costs significantly.
However, some are worried that smart meters pose a privacy threat and allow energy providers an unfair insight into household behavior. There have been warnings about hackers trying to gain entry to smart meters; however, no reports have surfaced of any real hacking attempts occurring as yet. In addition, third parties could purchase data collected from smart meters, potentially raising further privacy concerns and leading to misleading marketing campaigns.
Though smart meters may cause some concerns, they’re still superior in terms of convenience and should be considered when appropriate. If privacy issues are an issue and you wish not to share personal data with your energy supplier, traditional meters might be safer choices.