Smart meter explanation in Ottery St Mary
Looking for professional smart meter explanation help in Ottery St Mary? Hembury Contracting provides reliable home help services across Ottery St Mary and surrounding areas.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
0.5-1 hrs
Location
Ottery St Mary
Your smart meter explained in plain, simple English. How to read it, what it means, and how to use it to save money on energy bills - no confusing jargon, just practical help.
### The Smart Meter Confusion Problem
Your energy company installed a smart meter. They showed you briefly how it works, then left. Now you've got a screen with numbers that keep changing, and you're **not entirely sure what you're looking at** or how it's supposed to help you save money.
> 💡 **Pro tip:** Smart meters are genuinely useful for tracking energy usage, but only if you understand what you're looking at. Most people never get proper explanation beyond a 2-minute rush during installation.
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### Why People Get Confused
Smart meters aren't complicated, but they're not explained well:
| ✅ After Proper Explanation | ❌ Without Help | |------------------------------|-----------------| | You know your daily energy cost | Numbers mean nothing | | Can spot unusual usage spikes | Bills surprise you every time | | Understand peak/off-peak rates | Paying more than necessary | | Can make informed decisions about usage | Guessing what uses most energy | | Confidence to challenge wrong bills | Accept bills even when they feel high |
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### What You Get
**📊 The Complete Walkthrough**
| Topic Covered | What We'll Go Through | |---------------|----------------------| | **Basic Reading** | How to read the current displays, what each screen shows | | **Usage Tracking** | Daily/weekly usage, how to check it, what's normal | | **Cost Understanding** | How pounds/pence displays work, actual daily costs | | **Peak/Off-Peak** | If you have Economy 7/10, when cheap rates apply | | **Troubleshooting** | What to do if it stops working, who to call |
**📝 What You'll Receive** - Verbal explanation tailored to your understanding level - Written instructions (simple, clear, no jargon) - Tips for reducing energy usage based on your patterns - Contact info for your supplier if meter needs attention
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### Pricing Guide
| Service Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay | |--------------|----------------|------------| | Standard smart meter explanation | Under 1 hr | **£60** | | Explanation + bill analysis | 1-1.5 hrs | **£60-£85** | | Multiple meters or complex setup | 1-1.5 hrs | **£60-£85** |
*Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after.*
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### Perfect For Your Situation If...
✅ **Elderly customers** - meter installed, never properly explained
✅ **Technology confusion** - not confident with digital displays
✅ **New to smart meters** - just had one installed
✅ **Bill surprises** - want to understand where energy is going
✅ **Recently moved house** - inherited smart meter, no idea how it works
✅ **Saving money** - want to use the meter to reduce costs
Why Choose Us for Smart meter explanation in Ottery St Mary?
Explained in plain, simple English
Written instructions left with you
No tech jargon or confusing terms
Practical tips for saving money
What to Expect
### Step 1: Initial Look I'll check what type of smart meter you have (there are a few different models, all work slightly differently). Then we'll look at the current display together so I can see what you're already understanding and what needs explaining. ### Step 2: Screen-By-Screen Walkthrough We'll go through each display on your meter - current usage, daily cost, weekly totals, etc. I'll explain what each number means in practical terms (pounds and pence, not kilowatt hours), and how to navigate between screens. ### Step 3: Practical Application Using your actual current usage, we'll work out what your energy is costing daily. If you've got Economy 7, we'll check you're using appliances at the right times. I'll spot patterns that might be costing extra and suggest simple changes.
Our Ottery St Mary Service Coverage
We cover Ottery St Mary and a 30-mile radius from Exeter, meaning you get local service with the backing of an established business. Whether you're in the centre of Ottery St Mary or in the surrounding villages, we're here to help.
Good to Know
> 🏠 **Older Exeter houses often surprise people.** Victorian and Edwardian properties can be expensive to heat due to poor insulation. Smart meters reveal this clearly - seeing £8/day heating costs in winter shocks some people into getting draft excluders and better insulation. **This isn't about selling energy switching.** I don't work for energy companies, I don't get commission for supplier switches. If your tariff looks terrible, I'll mention it, but my job is helping you understand the meter, not changing your supplier. **Many elderly customers have never had it explained.** Energy company installers are rushed - they fit the meter, show you briefly, and leave. If you didn't understand in that moment, tough. This service gives you as long as you need to ask questions and understand properly. **Written instructions help long-term.** I'll leave you with simple, clear instructions for reading your meter. When you forget in a few months (everyone does), you've got a reference instead of calling the supplier helpline and getting confused again. **Some meters don't work properly.** If yours isn't communicating with your supplier (stuck on "awaiting data" or not updating), I'll spot that and help you contact them to fix it. You're not getting smart meter benefits if it's not working. **Bill analysis is eye-opening.** Bringing recent bills along helps - we can compare what the smart meter shows versus what you're being charged. Sometimes reveals billing errors, sometimes just confirms usage is genuinely high. **This pairs well with energy-saving advice.** If you want, I can walk round your house pointing out energy-saving improvements (draft excluders, timer switches, efficient bulb upgrades) while explaining the meter. Two services in one visit. **Families arrange this for parents.** Adult children in Devon often book this for elderly parents who are confused by smart meters but too embarrassed to ask the energy company repeatedly. One clear explanation, written instructions, problem solved.
Frequently Asked Questions about Smart meter explanation in Ottery St Mary
What exactly will you explain about my smart meter?
How to read it, what the different screens mean, how to check your daily/weekly usage, what the numbers actually tell you about your energy costs, and how to use that information to save money. I'll go through it step-by-step until you're comfortable.
I'm not good with technology - will I understand it?
That's exactly why this service exists. I explain things in normal English, not tech jargon. If something's confusing, we'll go over it again. I'll leave you with written instructions too, so you've got a reference after I leave.
Can you help me understand why my bills have gone up?
Yes - we'll look at your smart meter readings, compare them to previous usage if you have it, and work out where your energy is going. Sometimes it's obvious (heating on more, tumble dryer usage), sometimes it reveals surprises. Either way, you'll understand what's using the most energy.
Will you try to sell me anything or change my supplier?
No - I'm a handyman who explains technology, not an energy company salesman. If your tariff looks terrible I'll mention it, but I won't push switching or upgrading anything. This is pure education and help.
What if my smart meter isn't working properly?
I'll spot that during the explanation - if it's not communicating with your supplier, showing wrong information, or needs resetting. I can't fix smart meters themselves (that's your supplier's job), but I can help you contact them with the right information to get it sorted.
Get a Free Quote in Ottery St Mary
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01392 964094Request Online QuotePricing for Ottery St Mary
* Same rates for all locations in our service area
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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