Electricity Usage – How Accurate?
I have noticed a sudden rise of electricity usage in my home a 3-bed semi-detached house with 2 adults+2 children. Typically, I am now using 35~40 units (kWh) per day. We have the following appliances with typical usage
1) 9.5kW electric shower, total usage 30mins = 5 units
2) 2kW fan heater for total 1 hr /day (30mins am and pm) = 2 units
3) ceramic hob cooker (2hrs a day) = 4 units (approx.)
4) 2 fridge-freezers (1.5 + 2.5 units) = 4 units
5) Kitchen lighting 8x50W spot light bulb for 6 hrs/day = 2.5 units
All other lightings are energy saving light bulbs. These total up 18 units + bits+pieces, e.g. appliance standby etc, totalling some 20 units. Our normal usage some 12~18 months ago was between 25~30 units a day, which was reasonable and about right.
Recently we’ve bought
6) a 42″ plasma TV (280W for 10hrs) = 3 units
This should still give a total of may be 25 units top, not 35~40 units.
However, I noticed that overnight (8hours) the electricity consumption, when the only two of the fridge/freezers are working, are some 4~6 units typically. Occasionally this reaches some 8 units. Then this surprises me because I just can’t see how the two fridge/freezers, plus the occasion central heating pump, can clock up 4~6 units overnight.
1) Would there be a problem with the electricity meter?
2) Can I have it checked out at no extra cost? Or
3) Is there a way to check out the consumption agrees with the meter reading? I attempted to switch off all the electrical items, and then turn them on one by one to check the usage against the number of revolutions.
Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.



switch everything off and run for example an electric 1kw heater for 15 mins it should show 0.25 of a unit has been used. If it shows more there is something wrong and call your electric company to test the meter.
This happened to me but it turned out my neighbour had run a lead from his house through my loft and plugged it in to a light connection to run his heater.
So it is worth while you doing the test first yourself to see if there is a fault with usage or not.