Sub-metering Installation by a Licensed Washington DC Plumber
Save Money and Resources with Plumbers 911’s Sub-meter Installation
As technology progresses, it seems that it’s making our lives simpler at the cost of our earth’s resources, which can also translate to the very tangible form of higher utility bills every month. We use more electricity to run our personal electronics, more water to automatically wash our clothes and dishes, and more fuel to keep us warm in the winter. Of course, new technology also helps solve this problem, in the form of
water-conscious washing machines and energy-conscious boilers.
However, there’s another potential solution to our overuse of resources that is often overlooked: submetering. Submetering is the installation of technology that can individual meter the use of resources in an individual dwelling, room, or piece of equipment.
If you own or operate a multifamily dwelling, submetering can be an obvious solution to determining how much resources each family uses each month, and how much they should be billed accordingly. But beyond this, submetering can also be a solution for individual families or businesses to monitor the resources they’re consuming, in order to make smarter choices, saving both money and the earth.
What is submetering?
In brief, submetering is the installation of multiple individual meters that can measure in detail the use of resources such as water, gas, or electricity. It provides more data than traditional metering, so it can help identify unusually high usage that might indicate significant underlying problems. It can also call attention to wasteful usage, such as equipment being left running when not in use.
A business interested in utilizing submetering might be interested in installing individual meters for different rooms or pieces of machinery. The data that these multiple meters produce can allow for a company to set benchmarks for their resource usage, and help to develop a plan for meeting these goals. This kind of proactive strategy can have a hugely positive effect long-term when it comes to a business’s bottom line.
In the case of multi-family dwellings, such as apartment buildings or even in college dorm buildings, meters are installed for each individual dwelling. This technique takes the guesswork out of how much water or energy each tenant has used each month, and it allows for a simple billing process that charges every tenant fairly. It can also encourage individual tenants to be more thoughtful with their consumption of resources, since they are directly billed for what they use. For multifamily dwellings, submetering is becoming an increasingly common practice, with upwards of 90% of multi-family dwellings being submetered.
How does submetering work?
Usually, when submetering is used, the utility company owns and operates a single “master meter” which measures the overall usage of the building. Individual submeters are placed privately, with the property owner or property manager having access to this information.
Submetering technology is becoming more and more high-tech. A popular option now is called
Automatic Meter Reading, which allows data to be collected electronically, and even remotely.
A huge benefit of
submetering technology is that data can be collected up-to-the-minute. Instead of having to wait for a utility company to read your meter and tell you your level of usage, usage can be monitored in real time. This allows for intricate data collection to occur. For businesses, for instance, it may be helpful to collect data that allows you to see usage by day of the week, or even hour by hour. This can give you an idea of your employees’ usage habits, and help make decisions for how energy usage can be scaled back.
What are the benefits of submetering?
There are many benefits for utilizing submetering, some of which have already been explored above. As mentioned, there are two main types of benefits to submetering: economic benefits, and environmental benefits – both of which go hand-in-hand.
Some additional reasons you might consider installing submetering on your property are:
For property owners and managers: Knowing the exact cost of your tenants’ utility usage ensures that they pay this cost in full, and eliminates the risk of you absorbing some of the cost.
Monitoring usage of utilities over time will make obvious any outliers that could mean big trouble. For example, a sudden spike in water usage could mean that there’s a leak lurking somewhere on your property.
Submetering makes individual tenants aware and responsible for their own usage, and will encourage them to keep usage low so they will save money.
For business owners: Aggregating data is the first step towards increasing efficiency. Submetering can be your main tool for exploring how your company uses resources, and how that can improve.
As for property owners, knowing a baseline for utility usage will make it clear when the usage is abnormal, signaling potential problems such as equipment failure. Being able to predict these issues can avoid gaps in production and help you save money.
These days, it’s all about being green. Utilizing submetering to keep your company’s energy usage low can demonstrate a commitment to being environmentally friendly, something that your customers will appreciate.
Why go with Plumbers 911 Washington DC?
If you’re interested in installing a submetering system in your home, multi-family dwelling, or place of business, a
trusted Washington DC plumber is the first place to turn. We’re eager to help you implement just the right system to fit your needs!
Plumbers 911 offers the most up-to-date technology, and all of our technicians are fully licensed and trained to be familiar with the latest techniques and methods, so you can ensure that your submetering system is the highest quality. Additionally, our technicians are carefully screened and selected, so you can rest assured your work will be performed by the best in the business.
In addition, Plumbers 911 Washington DC is able to fulfill a full range of plumbing and
HVAC needs, including around-the-clock emergency plumbing services. Whatever issue you may have, all you need to do is make one call to reach a network of industry professionals ready to repair, replace, or install top-of-the-line systems and equipment.]]>
Please wash your hands frequently. Washing with soap and water for twenty seconds is the preferred method, however when water is not available, please use an alcohol based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
Practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from another person.