We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
An Interesting Comparison of Electricity Usage
My parents live in a large dual-aspect two bedroom duplex apartment in a converted mill in a Yorkshire village. Mr. Fire Fox and I live in a modest two bedroom north facing apartment in a converted office building in a Yorkshire city centre. We both have double glazing and an Economy 7 all electric energy supply. My parents have double insulated their small loft space and always have the curtains closed in the evening.
I have radiant panel heaters but only heat one room, my parents have 10 year old storage heaters and keep the house pretty warm (maybe 22C). We both do our laundry at night and my parents also run their dishwasher and tumble dryer at night.
In the last two and a half months we have averaged 300kwh per month on the day rate, and 130 kwh on the night rate. Over the last month my parents have also used 300kwh during the day and 1700(sic) kwh overnight!!! :eek:
The fact that our day rates are the same for their much bigger flat tells you that my parents make an effort to reduce their energy usage. However the 10x greater usage at night shows how energy hungry tumble dryers and heaters are.
I have radiant panel heaters but only heat one room, my parents have 10 year old storage heaters and keep the house pretty warm (maybe 22C). We both do our laundry at night and my parents also run their dishwasher and tumble dryer at night.
In the last two and a half months we have averaged 300kwh per month on the day rate, and 130 kwh on the night rate. Over the last month my parents have also used 300kwh during the day and 1700(sic) kwh overnight!!! :eek:
The fact that our day rates are the same for their much bigger flat tells you that my parents make an effort to reduce their energy usage. However the 10x greater usage at night shows how energy hungry tumble dryers and heaters are.
Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
0
Comments
-
I don't think that will surprise many people who have had storage heaters. Never again.0
-
Agree, they are awful heating solutions, so inefficient and uncomfortable0
-
My parents live in a large dual-aspect two bedroom duplex apartment in a converted mill in a Yorkshire village. Mr. Fire Fox and I live in a modest two bedroom north facing apartment in a converted office building in a Yorkshire city centre. We both have double glazing and an Economy 7 all electric energy supply. My parents have double insulated their small loft space and always have the curtains closed in the evening.
I have radiant panel heaters but only heat one room, my parents have 10 year old storage heaters and keep the house pretty warm (maybe 22C). We both do our laundry at night and my parents also run their dishwasher and tumble dryer at night.
In the last two and a half months we have averaged 300kwh per month on the day rate, and 130 kwh on the night rate. Over the last month my parents have also used 300kwh during the day and 1700(sic) kwh overnight!!! :eek:
The fact that our day rates are the same for their much bigger flat tells you that my parents make an effort to reduce their energy usage. However the 10x greater usage at night shows how energy hungry tumble dryers and heaters are.
You do realise that this means that your parents are getting good value from their economy 7 tariff.
On the other hand, you are almost certainly on the wrong tariff and paying excessively for your electricity! You do realise that you almost always pay a hefty premium for daytime electricity on econ 7 (the time when you use most of your electricity).0 -
storminbalder wrote: »You do realise that this means that your parents are getting good value from their economy 7 tariff.
On the other hand, you are almost certainly on the wrong tariff and paying excessively for your electricity! You do realise that you almost always pay a hefty premium for daytime electricity on econ 7 (the time when you use most of your electricity).
Hi!
Thanks I do realise my parents are using their E7 properly (not cheaply as they are with one of the 'green' companies!). Just found it interesting the KWHs attributable to heating, and felt I made a fair comparison as I am pretty au fait with their property and usage patterns!
At 40% night usage and low overall usage, I am slightly better off on E7 than on a standard tariff by about £5 a year. Having been quoted £50 to change the meter, I am still monitoring the situation. I regularly plug my annual and quarterly figures into a price comparison site, with and without E7 tariffs. My present monthly DD is £34 a month, up from £25 last winter which I think is still pretty reasonable. :cool:
Looking to switch to low energy halogens in our living area and install a movement sensor in our hall, which I calculate will reduce our dayrate usage substantially (dark flat, lots of lamps!). After this is sorted I may go for a no standing charge tariff over the summer.
Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0 -
Whilst I don't doubt Storage heaters are expensive, it's a but of an unfair comparison. Heat all of your flat to a constant 22C and then compare....0
-
I am comparing frugal heating with abundant electrically-produced heat, which shows in the difference in the night usage patterns. Even if I heated to 22C I would not be using night rate electricity. I have not tried to demonise storage heaters, I blamed heating per se.
"However the 10x greater usage at night shows how energy hungry tumble dryers and heaters are."Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.7K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454K Spending & Discounts
- 244.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.3K Life & Family
- 258.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards