Should I turn the power to my combi boiler off? (Have searched)

dr_winston
dr_winston Posts: 6 Forumite
Hi, basically my flatmates have been arguing over this since we moved in six months ago. One says that the boiler should only be turned on when we need hot water (shower/ bath/ washing up) and for heating (in winter, obviously it's not needed now).

Whereas the other says to just leave the hot water function on and all the time for when we need it as.

So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas? and would only turning it on save us much?

Cheers ; )
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  • DragonQ
    DragonQ Posts: 2,193
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    dr_winston wrote: »
    So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas?
    In terms of gas, no. The whole point is that hot water is only created when you turn the tap on (both the positive and negative of having a combi boiler). As for the electricity, I can't imagine the boiler using much in "standby" mode. Even if it used 5 W you're talking £5 per year.
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    dr_winston wrote: »
    Hi, basically my flatmates have been arguing over this since we moved in six months ago. One says that the boiler should only be turned on when we need hot water (shower/ bath/ washing up) and for heating (in winter, obviously it's not needed now).

    Whereas the other says to just leave the hot water function on and all the time for when we need it as.

    So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas? and would only turning it on save us much?

    Cheers ; )

    With a combi boiler, when there is a request for hot water i.e. by someone turning on a hot tap, water is heated by the combi boiler which then flows through to the relevant tap.

    You won't save much by turning the electricity suppy off when the boiler is not needed.
  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 31,687
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    The miniscule amount you will save is far outweighed by not getting into a freezing cold shower and having to run through the flat stark naked and dripping wet to turn the boiler on :o
  • Andy_WSM
    Andy_WSM Posts: 2,217
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    Also if you keep turning it on & off at the mains it is only a question of time before you blow the main PCB which will cost hundreds of £s to replace. Your few pence a day electricity saving will look rather pitiful then!
  • Nada666
    Nada666 Posts: 5,004 Forumite
    As you have flatmates (there are at least three of you) then it is certainly not worthwhile. For a single person it can make sense to switch it off - a comb-boiler can easily cost as much for electricity as it does for gas and make up one-third of the electricity bill.
  • rogerblack
    rogerblack Posts: 9,446 Forumite
    However!!!
    Do read the manual, and ensure there is not a reservoir of water, kept hot with electricity. This can use significant amounts of power, and can usually be switched off somehow without turning off the boiler.
  • DragonQ
    DragonQ Posts: 2,193
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    edited 4 June 2013 at 10:28PM
    Nada666 wrote: »
    As you have flatmates (there are at least three of you) then it is certainly not worthwhile. For a single person it can make sense to switch it off - a comb-boiler can easily cost as much for electricity as it does for gas and make up one-third of the electricity bill.
    Oh yeah? Might use my power meter to see how much mine uses.

    EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    DragonQ wrote: »
    Oh yeah? Might use my power meter to see how much mine uses.

    EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.

    What type of power meter did you use to get that result in 3 minutes?

    Boilers are normally hard wired i.e. not plugged in via a 13A socket.
    I've just looked at my boiler (which is not a combi boiler) and there is no access to the power cable at all (without removing any covers)
    There's an on/off switch on the wall, and presumably the cable travels from that, behind the wall, to the back of the boiler.
  • Nada666
    Nada666 Posts: 5,004 Forumite
    DragonQ wrote: »
    Oh yeah? Might use my power meter to see how much mine uses.

    EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.
    Well done. Shrug. Your boiler (claims) to only use 0.77 kWh per week. My one uses more than 6 kWh. Either I have a carp boiler or your instaneous reading is misleading. Even if your reading is reliable not everyone will have a boiler that efficient. As I said it is only significant for single people - more than one person using hot water (and paying the bill) it makes little sense to switch it off. But more than 300 kWh per year is easily one third or one quarter of an annual bill for a single person.
  • mjmal51
    mjmal51 Posts: 591
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    Nada666 wrote: »
    Well done. Shrug. Your boiler (claims) to only use 0.77 kWh per week. My one uses more than 6 kWh. Either I have a carp boiler or your instaneous reading is misleading. Even if your reading is reliable not everyone will have a boiler that efficient. As I said it is only significant for single people - more than one person using hot water (and paying the bill) it makes little sense to switch it off. But more than 300 kWh per year is easily one third or one quarter of an annual bill for a single person.

    Something wrong there? Are you measuring the electricity used in winter and therefore the power consumed by the pump for central heating?
    When in hot water only mode the only power is to keep the boiler in standby - negligible. Won't matter if a single person or 10 people in the house.
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