Is my electricity usage/bill average or high?

Sunny2

Hi, I'm with EDF and according to them my average annual usage is 21 units a day - from 18th July to 25th Feb (I think a unit is the same as a kwph??). This for a family of 4 with oil fired central heating (don't know if that makes a diffence). I work from home so all domestic stuff is done during the day as is my office computer/printer, phone etc., and I don't have economy 7.

I'm currently paying 17.10p for the first 225 units followed by 11.73p thereafter. My bills are between £1200 - £1300 a year.

As I haven't switched suppliers for over 8 years, I'm thinking of doing this now. Talking to EDF they tell me that prices are coming down to 16.33 for the first 225 units and 11.20p therafter from 31st March. Plus they have this new thing just launched called Eco 20/20, which with a one year contract will offer 8.96 per unit after 9pm weekdays and all day weekends.

So my questions... is my bill and usage average or high? Am I likely to get a better price from another supplier after 31st March or do you think that the Eco 20/20 sounds like a good deal?

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Magentasue

High use - why? Immersion heater, electric heaters, tumble drier, electric shower?

Sunny2

Hi Magentasue, yes to tumble drier, wash & dish wash machine - each on once a day (although washing machine can be twice). No electric shower; immersion only used in emergency, like now when the boiler has broken down!; with 2 kids I would say reasonaby high useage of tv, laptops & music (switched off at plug when not in use). Other than that I would have thought we were a pretty average family with typical useage??

Magentasue

We are family of six (all 15+) with someone home most of the day - OH and I work part-time, two kids work full time but one does shifts and younger two college/school.

We have two TVs, Sky+, xbox etc. Dishwasher, washing machine and tumble drier. Only use latter a couple of hours a week and then only in winter. Four laptops, etc etc and we average 16kwh a day winter and 13kwh day summer. Most of the difference is dehumidifier on in the evening and the tumble drier.

So average 21kwh a day with some summer months and only four of your seems high to me. We used to use that but have cut back without suffering. Even now, our use is high compared to many who post on here.

savers_united

Before looking at cost you need to be looking at usage.
21 kWh per day is high as it equates to over 7600kWh per annum, thats more than 2.5x the uk average per household.
Long term energy costs are going to rise so you really need to start looking at where your using this level of electricity, Tumble dryer , Showers , Heaters , Pond pumps , GU10 halogen light fittings (Large number of), Plasma TVs these together can soon send your bill sky rocketing.

Unless you know where then you cannot take steps to put it right, also older appliances such as freezers and tumbles can use much higher levels of electricity

Sunny2

If I compare my situation with Magentasue, I really should be using around the 13-16kwh p/day. I'm stumped.

We have No halogen lights; no pond pumps or electric heaters; do have a 42" plasma + 2 other tellies (small old ones w/ digi box on one of them); sky; and we got a Wii at xmas - so not relevant here; 4 laptops (usually just mine on during the day and kids in the evening) 1 year old tumble drier also used mainly in the winter; DVD player; I drink a lot of coffee during the day - so lots of kettle use! and a 5 year old fridge.

Any other suggestions as to where I can be leaking electricity. We do turn of at the plug / or pull it out, when not in use

Magentasue

Now, this is why I wouldn't let my kids buy a plasma TV ...

The TV and tumble drier are the obvious meter spinners if used a lot. I'd call more than two or three hours a day for TV and a couple of hours a week tumble drying a lot. The rest of my family laugh at such ideas.

savers_united

A quick calculation:

Tumble 1.5 hours day = 7.5kWh
Washing Machine 3 hours day = 4.5kWh
Dishwasher 1 hour day = 1kWh
Plasma 5 hours day = 2kWh

Total 15kWh

Approx 6-8kWh per day for the following:-

Fridge freezer - 1kWh per day
Lighting - 0.5kWh per day
Laptops / PCs/Monitors - 1kWh per day
Kettle - 1kWh daily
Toaster
Phones
DVD Players / Digi Box
Consoles
Router
Microwave
Cooker
Other TVs - 1kWh per day
Hoover

Gives you an idea where your usage comes from

Sunny2

Thanks Savers - that does really help. (Tumble Driers :eek:).

Magentasue: I got out-voted. TV nearly bigger than the room - hate it!

Doing a rough, quick calculation on our weekly kWh useage of the main items you listed (drier 34, wash 14, dish wash 7, TV 10) we are using approx 65 kwh a week. Allowing for a high use, say 10 kWh a day or 70 kWh a week for the other stuff it comes to 135 kwh a week. EDF are saying I use 147 kWh a week, which when you tot it up on a quarterly basis at the cheaper rate, is quite significant. Is it possible that the meter is wrong or have I missed something glaring out?

BTW does anyone think that the EDF 20/20 offer sounds good? or do you think better rates will be available soon?