Power consumption fiures

Martyn_H

Hi all

We live in a 1930s semi with electric cooker/oven, gas central heating, solid brickwork, 2 adults/2 kids. We have a 2500w tumble drier that we use for approx 3 hours per week, but with a unit cost of around 14p, I figured rightly or wrongly that it's not breaking the bank.

I'd be very grateful for people's opinions as to whether the following consumption figures for the last 12 months are high:

Elec: 5987 units/kWh Gas: 23,012 k'Wh

Our direct debits haven't been increased by Atlantic for over 2 years, with the result that, in the last 6 months alone, we have underpaid for elec by £200 and gas by £170. The direct debit amounts are £49 each per month.

By comparison, my friends are in a similar household but only pay £37pm for elec, although they probably has a gas cooker.

Thank you very much!

Alan_Vickers

We are two adults living in a 4 bedroomed terrace house built in 1929, had cavity wall insulation fitted in March of 2008, gas oven and hob and central heating, we are both in during most days. Last year our consumption was Electricity 4460 kWh, gas 23,072 kWh. Your consumption figures seem to be pretty good.

Magentasue

Six of us in three bed house. Heavy users (all 15+ years).

Gas 31000kwh
Elec 5100kwh

Both rounded up.

SwanJon

'Average' customer uses 20500 kWh gas & 3300 kWh elecctricity, but who wants to be average?
So much to be taken into account - temperature, aspect, insulation, patterns of use etc make it really difficult to compare.
Have a look around and see what you can do to bring that down (for ele, it's usually things that heat (tuimble drier, fires ect), or thing s being left on (TVs in rooms not being used?)

Also, look at clearing as much of the balance as you can so it's not taken into account when they do recalculate your amount.

Martyn_H

From what I've read, a tumble drier will only add around £60pa to the bill.

Cardew

Martyn_H wrote: »

From what I've read, a tumble drier will only add around £60pa to the bill.

Depends how often it is used!!

Tumble dryers can use anything between 2kWh and 5kWh a cycle - say 20p to 50p.

Premier_2

Martyn_H wrote: »

...Our direct debits haven't been increased by Atlantic for over 2 years, with the result that, in the last 6 months alone, we have underpaid for elec by £200 and gas by £170. The direct debit amounts are £49 each per month.

By comparison, my friends are in a similar household but only pay £37pm for elec, although they probably has a gas cooker.

Thank you very much!

As you have discovered, what you pay monthly can be very remote to what you actually consume, resulting in an account credit or debit accruing.

The same can be equally true of your friends

Martyn_H

@Premier

And this was over the winter period too, when consumption is obviously at its heaviest.

I've ordered a Power and Energy monitor to check the meter's accuracy rather than fork out £70 to have the meter checked:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Power-Energy-Monitor-Meter/dp/B000Q7PJGW/ref=pd_sim_ce_1

I'm very grateful for all your replies.

Magnolia

If you take your annual usage and divide it by 365 that will give you your average daily usage. I worked yours out to be 16.4 kwh per day which is about average based on figures I got from NPower yesterday (between 14 - 20)

The average usage will differ depending on the household and how many people but these averages are based on 2 adult and 2 children.

We have been monitoring our usage with one of those Owl gadgets. It has highlighted some things that we can do to reduce our leccy during the times we are out of the house (3 adults all working full time) or when we are in bed. We have reduced our 'ticking over' numbers from .48 to .16 so when you figure this over an average 8 hour day and a 7 hour night that is going to add up to 116 kwh per year and a cost of £12.88 per year. Not a vast saving but better in our pocket than NPowers

Premier_2

Martyn_H wrote: »

...I've ordered a Power and Energy monitor to check the meter's accuracy rather than fork out £70 to have the meter checked:...

That type of energy monitor is useful, but it only measures the power consumption of the individual appliance that is plugged into it. Of course it won't be able to measure hardwired electrical items such as lighting, ovens, etc
Similar versions are available from Lidl (if they still have stock left) for £6.99

To measure the total consumption, you need an owl, efergy or similar monitor - expect to pay about £30 (or free from your supplier if you happen to be with one that gives them away)

Martyn_H

I specifically wanted one that you don't connect to the meter so that I can check the power used by a 100w bulb. If the gadget reads any different, then that may point to the meter being inaccurate. Also, I've read that the Owl has problems with accuracy.

Thanks very much for the daily average usage figures!