Where is all this electricity going?!

girltuesday_2

We moved 6 months ago from a two bed terrace house to a one bed flat in a factory conversion.

In the old house, we had a gas boiler for heating and hot water, and everything else was electric. Electric bill came in at about £20 per month.

In the new flat, everything is electric, but we're not using the heating (storage heaters) as the flat is warm enough without heating, so the only 'extra' compared to the old house is hot water, and that's an economy 7 boiler (still don't actually understand economy 7, but anyway...). Yet we're somehow getting through over £70 a month of electricity!

I am honestly at a loss as to how we are apparently using more than three times as much electricity as we were doing! Can amnyone advise?

BruceyBonus

If you are on Economy 7, then your electricity is expensive during the day and cheaper at night.

If you have everything switched on during the day, then you are paying a lot more than you would at night.

girltuesday_2

Thanks for your reply.

We're not at home during the day (we both work full time), so apart from a laptop charging or somehting small like that, we shouldn't be using any electric from 8 - 6.

KimYeovil

For 'day' read 'between 6:30 am and 1:00 am'.

Premier_2

BruceyBonus wrote: »

If you are on Economy 7, then your electricity is expensive during the day and cheaper at night.

If you have everything switched on during the day, then you are paying a lot more than you would at night.

I do think you're overcooking the matter somewhat.

Typically E7 day rates are only about 10% more than the equivilent normal rates on a single rate tariff (and of course you get the 7 out of 24 hours at about 50-70% cheaper)

There are even examples where E7 is always cheaper than the equivilent non-E7 rate.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1207887


girltuesday - you say you don't use any heating as the flat is warm enough. If that was true over the recent cold spell, you need to identify where that heat is coming from e.g. poorly lagged hot water tank.

When outside temperatures are consistently below freezing, as they were, there must he a source of heat from something.

girltuesday_2

Re heating: we have a gym on the two floors directly below our flat, which is totally open plan (if you imagine a huge space with two storey high ceilings). Our assumption has always been that the heat they're pumping out to heat the gym is rising through our flat. Our neighbours say the same.

It was a complete shock to us to be honest - we had no idea before we moved in that we'd not need to use our heating. Ironically, once we realised what was happening, we thought it would make our electric bill super low...!

KimYeovil

It's easy to spend £30 or £40 on showers per month. And that's just for two people on a standard price.

Perhaps, as well as using their heating, you can use their showers?

Premier_2

Ah, that could explain the heat source.

Have you thought of getting an energy monitor (like an Owl monitor?). Then you could see how much electricity you are using at any one time and try to establish what is using it

KimYeovil

I hope you've all finished your lunch but ... the trouble with using a gym as a heat source is that it will be a wet heat, not a dry heat. And considering the composition of the moisture...

girltuesday_2

Premier - Do energy monitors need to be connected to the meter? The meters are all in the building basement, and only the building manager can access them. We have to ask him whenever we want a meter reading!

Strange set up I know, but I think it's down to the building being a factory conversion!

KimYeovil - eeewwww!!!

dogshome

Hi girltuesday - Not having direct access to your meter and having to rely on readings taken by a third party is a bit worrying - particularly in a building that has gone from Industrial to Residential use, where mis-wiring problems are not unknown.
Suggest you sweet talk the House Manager into letting you see your meter. Do this after dark when the corridor lights are on. - Check that the meter has the same number as the meter number shown on your bill, and whilst you are looking at the meter, make sure absolutely everything in your flat is turned off - if the meter is still going round your meter is probably supplying power to something else in the building other than your flat. Report this in writing to the buildings owners as the wiring from the meter to your flat is their responsibility