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Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

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  • Barneysmom
    Barneysmom Posts: 10,136 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Would one of those electric Burco water heaters work out cheaper than using the gas (combi boiler) to do thewashing up?
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  • nicki_2
    nicki_2 Posts: 7,321 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic I've been Money Tipped!
    Teria wrote: »
    I'm just starting to wonder about my immersion heater. At the moment, it's on 24/7, but only on a fairly low temp - 40 degrees. Is it more economical to leave it on all the time, so it only has to keep the water at a constant temperature, or only turn it on when I know I'm going to want it, but so it has to heat the water up from cold?

    I was wondering about that too... but mines set at 60 I think? It was set by the plumber when the last thermostat went and cause our cold water tank in the loft to fill with boiling water and start leaking through the ceiling! :eek: Thank goodness for rented property ;):rotfl:
    Creeping back in for accountability after falling off the wagon in 2016.
    Need to get back to old style in modern ways, watching the pennies and getting stuff done!
  • looby-loo_2
    looby-loo_2 Posts: 1,566 Forumite
    I've just found this thread and have been reading it for an hour. Anyway, here are a few of the things I do t save. I always have been careful not to waste nergy or anything really and hey! all of a sudden I have become fashionable.

    Sorry if these have been written already - I have only read 25% of pages.

    I stack the dishwasher but there are always a few saucepans, etc, which I don't put in. I run one bowl of hot water just as I'm waiting for the veg to cook and I wash up all the little bits (cleanish items that only need a rinse and bulky items like basins which take up room in the DW) After the meal the water is still quite hot, hot enough to wash the pans and a few other bits. I can often do the side plates and dessert/pudding bowls. The messy plates are rinsed in the now only just warm water and put in the DW. The DW fills up slowly and I only put in on after about three days.

    2. The best energy saving thing I have ever bought is a steamer. All the veg are cooked on one ring.

    3. Never turn on the oven for only one item.

    4. In the winter when the water from the mains is very cold I run a pan full of water in the morning and leave it with its lid on on the window sill in the sun. By evening I use this room temperature water for the kettle and cooking the veg. It boils much quicker.

    5. Soaking clothes is the key to getting them clean for less. Once the WM has filled and tumbled and the clothes are wet I switch the machine off for 30 mins or so to let them have a good soak. I always use 30 degree wash and very small measure of Lidl powder.

    6. I wash some jumpers and special T-shirts by hand as they last longer. I use the lat bit of water from the kettle to take the chill of the water and leave them to soak for 30 mins. Then they only need a quick rinse. In the winter I spin them but in the summer just squeeze them and put them on the line.

    7. In the winter I hang everything which can be hung on a hanger on the curtain rail in my bedroom (back of house) and it is dry by morning. The radiator in on for 45 mins am and 3 - 4 hours pm. Very little ironing and everything is ready on hangers for putting away.

    8. Use my pressure cooker lots. I have three tenagers and their favourite meal is breast of lamb casserole cooker in the PC. Chopped up with leek, tomatoes, stock and herbs (and any other veg that needs using up) 30 mins and it's done (10 prep, 10 browningand stiring, 10 with pressure) Done!

    9. One from my mum. She keeps busy and doesn't have the heating on in the day but gets cold when she sits down for lunch so she takes her lunch outside and sits in her nice warm greenhouse or car on those Autumn and Spring days that are sunny but cold.

    10. DH and DS get home about 5.45. If I'm home first, say 4.45 I often potter in the garden, sweep up, tidy car, etc for an hour to save going into the cold house. Heating goes on when we are all home.

    11. We have a newish combi boiler but it is in the loft.(big mistake, another story) It takes AGESSSSSS for the hot water to come through the long pipe run, 16 litres before hot reacher kitchen sink! Everyone is trained to only use cold tap unless hot water is essential. The 'hot' tap water would be cold anyway unless you stood and waited at least three minutes so it is a waste firing up the boiler.

    Sorry if these have all been said before. Thanks for all the tips so far.
    Doing voluntary work overseas for as long as it takes .......
    My DD might make the odd post for me
  • What a good thread!

    Have just about read half of it and can see what useful tips we have here.

    As for me, well we don't have central heating, we decided against it as I find houses with CH always too warm for comfort. We have a real flame gas fire in the lounge which we bought two years ago and is very efficient, tho during the autumn and early spring we often just stay warm with the candles I love to have burning. We have snuggly knee rugs that we use if chilly, and I agree with a lot of the posters - hot water bottles are a very underrated item usually once you become an adult!!

    In the bedroom and 'office' we have background heaters that cost anything from 1p to 3p an hour to run depending on the size. I find having them on for a couple of hours before we go to bed just takes that edge off the room and makes it pleasant to go to bed in. Again when working in the office (where this computer lives) we have a knee rug and have the heater on for a couple of hours if we are both going to be in here. Keeping doors shut is second nature, even if it annoys the cat!!

    Oh we also have full length heavy curtains in the lounge which really do keep out a lot of cold air.

    We just changed our dual fuel to a capped one and are receiving an energy monitor so can't wait to be a complete anorak and work out all the costings. We unfortunately had our emersion heater burst back in feb but I guess it was lucky in an odd way cos now we have a new one and we can set the thermostat as low as we like. We too keep ours on 24/7 on the premise that it costs more to heat up from cold but I would love to know if that is true.


    Oh, I forgot to say - the cat flap in the front door always used to let in a lot of cold air... so we swapped it to a posh one that only opens when the sensor reads the cats collar is near it. Was more expensive but I think it will save money in the long run cos the cold draft was a pain all winter!

    Happy Money saving everyone!
    To be frugal, you need to spend money wisely, simply spending less is not enough.
    If you can't handle me at my worst then you don't deserve me at my best...
    Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I will try again tomorrow.
  • Gigervamp
    Gigervamp Posts: 6,583 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Talking of immersion heaters, where is the thermostat on them? Ours is only used occasionally (when we've run out of oil), but the water is scalding hot and I haven't seen a thermostat on it to turn it down.
  • greenbee
    greenbee Posts: 17,759 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Teria wrote: »
    I'm just starting to wonder about my immersion heater. At the moment, it's on 24/7, but only on a fairly low temp - 40 degrees. Is it more economical to leave it on all the time, so it only has to keep the water at a constant temperature, or only turn it on when I know I'm going to want it, but so it has to heat the water up from cold?

    I seem to remember being told that the hot water system should be kept above a certain temperature to prevent legionnaire's disease from developing. 40 degrees sounds pretty low... from a quick bit of research, the consensus seems to be 60. Even if it costs a little more, its worth finding out what the recommended temperature is to kill the bugs!
  • greenbee
    greenbee Posts: 17,759 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Gigervamp wrote: »
    Talking of immersion heaters, where is the thermostat on them? Ours is only used occasionally (when we've run out of oil), but the water is scalding hot and I haven't seen a thermostat on it to turn it down.

    To find mine I have to unscrew the cap on top of the tank (where the power cable goes into the tank) and the thermostat is in there.

    For all those who want to know whether it is cheaper to have it on all the time or just a couple of hours twice a day - it's definitely cheaper to do the latter. If you have an insulated cold water tank you're using pre-warmed (even if only slightly) water, and your hot water tank (if lagged) retains heat for 12 hours), so even if you empty the tank mid-morning, the water it is filled with by evening will be warmer than what's coming off the mains, and can easily be heated in an hour.

    If you find you get less hot water with your immersion than your boiler - you need to swap for a longer element (mine only heats about two thirds of the tank).
  • Gigervamp
    Gigervamp Posts: 6,583 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    greenbee wrote: »
    To find mine I have to unscrew the cap on top of the tank (where the power cable goes into the tank) and the thermostat is in there.

    Thanks, I'll go and have a look. :)
  • mr_magoo_5
    mr_magoo_5 Posts: 175 Forumite
    I know some guys have no option but if your immersion is not really needed, disconnect/unplug the damm thing. I did many years ago saved a fortune
    Control is an illusion, chaos is the reality. A successful warrior dances with chaos, and success means simply that one is still alive.
  • greenbee
    greenbee Posts: 17,759 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Mine's switched off... it's just there for emergencies (like when my boiler was being replaced). When the gas has run out and we're all using nuclear electricty it might come in handy!
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