Is your heating ON or OFF?

Andy_Hamilton

I'm really good at checking my meters every month as I would hate to have a massive bill. I keep my own spreadsheet which gives daily usage. I also know my tarriff charges.
My house is a 3 bed mid terrace new build with condesing boiler. The thermostat is set to 20 degrees during eveing and morning and 16 during the night.
For the 7 months with heating on should cost me £67.
I suspect a drafty old house with no insulation will cost much more to run.

Lalaladybird

I might try to work this out myself Andy, does it not work out cheaper to keep the heating at 18 all day and night? I was wondering this recently.

Barneysmom

Andy_Hamilton wrote: »

I'm really good at checking my meters every month as I would hate to have a massive bill. I keep my own spreadsheet which gives daily usage. I also know my tarriff charges.
My house is a 3 bed mid terrace new build with condesing boiler. The thermostat is set to 20 degrees during eveing and morning and 16 during the night.
For the 7 months with heating on should cost me £67.
I suspect a drafty old house with no insulation will cost much more to run.

Even with insulation, my old house is cold Andy.
Could you teach us the spreadsheet method?
My boiler has a dial you turn to turn higher or lower, and LEDs light at 50,60,70, and 80 degrees. You can't really tell whereabouts between the numbers the boiler is set at (Baxi fairly new)

Andy_Hamilton

My spreadsheet would not make sense to many people.
Basically.
Read your meter
x11 to convert it to KWH (if it says M3 on your meter)
Read after a few days and work out how many KWh you have used.
There is a spreadsheet on here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1184735

sparrer

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Ive got large concerns re this thread and the dont use gas/electric one.

I understand people really need to keep costs to an absolute minimum but surely the small cost per unit for gas is less important than the health of the people posting on here? it really isnt a game risking your health.

I've got large concerns about the cost of my heating bill gazza..it's fine to say 'the small cost per unit' but it doesn't take just one unit to heat a home. As for risking health, I grew up in the 40/50's when we didn't have heating, just a coal fire laid and lit when I got home from school. Morning routine was a dash to the bathroom where Mum had put a kettle of water in the basin for us, getting dressed under the bedclothes, downtairs for a bowl of porridge then walk :eek: to school. We didn't get colds/flu the way my DGC do..

Since then of course I've had insulated, centrally heated homes but now having COPD I've noticed I'm worse when the heating is on. So you could say ch is a risk to my health...btw I turned the ch on a couple of days ago after spending 2 days in DD's ch'd home but have turned it off again now, a, because the weather has turned milder and b, because I was puffing like an ol' billy goat trying to breathe! The majority of us are here for the support we get from others in a similar situation (ie poor :rolleyes: ) so no, not a game, just caution and common sense.

A_fiend_for_life

Lalaladybird wrote: »

Thanks barneysmom, the vent isn't actually over the window. It is in the wall There is an unused chimney behind that wall I think:huh:. But I will use a hot water bottle

PDSA if you have one nearby are selling them for £2-49.

anniewoo

Well my heating went on this morning and I have to say it was lovely to get up to a warm house instead of hiding under the bedclothes knowing I was going to freeze as soon as I got out of bed :rotfl:

I am pleased that I managed to last until 1st November,although it was touch and go for a few days earlier in the week when I just couldn't get warm at all.

I only have the heating on for an hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening,but this is fine for me.Besides,I can't afford to keep it on for longer.A few years ago,I had my DD living with me during the winter months and I felt obliged to have the heating on more often for her and my gas bills rocketed during the time she was here :eek:

If by any chance the weather turns a bit milder,then the radiators will be off,but at least the house has had a chance to warm through,it really was feeling a bit damp and chilled.

Good luck to anyone who is still holding out and I would like to say thanks for all the support on this thread,we have kept each other going :A :beer:

Barneysmom

Andy_Hamilton wrote: »

My spreadsheet would not make sense to many people.
Basically.
Read your meter
x11 to convert it to KWH (if it says M3 on your meter)
Read after a few days and work out how many KWh you have used.
There is a spreadsheet on here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1184735

Thanks Andy, I wondered why I'd only used 3 quids worth of gas this month, got it completely wrong

larmy16

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but a few years ago, I read on an American money saving site, that it is good to wear a hoodie to bed (one of the situations where they have a positive image) - if you have a particularly cold house which is hard and expensive to eat.

I have to say when I tried it - I slept like a baby. It was like being cocooned. Absolutely wonderful. The house I have now is pretty warm having been through all the energy saving advice etc and I would probably be sweltering in one.

Try it, particularly for little kids or for elderly relatives - you can always take the string bit out from the neck if you are worried.

sammyjig

lil_me wrote: »

We've been away in the caravan caterina, we have electric heater and electric blown air heating, it was warmer there than it is in my house....

Us too lil_me. We had an oil filled rad on constantly for the weekas we had already paid for the electric. Gothome last night and the house was like a fridge!! Had to put the heating on this morning. Oh well, made it to November 1st! I'm hoping that a short blast of heat each day and then all the measures I have taken to insulate the house will work and keep the heat in for longer.