Elect cost of running gas boiler?

ally18

The clocks have gone back, the lights have been on longer as the evenings get darker. Running a gas CH boiler cannot double your electrcity consumption unless it is tiny in the first place. How many extra kWh are we talking about per day?

Hi Macman,
I checked my usage for this time last year and that too had increased, though not as much. I used 336 kw of electric during Nov last year and this year it has risen to 605 from 4/11 to yday. The thing is, I have no extra electrical appliances this year, all low saving bulbs in my lights, the main two are on timers again, nearly all the main items are turned off at the socket bar fridge & freezer. There is no-one in the house during the day as I don't get back until 7pm so weekends and evenings is the main usage.

This may be a daft question but a c/h heating pump does pump the water round at a standard rate, doesn't it? It doesn't have to work faster or slower or anything does it? I noticed some of my radiators last night are no longer getting hot at the bottom and some are now just warm at the top. I checked them all and none need bleeding again. I think I may have a problem.

macman

Sounds like the system is sludged up then, any air will result in cold at the top-not at the bottom. So the pump may be working harder to move the same volume of water. But a CH pump doesn't use that much power anyway.

ally18

Scratch that, I think I have my answer. This time last year, I didn't have a 16 yr old at college during the week with days off! Have just had a telephone conversation with said daughter asking me where tumble dryer sheets are!
Whereas I do my laundry and drying on economy 7 times, she has been doing hers during the mornings when she has free periods off college, no flaming wonder the electric usage has gone up!!!!!!!!!!

ally18

Macman,
Thanks for your replies.
The system was flushed last year so I know it is fairly clean. However, the boiler is over 19 yrs old, same as the radiators. Its a basic Baxi boiler with a dial for temp ranging from 0 - 6. Last night the dial was on 5. Kitchen/dining room temp was 9 c. Sunday was 6 c but that was with heating off.

JimmyTheWig

See how fast your electricity meter is going round with and without the central heating on. That will tell you how much electric is it using.

[Cross posted with "answer" in post 14!]

JimmyTheWig

Ok, so minus 1 point for daughter doing laundry during the day.

But plus 10 points for a teenager doing her own laundry! I'm impressed.