Too many GAS units per year?

sarge123

Wonder if someone can ease my mind on the following issue.

We live in a 3 bedroom end of terrace house.
We have a 5 year old Gas combi boiler supplying both hot water and central heating (no water tank). According to a 'how efficient is my boiler' website it is a Band D (78 - 82% efficient iirc).We cook by electric.

I work full time and my wife works part time, and the heating is only on whilst we are here and it is needed; although she was on sick leave for the whole of last Dec so the heating was on all day.

Anyway have just got my annual statement email from SP stating 'You have used 28304kWh of gas and 3474kWh of electricity during the previous 12 months. The energy use shown is a total of all applicable day/night rates.'

Does this seem normal?

My parents are also in a 3 bed eot house, they are both retired and have the heating on all day and according to one of their previous statements (not the most recent) and they used 9000ish units for the year. The only thing i can think this is due to that they have an A rated condensing boiler.

Anyway does my useage seem normal?

Premier_2

sarge123 wrote: »

...
Anyway does my useage seem normal?

What's normal?

You are using above average for both gas and electric if that is any help. Your parents are using well below the average for gas.

However, as you seem to compare yourself to your parents, and you appear to be using about 3x more gas than them, perhaps you should check you (or perhaps your parents) are being charged on the correct meter basis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_advice/latest_meters_pic.shtml

HappyMJ

Yes it's quite normal. You might have it set warmer than your parents. A more insulated house and A rated boiler will help immensely.

dogshome

Hi sarge123 - Any comparision of your gas consumption with that of your parents, would only be valid and even then only roughly, if thier EOT house was exactly the same as your own including it's compass direction, surrounding buildings and insulation

Your 28340Kwh of Gas is about 33% higher then average, and whilst a more efficient boiler will help, it won't make a difference of the 9000Kwh between you and Mr. Average that you are looking for, and the first step must be to look at the standards of insulation & draught proofing in your house.

CHECK the loft. It should have well fitted insulation to a depth of 15"
CHECK the doors & windows for drafts - Holding a lighted cigarette close to the floor will tell you where they are coming from, likewise the doors and windows

Your consumption does not seem to indicate that you are a victim of the classic Imperial Meter v Metric meter mix-up, but just to check:
Your meter will be marked on the front either M3 for a Metric model or ft3 for an Imperial model.
On the line on your bill that converts the meter units to Kwh, divide the Meter Units into the Kwh charged - If the answer is appx 11 you are being charged for a Metric meter, if it is appx. 31 you are being charged for an Imperial meter - If the meters mark does not match the billing method GET ONTO YOUR SUPPLIER IMMEDIATELY

victor2

Your gas usage does seem a little high. My 4 bed detached used just under 24,000 kWh of gas in the last 12 months. That's with an old (25 years+) gas boiler, central heating, hot water tank and gas hob. Electricity was a bit more than yours at 3,800kWh.
As already said, check your insulation and maybe consider dropping the temperature in the house a degree and/or reduce the hours the heating is on.

sarge123

Well, have just had our annual boiler check and have been informed by BG that we need a power flush as it is causing a valve that we had replaced 8 months ago not to seat properly causing the boiler to make a constant noise when working. £592 quoted.

Thinking it may be worth getting a new boiler which includes a power flush instead of just the flush. This would help i am sure.

Have booked someone to come round and check our cavity wall insulation, awaiting for them to get back in contact with a date...

There is not 15" of insulation in the loft, probably 6" and then boarded throughout, then layered with the normal stuff....was wondering whether it would be worth putting the polystyrene 1-2" thick panels on the roof between the rafters? Would it be worth it?

Do not think we have a drafts around the doors and windows, double glazing throughout.

macman

sarge123 wrote: »

Well, have just had our annual boiler check and have been informed by BG that we need a power flush as it is causing a valve that we had replaced 8 months ago not to seat properly causing the boiler to make a constant noise when working. £592 quoted.

Thinking it may be worth getting a new boiler which includes a power flush instead of just the flush. This would help i am sure.

Have booked someone to come round and check our cavity wall insulation, awaiting for them to get back in contact with a date...

There is not 15" of insulation in the loft, probably 6" and then boarded throughout, then layered with the normal stuff....was wondering whether it would be worth putting the polystyrene 1-2" thick panels on the roof between the rafters? Would it be worth it?

Do not think we have a drafts around the doors and windows, double glazing throughout.

BG recommending a power flush? Well just fancy that! So unusual...
I suggest you ditch your wasteful BG service contract and get a local recommended GSR RGI in to diagnose any problem with your boiler. Even if it does need a powerflush, which I doubt, they would charge you about half of what BG will.
PS: what do you mean by 'check' your cavity wall insulation? It's either there or it isn't-what's to check?

dogshome

Hi sarge123 - That loft insulation between the joists
Depending on the distances that these joists span, they are probably just 4" thick with 4" insulation between, and though the over boarding helps, 12" on top of the boards will do no harm.

Placing insulation boards which cost more than Insulation rolls, between the roof timbers is fine, but only if you want a 'warm' loft space as they only have effect once the heat within your house has escaped up into the loft.

I've done a rough calc on your figures and if indeed you are being charged an Imperial tariff when you have a Metric meter, you are being wrongly charged for around 18,000kwh