How much is normal?

zauren

Hello

I'm feeling really worried about my gas meter and would like to know how much everyone else uses!

For the period of 30/12/2010 to 22/01/2011 which is only 25 days my gas meter has gone from reading 04974 to 05168 which is an increase of 194 units!!!

I feel this is too high considering we are always cold and only have the heating on for 2 hours in the morning and 6 in the evening at a low level with the dial set to 2 out of 5. It is a 3 bed semi-detached house with only 2 adults in resident.

We have only been in this house for a few months so are only just starting to get bills and track the meter readings. If anyone could offer some advise on whether this increase is normal or not, I'd very much appreciate it!

Thank you money savers!

penrhyn

Have you got a metric or imperial gas meter, it makes a difference.

Assuming metric your usage sounds about right, i used around 167 units over a similar period.

I assume by turning down from 5 to 2 you mean the boiler thermostat.
Running the boiler low means the radiators will never get hot enough to heat your rooms.

This is not the way to economise or keep warm. he boiler is running very inefficiently. You should run the boiler at a setting where the radiators get as hot as possible ( where you can just bear to touch them)
Control should be via TRVs on the radiators or your room stat.

prudryden

I used from 9 Dec 2009 to 3 Feb 2010 (57 days) = 568 units for an average of 9.96/day. Generally the heat is on for 2 hours in AM and maybe 3+ in PM. Once my rooms reach a certain temp. I turn off boiler and room stays warm for a good 4 hours after that. I prefer to turn off rather than have it come on and off every minute or so..

penrhyn

prudryden wrote: »

I used from 9 Dec 2009 to 3 Feb 2010 (57 days) = 568 units for an average of 9.96/day. Generally the heat is on for 2 hours in AM and maybe 3+ in PM. Once my rooms reach a certain temp. I turn off boiler and room stays warm for a good 4 hours after that. I prefer to turn off rather than have it come on and off every minute or so..

I guess you have a TRV only system, my mum had one, and it was very annoying, you were always waiting for the boiler to kick in.

I'd recommend anyone to have a room stat fitted if possible.

zauren

thanks for your quick replies!

I'm not sure what you mean by TVR system though or how to tell if it is imperial or metric? All our settings are on the boiler itself and we do not have a thermostat anywhere in the house.

Ive never understood what the best way to heat the house is... should we be putting it one for shorter times at a higher setting then? The boiler itself in only a few years old and is a combi boiler. The only dial we have to control is one on the boiler which ranges from * 1 - 6 Max and we tend to keep it at about 2. It is a rented house so can't not get a thermostat fitted : (

penrhyn

zauren wrote: »

thanks for your quick replies!

I'm not sure what you mean by TVR system though or how to tell if it is imperial or metric? All our settings are on the boiler itself and we do not have a thermostat anywhere in the house.

Ive never understood what the best way to heat the house is... should we be putting it one for shorter times at a higher setting then? The boiler itself in only a few years old and is a combi boiler. The only dial we have to control is one on the boiler which ranges from * 1 - 6 Max and we tend to keep it at about 2. It is a rented house so can't not get a thermostat fitted : (

TRV = Thermostatic radiator valves, they have a numbered scale that you adjust to get a comfortable room temperature.
If you have a metric meter it will have a big M3 mark on it, if its imperial then it will be marked 100s CUFT

Higher setting over shorter time may be better, invest in a couple of room thermometers, see what it takes to get temp up to 19-21 c.