40000KWH Gas Usage?

working

Yes, another "my bills are huge" thread...

Well, not quite.

It's my mum and dad's bill. 3 bed local authority small semi in West Yorks. You could call it a two-up two-down....because it is.

A few years ago their gas usage was about the same as mine, around 20000 kwh per year.

Yesterday I checked their annual gas statement: 40000KWH per year.

We always read our meters, never allow use of estimates.

Readings on bill are correct. Meter reads cubic meters and the bill conversion reflects that too.

What am I missing? It sounds like a lot of usage for a small house.

They have a condensing boiler (not combi) which was fitted a few years ago. Mum cooks on gas hob everyday and uses oven once a week.

Heating is on throughout the day but off at night (7am - 10pm). They have room thermostat set at 25 degrees.

They have insulation but no DG. Cavity walls (unfilled).

What do you think?

spiro

working wrote: »

A few years ago their gas usage was about the same as mine, around 20000 kwh per year.

Yesterday I checked their annual gas statement: 40000KWH per year.

Heating is on throughout the day but off at night (7am - 10pm). They have room thermostat set at 25 degrees.

Just had the coldest winter in 100 years, heating on 15hrs a day, thermosat set at 25 degrees and poorly insulated house - all of those factors will push their gas consumption up. If you look at there roof on a frosty day is it covered in frost or clear? If its clear or clear than the neighbours then it means the loft insulation is poor. Current standard is now about 10-12"

Cardew

Poorly insulated house - 25C is extremely high - heating on all day - very cold winter - 40,000kWh is not so surprising.

Has boiler been checked recently?

jalexa

working wrote: »

They have room thermostat set at 25 degrees.

What do you think?

I think the stat is set too high.

There is another thing. While it is perfectly reasonable to maintain a comfortable temperature in the main living space, (but not 25deg), a lower temperature would suit less frequently occupied spaces.

I am treating your post as a heating "test question". There is no mention how temperature is controlled in rooms without a thermostat.

working

Cardew wrote: »

Poorly insulated house - 25C is extremely high - heating on all day - very cold winter - 40,000kWh is not so surprising.

Has boiler been checked recently?

What can I say...they do like it hot!

But they have always had it on high. I don't understand why the usage has doubled. I know it was cold last year but would that double it?

The boiler was faulty recently which would have lowered the usage because the fan kept cutting out thus shutting the burner off. This is fixed now.

My guess is its either:

The boiler
The cooker (second hand so could be inefficient but unlikely to double the usage).
The meter (Schlumberger model)

working

jalexa wrote: »

I think the stat is set too high.

There is another thing. While it is perfectly reasonable to maintain a comfortable temperature in the main living space, (but not 25deg), a lower temperature would suit less frequently occupied spaces.

I am treating your post as a heating "test question". There is no mention how temperature is controlled in rooms without a thermostat.

Sorry I don't understand the 'test question' bit?

My mum and dad's house is very small. They (and rest of family) use all areas and all rooms. They don't have TRVs because they would not use them as they require all heaters on fully open valve position.

pimento

working wrote: »

What can I say...they do like it hot!

Hot costs.

Tell them to put a jumper on. My thermostat is set to 16. It's warm enough but we wear slippers and if I do get a bit cold, I put on a cardigan.

dogshome

Hmmm - Old house, new style Metric meter?
Does this annual statement cover the period when the meter was changed, because if so there is the the likelyhood of a c*ck-up in the final reading of the old meter - Look hard at the bill which splits the calculations from Imperial to Metric, and compare it to the readings on the previous bill - Does the useage between the 2 bills make sense - Metric or Imperial the Kwh finally charged should be the same from season to season.

You seem to know which way is up, but just in case, on the latest bill divide the meter units used in to the kwh charged, the answer should be close to 11.2 - If it's around 31.5 you are being charged on the basis of an Imperial meter

working

pimento wrote: »

Hot costs.

Tell them to put a jumper on. My thermostat is set to 16. It's warm enough but we wear slippers and if I do get a bit cold, I put on a cardigan.

Yes, I do realise that thanks.

But any mention of turning heating down sends my mum into floods of tears.

In any case, my question wasn't "its costing too much?" more about how likely it is to have usage that high under the circumstances mentioned.

Hell will freeze over before my mum turns it down so if the usage seems right then so be it. If it seems improbable then I need to start looking at possible culprits like faulty boiler etc.

macman

If they must have it that hot then why on earth don't they get cavity wall insulation sorted out, either free or a couple of hundred pounds at most? They're already spending around £1400 on gas alone, so just throwing money away without basic insulation. What about the loft insulation?
If they ran it last winter on 25C during the really cold weather then it would have used a huge amount of gas trying to maintain that temp. Just a 1C drop could take 10% off the usage.
However if the usage has doubled outside of that quarter then I would suspect something else is wrong.

working

The last gas bill for Aug-Nov was higher than usual - £330 so I don't think the last winter is solely the reason. As above all readings accurate.

I've told my dad to keep an eye on the meter. It was using approx 1 cubic metre per hour yesterday with the house warm so boiler not working flat out but obviously need to take reading over 24-hour period.