Please Help Elec bill gone through the roof

Jonnytwotimes

macman wrote: »

It's bound to be down to your immersion heater. You've been constantly reheating your hot water tank by electricity at 3.5 times the cost of doing it by gas. For example, at night, if you run off some hot water before bed, and the heating has already gone off on the timer, the immersion 'stat will heat that back up to temp and keep it warm all night (as it gradually loses heat) until the boiler take over again in the morning. Then the same again all day long-if the boiler is off, then the immersion will be taking over. All an immersion should need is an hour or so in the morning and maybe a boost at night-not 24/7!
The immersion is intended to be just a back up to the boiler-it probably predates the gas CH install.
You say you 'don't use much electricity', but you haven't actually given us any figures. Post your annual or last bill's kWh consumption and better advice can be give. Quoting £120 pm doesn't really tell us anything, as it doesn't tell us your actual usage.
And get the tank lagged immedately if not already done.

Sorry when I said we dont use much what I actually meant was we dont have a lot of standard appliances such as a dish washer, tumble dryer tvs in the bedrooms etc. just one tv.

You may see KW consumption here http://www.box.com/s/epslhpz2m1m8syr7597j

macman

12,235kWh! Your electricity usage is massive: about 3.5 times the average for a property with gas CH and DHW.
A typical figure for a 3 b/r property would be around 3,400 kWh.
I'm not convinced that even an immersion heater on 24/7 would account for all that.

Jonnytwotimes

macman wrote: »

12,235kWh! Your electricity usage is massive: about 3.5 times the average for a property with gas CH and DHW.
A typical figure for a 3 b/r property would be around 3,400 kWh.
I'm not convinced that even an immersion heater on 24/7 would account for all that.

OMG this sounds serious cant believe I am only looking into this now after all that time of struggling to pay the damn bill.

Dogshome nothing on the bill to indicate day night rate. The meter is digital. I have found a 2kw fan heater. Shall I still do the test even though its digital, right now the meter says 11120.

I really hope this can be sorted without resorting to an electrician. I guess it pays to keep an eye on these things, better late than never I guess.

macman

I see from your bill that you are also on BG Standard tariff. That's not helping, as it's the most expensive (whichever supplier you use). Use a comp site with your annual kWh figures and get yourself onto the most competitive online discount or fixed tariff-that should save you at least 4-6% straightaway.
Or at least switch to the BG Online Energy tariff-that will save you 4% right now.
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/gas-and-electricity/our-energy-tariffs.html?bghlink_id=i10009

Jonnytwotimes

Ok BG are sending us an energy meter within 28days so I guess thats some sort of progress. Do you guys think that will help identify the problem ? Unfortunately we cant switch supplier as we owe BG some money.

Having a look at the tariffs now.

Savemoney glad to see you so organised. Im just getting there at the moment there was a point where I looked at nothing and now Im just starting to scutinise everything hence this current situation.

amtrakuk

Sorry to nag but can I bring to the attention that kWh if the number of thousand watts used in an hour. Im sure you guys meant kW (Units).

End of nag. I'm all electric in a 3 bed terrace, in winter (Nov - Mar) Im using about 40 units (approx. £5) a day, I have a thermal store with a 3Kw immersion heater keeping 210 litres of water at 60 degrees 24/7 (100mm blown foam lagging). I have 4 x 1.2 Kw heaters on all the time in winter (50% thermostat when in bed and out of that room for a long time else 100%). It maybe worth checking your insulation, tank lagging, checking for drafts, getting some jumpers on etc. My all electric house consumption is £60 a month