Is it possible to just stop buying Gas, and just have 'no heating'?

rogerblack

molerat wrote: »

In deep sub zero winter I can keep my whole house at 20 deg 24/7 plus as much hot water as I can use for the same price as a 1.5kW electric fire for 24 hours (hot water extra !). Often makes me wonder when you see people on the news huddled in front of a massive electric fire because they cannot afford to heat the whole house.

You're lucky. Your house is nicely insulated.
At -5C, mine takes around 20kW to keep at 20C.
It is not a big house, but the walls are solid stone, with no insulation (apart from loft insulation)

4kWish (gas equivalent of 1.5kW) would take it to about 3C.
(it stays somewhat warmer than -5C, due to the heat from the ground under the house)
This year, I have insulated one room well, and will be actually warm.

Popperwell

rogerblack wrote: »

Often a bad move!
Go to uswitch, or any other switching site.
Enter 1kWh for your gas usage.
My current supplier for example, gives a 50 quid discount for paying via DD, if you have gas.
They have no standing charge, but a higher per-unit charge on the first gas units used.
If you use no gas, you get a free 50 quid!

Well as some of you may have read on posts I have been putting up in recent days...I have standing charges but they say as I use my electric and gas the unit price comes down...but I am trying not to use as much a electric of gas but I would prefer to do without the heating and during the Summer I have managed to do that reasonably well.

Mainly using the gas to heat the water and if I don't run all the water off it can stay hot for approx 36 hours and I can then just reheat water that has not gone stone cold so I can use less gas.

I have yet to face a winter where heating has not been on(until April when Mum passed away)we used heat when it was needed...but my income has reduced a lot and I suspect it will even more in the future...I thought I had a good deal with BG but they were only offering a standard tariff so in theory they could hike the price up though verbally on the phone they did mention waiving the standing charge but a few people have questioned if that is possible...again on a Standard Tariff...

macman wrote: »

If you disconnect the gas supply, then the HA will undoubtedly bill you for reconnection when you vacate the flat-it's almost certainly a breach of the tenancy agreement.
That's assuming that you haven't frozen to death in the meantime...
Heating by electricity will cost about 300% more per kWh-and how will you heat your hot water?
If your low usage justifies it, just switch to an NSC tariff.

I'd quite like the idea of having the gas capped and avoid Standing charges but being in a Housing Association property that is unlikely...I think my standing charges with VAT included are 42.840p for the gas meter(daily)33.915p for the electric meter.

So I reckon I am paying close on 74p daily before I even use any gas or electric but they say that my units will be reduced to compensate for the SC's as another poster suggests making unit costs cheaper. If I am not using much gas and can watch the electric I may be able to keep the cost down still further.

Seems funny paying for something you are trying not to use. I reckon that means I am paying around £30 a month just for the meters!!

Then again NPower are freezing my prices until October 2013 and they are giving me £45 for being paperless(using a pc for bills and £100 annually for staying with them)so I guess this standing charge really comes down...slightly.

molerat wrote: »

In deep sub zero winter I can keep my whole house at 20 deg 24/7 plus as much hot water as I can use for the same price as a 1.5kW electric fire for 24 hours (hot water extra !). Often makes me wonder when you see people on the news huddled in front of a massive electric fire because they cannot afford to heat the whole house.

Please tell me how to do that...If I can get this year out of the way I will try and get a better deal but I don't know with everything increasing how that can be done...and how much further I can cut back.

I'm repeating myself but I eat less and mainly have cold meals to save using the main cooker. And I have purchased gadgets that hopefully cook hot meals quicker and use less energy anyhow.

To keep warm I wear lots of charity stuff and dive under the duvet.

Biggest expense is running a PC, DAB, an energy saving lightbulb to light most of the upstairs overnight, Fridge/freezer and the washer is used sparingly as is the tumble drier. Maybe once a month. Got to try and have some entertainment.

It's a three bedroom house but it is well insulated in the loft and the house has cavity insolation. But as I sit here now if I did not have lots of clothes on it would be cold...

molerat

At the beginning of winter I go round with a digital thermometer in each room and adjust the trv accordingly. I use 10-12 cu m per day in winter = 112-135 kWh = £4.50. For that I even keep the conservatory above 10 deg.

Popperwell

molerat wrote: »

At the beginning of winter I go round with a digital thermometer in each room and adjust the trv accordingly. I use 10-12 cu m per day in winter = 112-135 kWh = £4.50. For that I even keep the conservatory above 10 deg.

I have one thermostat in the hall so I'll cut the draught at the main front door...stop heating unused rooms(close them off)and use mainly the two bedrooms upstairs and keep the doors closed.

utility_csa

Or you could do what i do some months and just turn the meter off at the emergency control valve. same as capping.

undaunted

rogerblack wrote: »

You're lucky. Your house is nicely insulated.
At -5C, mine takes around 20kW to keep at 20C.
It is not a big house, but the walls are solid stone, with no insulation (apart from loft insulation)

4kWish (gas equivalent of 1.5kW) would take it to about 3C.
(it stays somewhat warmer than -5C, due to the heat from the ground under the house)
This year, I have insulated one room well, and will be actually warm.

I take your point but given that

Many of those molerat refers to are likely to be elderly living in modern house / those otherwise in fuel poverty rather than living in stone built buiilldings I suspect

There are plenty of free / cheap insulation offers available to such customers

Surely insulating and using central heating would as molerat suggested be the better bet for most?

LittleMissAspie

I'm not sure why people are still using tariffs with standing charges, it's no different or can be cheaper to go on a no standing charge tariff if you are a low user and I did a LOT of calculations and comparisons when I was looking for a new tariff a little while ago. With no standing charge you are more in control because you're only paying for what you use. I have always had no standing charge and was paying £44 per month for combined gas and electricity for two years, now they have reduced it to £37 per month because the account is in a lot of credit.

spiro

rogerblack wrote: »

You're lucky. Your house is nicely insulated.
At -5C, mine takes around 20kW to keep at 20C.
It is not a big house, but the walls are solid stone, with no insulation (apart from loft insulation)

4kWish (gas equivalent of 1.5kW) would take it to about 3C.
(it stays somewhat warmer than -5C, due to the heat from the ground under the house)
This year, I have insulated one room well, and will be actually warm.

In October when Green Deal and ECO start you may be able to get secondary wall insulation (SWI) paid over 20-25 years via your elec bill with possibly ECO contribution. For info on ECO see here http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/supporting%20consumers/green_deal/1732-extra-help-where-it-is-needed-a-new-energy-compan.pdf