Gas meter shows high useage yet no gas used?

bundance

macman wrote: »

You can't 'check' a meter onsite. It will be replaced and sent for testing if you ask, you will then be charged for the replacement unless the meter proves to be out of tolerance.
Yes, you have a metric meter that measure in units of one cubic metre.
You've already been advised about the pilot consumption, if you don't accept this explanation then switch off the pilot light and check for usage as already suggested.

It's not that I don't accept the explaination I just want confirmation I interpreted it correctly.

I get bad confusion as a side effect of the medication I am weaning off under my doctors supervision. I just have to live with the side effects until I am weaned off.
I don't always understand things I read, and I mis-interpret them.
I am weaning off the meds under my docorss supervision but have to put up with the side effects until I am weaned off and recovered.

I just want to confirm is 41 units a reasonable amount for my pilot light to have used since 23rd August, and that I don't need to get someone to check the meter.

Thanks and sorry for the confusion

C_Mababejive

macman wrote: »

So you are suggesting that the RGI is incompetent and couldn't find a leak?
Despite there being no odour of gas present?
If the OP still thinks there is a leak they should call the Gas Emergency Service.
.

I wouldnt bother. If that volume of gas had leaked into an average house,you would be well aware of it

I have a permanent pilot on my CHB and dont consider it wasted gas as it simply pre heats the heat exchanger which then gravitates up to the hot water cylinder.

Cardew

bundance wrote: »

Hi again, Macman and thanks.
38p a day isn't as much as I had feared.

Yes, my meter has M³ on it, so it must mean cubed?
Can I just clarify, would it then be reasonable to assume my pilot will use 1m³ a day and therefore 41 units from 23rd August is not unreasonable?

If this is the case, can I confirm that I wont need to get someone out to check for faults on my meter.

Firstly 1 cubic metre a day for just a pilot light is very high, but not unknown. This was a thread where the subject was discussed:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/560042

There is some good news, and some bad news!

The bad news is that during the summer, when you are not using any other gas, all the gas consumed will be charged at the Tier 1 rate and that could mean in excess of £1 a day.

This is why some people turn off their boiler if they use minimal hot water e.g. Electric shower.

The good news is that during the winter the heat from the pilot light is not all wasted as it warms the fabric of the house.

It may be of interest that the pilot light has two functions.

Firstly to light the main burner.

Secondly it keeps the gas valve open. The pilot light heats a device(a thermocouple) which holds open the main gas valve on the boiler. As long as there is sufficient heat from the pilot light onto the thermocouple, it ensures the gas valve remains open. If the pilot light goes out, or is turned down too low, the gas valve will close.

bundance

espresso wrote: »

I disagree that a pilot using 1cuM per day is normal. I have an old boiler and the pilot actually uses less than a quarter of what yours appears to be using!

Paying approx £140 per annum for a pilot light is not reasonable!

How do you arrive at the £140 a year please?

bundance

Cardew wrote: »

Firstly 1 cubic metre a day for just a pilot light is very high, but not unknown. This was a thread where the subject was discussed:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/560042

There is some good news, and some bad news!

The bad news is that during the summer, when you are not using any other gas, all the gas consumed will be charged at the Tier 1 rate and that could mean in excess of £1 a day.

This is why some people turn off their boiler if they use minimal hot water e.g. Electric shower.

The good news is that during the winter the heat from the pilot light is not all wasted as it warms the fabric of the house.

It may be of interest that the pilot light has two functions.

Firstly to light the main burner.

Secondly it keeps the gas valve open. The pilot light heats a device(a thermocouple) which holds open the main gas valve on the boiler. As long as there is sufficient heat from the pilot light onto the thermocouple, it ensures the gas valve remains open. If the pilot light goes out, or is turned down too low, the gas valve will close.

Hi

Thank you for your post and information.
That thread you linked to was on a search when I googled it earlier before posting this.
I hate to sound thick but I got lost while I was reading it, as it got a bit confusing.

Is there anything I can do about my pilot using so much gas, cos I feel like I am giving away money with it using all that much, thanks.
Thanks

Should I be doing anything about the fact that my pilot uses so much gas?
If so, what?

lemontart

When I had some works done by a gas safe engineer I got him to make sure my ch boiler was properly turned off so no pilot light as I simply cannot afford to run central heating these days - and it does make it easier to control my gas usage now.

Cardew

bundance wrote: »

Is there anything I can do about my pilot using so much gas, cos I feel like I am giving away money with it using all that much, thanks.
Thanks

Should I be doing anything about the fact that my pilot uses so much gas?
If so, what?

Well I have my boiler handbook and it gives directions how to turn it down - which I did.

The other alternative is switch off the boiler in the summer.

st999

I have 2 pilot lights, one for heating and one for hot water.

The hot water one uses 3 kWhs a day and the heating one 5 kWhs a day so in the winter when my heating is on I use 8 kWhs a day costing about 32p a day.

When I first moved into this house I never realised how much gas the pilot lights used and left the heating one on all year round, even when the heating was off.

It was not until I went on holiday leaving the pilot lights on but the heating and hot water off did I find out how much they were using.

I had read my gas meter the day I went on holiday for my supplier and for some strange reason I read it the day I came back after a fortnight away.

That is also how I found out how much electricity I was using when I was not even in the house.

Now the only thing left on is the freezer and the gas is turned off at the stop valve on the meter when I go on holiday.

macman

bundance wrote: »

Hi

Thank you for your post and information.
That thread you linked to was on a search when I googled it earlier before posting this.
I hate to sound thick but I got lost while I was reading it, as it got a bit confusing.

Is there anything I can do about my pilot using so much gas, cos I feel like I am giving away money with it using all that much, thanks.
Thanks

Should I be doing anything about the fact that my pilot uses so much gas?
If so, what?

Turn it off in the summer or install a new boiler.

espresso

bundance wrote: »

38p a day isn't as much as I had feared.

bundance wrote: »

How do you arrive at the £140 a year please?

Simple arithmetic. You seem to accept that it may be costing you approx 38p per day so how many days in a year? We don't know exactly how much you are paying on your particular tariff, so it may actually be costing more!

bundance wrote: »

Is there anything I can do about my pilot using so much gas, cos I feel like I am giving away money with it using all that much, thanks.
Thanks

Should I be doing anything about the fact that my pilot uses so much gas?
If so, what?

When was the boiler last serviced? Your pilot light flame could very likely be adjusted by a competent person so that it uses much less gas. Even paying for someone to do this for you, you should save the cost fairly quickly as you would not be wasting so much gas.