Reducing my INSANE energy bill without draconian measures ?

elstimpo

Owen_Clark wrote: »

Replaced 100% of bulbs with low energy bulbs.

Hi Owen,

Are 'low energy bulbs', CFL's? If so, you'll get a 50% reduction in energy consumption with LED's over CFL's. If they are LED's then good stuff :T

Chris

deshepherd

Agree with suggestion on getting a plug in power meter. Then check old fridge and freezers ... effeciency of these has improved massively on these. We bought a fridge freezer in 2000 then ~3-4 years replaced it with a new fridge that on its own was the size of the previous fridge/freezer and two "under counter" (but not built in) freezers - effectively doubling our fridge and freezer capacity. New units were A+ rated and I was amazed to discover via use of one of these power meters that we had doubled capacity but halved power usage!

steve-L

elstimpo wrote: »

Hi Owen,

Are 'low energy bulbs', CFL's? If so, you'll get a 50% reduction in energy consumption with LED's over CFL's. If they are LED's then good stuff :T

Chris

Might be hard to justify .... if you OWN the CFL's already.
However worth looking at!

For what its worth in terms of comparison I just replaced 50W Halogen with LED. This works out for 8 hrs a day pay-back in 90 days and obviously 4hr-day 180 days... but this was quite extreme (A lot of halogens)....

I bought my Mum a Halogen oven, this has cut down her electricity bill but isn't without its own problems. Mainly the heating element has gone 3 times in 2 years (so its been back and replaced 3 times). As such I'd recommend buying local somewhere they take items back!

I have to concur on fridges and freezers but until you measure it you don't know!
Equally they are useful for buying in bulk and saving on food bills...

NXV839

Google 12 cheap or free ways to reduce your gas bill without switching. The website Watch My Wallet has some good tips on that. Really helpful in reducing energy costs without spending money on ridiculously expensive devices that are meant to help.

Try contacting your energy provider and see if you can get an iPlan or something similar. They're free and show you ways to cut down on the unnecessary electric your using. May help too.

becksfaz

If you consider replacing your chest freezer - I've just bought a 202ltr Norfrost Chest Freezer for £159.99 (which by buying in bulk/freezing reduced food paid for itself in one month). It uses 225kwh per year (according to the manual).
I don't think your gas useage is that bad - but I don't practice the 'extremes' that some people do on here. I have 2 young children, I like to be warm and my husband and I don't work hard to be cold in my own house. We have a 5 bed house and the last year we used 21, 500 (ish) kwh for gas (I can't remember exactly without looking).

HappyMJ

http://clarks-online.com/img/house.jpg

That is a big house.. The averages apply to an average UK house. I would guess that an average house is a 3 bedroom semi detached property with a maximum of 2 small downstairs living areas, a dining area and a lounge with a kitchen and a bathroom. The average family would be about 2 adults and 2 children. You could easily use double the average.

Robbage

Hi Owen

I feel your paint too Mr. 4 bed detached house. Front 1730 odd. Solid walls. Rear modern cavity walls extended.

Since moving we have fitted Condensing gas boiler, programmable thermostat overall control and TRV,s all radiators.

Single glazing (over 1k each to change as have to be certain type)!, but we have put more loft insulation in and had cavity walls filled. Still its very windy in our loft as roof has no underfelt if you get the picture??

50% energy bulbs, the rest need new celing fittings else look ridiculous. Nothing else easy to do IMHO.

No electric used for heating at all. ELec underfloor heating all OFF!! V rare tumble drier. Just checked and still best contract Scottish power were on..

So typical usage (house occupied 80% of time).
Electric 8000 kwH / year
Gas..... ready .... 35000 kWh /year.

It is rarely properly hot either I should add!! Welcome to 'period' house ownership. Yours for around £2300 per year gas/elec
... Anybody else