I'm scared to heat my home

charma1ne

Hi I've just move house from gas central heating into an all electric heated house. I'm on all electric heating (No gas in the village) I have a dimplex ascari boiler and a water cylinder. the water is on a timer and I mostly only put my heating on during the offpeak tariff. I couldn't believe it when I got an elc bill for £1000 for a 2 month period!!!!!!! I checked with elec company (southern electric) we did a meter watch and determined that the meter was faulty. Man cam and changed meter a week ago today (7 days) in that time my usage is 176 on reading 1 and 194 on reading 2. I am on economy 10 tariff cheap rate 12pm - 5pm, 1pm - 4pm and 8pm to 10pm. If I've used peak it has been a total of about 6-8 hrs over the 7 days the rest has been off peak and for and then I haven't had the heating on at all until 8pm to 10pm each day and a few days I have had it on for an hour in the morning at peak rate and that's it! My water cylinder is set up on a timer for off peak usage and then the lower bath water only comes on once a day for an hour again in offpeak. I sit in my house cold most of the time only using my wood burning stove and electric blanket to keep warm, oh and I have a tiny oil heated portable radiator which I use of an evening. I live on my own and I only do 1 to 2 washes of clothes a week on 30 degrees with a spin cycle finish. I don't own a tumble dryer. I have energy light bulbs through out the house and double glazing. I just don't know where all this electric usage is coming from. I tend to switch everything of at the wall so I have very little on standby mode. Please can anyone advise me if I am not being fruggle enough or am is my usage what you would expect from a small two bedroom semi detached house? I actually daren't put my heating on tomorrow at all. Charma1ne.

charma1ne

The previous occupant had an average bill of £100pm, and she had the hot water top cylinder permantely on! The family before did the same except there were four of them and the had the washing machine going every day and there monthly usage was £120 pm. I just don't know what's happened since I've moved in!

I've just searched online for my boiler and this is what I found:

The boiler is an electric central heating boiler that has been designed to provide temperature stability with low green energy consumption. The boiler is a 5 litre storage and thermal mass reduction system cooling are ideal for keeping a stable temperature as well as using the least amount of electric energy.

The Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler has an optional outside temperature sensor. This allows the Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler to quickly adapt to the external temperature. Thus the Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler can increase heat output on cooler days and reduce on warmer days. Not only does this feature let the Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler save energy and use less electricity, but it also helps maintain a stable temperature.

The boiler comes fitted with an auto-adaptability function that operates the central heating system in accordance to the heat characteristics of the property. The Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler will become unique to every property, reduce running costs and energy consumption. The Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler is designed for use with extended hours off-peak tariffs.

Some more feature of the Dimplex Ascari Central Heating Boiler:
- Selectable heating system water temperature between 21°C and 80°C allows low energy settings of heating systems.
- Compatible with standard radiators or underfloor heating.
- No flue.
- Maximum power 4-12kW.
- Unit can be reduced down to 10, 8, 6 or even 4kW on installation, to fit the heat requirement of the property.
- Includes 8 litre expansion vessel; 3bar pressure relief valve and three speed pump for quick easy install.
- Near silent operation (38dBA).
- 7-segment digital displays of temperature and pressure.
- Adjustable system water temperature between 21-80°C.
- Graduated power On/Off reduces instantaneous loads.
- Frost protection 5°C minimum system temperature.
- White steel casing with cast iron engine for thermal stability.
- 5 litre water storage, for rapid response.
- Stainless steel elements.
- Maximum operating pressure 2.5 bar.
- Maximum power limit.
- Pump protection, prevents pump sticking.
- Ideal for well insulated properties of up to 80sqm.
- Top or bottom cable entry.
- 3 year guarantee on storage tank and
- 2 years on components.
- Low maintenance and no requirement for annual safety check.
Dimplex Ascari Electric Central Heating Boiler – ASCMA12
The Ascari electric central heating boiler has been designed to provide the highest temperature stability and energy consumption possible from an electric boiler. Its 5 litre storage and high thermal mass reduce system cooling, while its electronic temperature and auto-adaptability function keep the room at a stable temperature using the least amount of electrical energy.
Storage: 5 Litres
Dimensions: 620mm(h) x 405mm(w) x 280mm(d)

UsernameAlreadyExists

Something is amiss here. A single occupant in the same house with more or less the same heating (bar the portable rad/blanket) should NOT be anywhere even close to 4 people in the same place.

You are NOT being "not frugal enough" at all. You sound like you're suffering and in extreme discomfort, and it doesn't sound like it's your fault at all. I think you need a smart meter (or equivalent) to monitor/log your consumption ... £1000 for two months is pure lunacy. Have you keyed your figures into their website to see what different the new meter has made to the bill?

charma1ne

Thanks for your help, I am trying to login to my account to type in readings but having problem logging in. Will keep trying and update post when done. But I am worried because on my calculations of the readings puts me on a monthly bill of £1000!!!!!!!! I can only think that my boiler is running up the costs but I just don't know how that can be when I hardly have the heating on. But the readings only shoot up when the heating is on, I just don't understand it. This boiler is quite new it was installed in 2008.

charma1ne

Do you think it could have something to do with wattage?

the Maximum power 4-12kW.
- Unit can be reduced down to 10, 8, 6 or even 4kW on installation, to fit the heat requirement of the property

HappyMJ

What does the energy monitor register when you turn it on. 12kW is quite a lot of heat. You could heat a whole house quite comfortably with that much heat output. .... in comparison my gas boiler outputs 11.72kW of heat for a moderately sized 3 bedroom semi detached house. Electric heating is expensive. Personally. I wouldn't use it all and use convector heaters only in the rooms you want to be warm and only while you are in them. Each convector would be rated at 2kW and much less than heating the entire property. Your other rooms would be cold though but you will be saving money.

CRISPIANNE3

charma1ne wrote: »

Hi I've just move house from gas central heating into an all electric heated house. I'm on all electric heating (No gas in the village) I have a dimplex ascari boiler and a water cylinder. the water is on a timer and I mostly only put my heating on during the offpeak tariff. I couldn't believe it when I got an elc bill for £1000 for a 2 month period!!!!!!! I checked with elec company (southern electric) we did a meter watch and determined that the meter was faulty. Man cam and changed meter a week ago today (7 days) in that time my usage is 176 on reading 1 and 194 on reading 2. I am on economy 10 tariff cheap rate 12pm - 5pm, 1pm - 4pm and 8pm to 10pm. If I've used peak it has been a total of about 6-8 hrs over the 7 days the rest has been off peak and for and then I haven't had the heating on at all until 8pm to 10pm each day and a few days I have had it on for an hour in the morning at peak rate and that's it! My water cylinder is set up on a timer for off peak usage and then the lower bath water only comes on once a day for an hour again in offpeak. I sit in my house cold most of the time only using my wood burning stove and electric blanket to keep warm, oh and I have a tiny oil heated portable radiator which I use of an evening. I live on my own and I only do 1 to 2 washes of clothes a week on 30 degrees with a spin cycle finish. I don't own a tumble dryer. I have energy light bulbs through out the house and double glazing. I just don't know where all this electric usage is coming from. I tend to switch everything of at the wall so I have very little on standby mode. Please can anyone advise me if I am not being fruggle enough or am is my usage what you would expect from a small two bedroom semi detached house? I actually daren't put my heating on tomorrow at all. Charma1ne.

May I suggest in future you use paragraphs. Makes me dizzy just looking at it.

gc_bus

For comparision.

My Elnur electric boiler has been downrated to 6KW and powers the water heating and six radiators. We have the heating on for 9 hours per day. Even assuming that our boiler is consuming 6 x 9kw per day that would make 54Kwh per day x our standard rate electricity at 10.545p/Kwh would make £5.69 per day or £22.76 per week. Of course it's less than this as the chronostat is not calling for heating during all of this time. We are very well insulated and mid-terrace so that would help. Even so I'm not sure what's going on with the OP's consumption. I can only suggest a very very over reading import meter?

Even if you had the 12kw boiler firing 24 x 7 the sums would be 12 x 24 x 7 x 10.545p/Kwh making £212.58 per week and that would be extremely unlikely and you'd be very very hot!

Best get your meter and /or installation checked out I would think.

charma1ne

Thank you all for your responses, they have been very enlightning. I am trying to get an Electrician out, you would never know there was a recession on as they are in no hurry to help. It's taken me a week to find an electrician who actually knows about the Dimplex Ascari boiler and then I am still waiting for him to visit and that's not going to be until Monday next week and I only think he took pity on me because I did end up crying, out of frustration. I don't want anyone to think I haven't been trying to understand and sort the problem but with all my effort, and now living in a freezing cold house and with no electrician until next week I hope you can appreciate I am feeling a little emotional and grumpy:mad:.

I've just got home and checked the meter reading it's only moved 3units whilst I have been out all day:T.

Cheap rate starts at 8pm so I've put the heating on and I'll take another reading at 10pm. To be continued.:eek:

P.S Just bought another electric blanket save me moving the one from room to room, I saw a convector heater and thought about buying that, I may go back tomorrow and get one as an interim solution as I can't afford the current electric billing using my boiler.