What's YOUR gas usage?

suzieq

Bit of a straw poll. Just been doing some comparison quotes for my Mum and MIL. My MILs annual gas usage is 6500 kwh (2 adults, 3 bed terrace, very energy conscious), mine is 14500 kwh (2 adults, 3 kids, not particularly energy conscious, I hate cold!) but my Mums is 22500 kwh (1 adult, 2 bed detached bungalow/barn conversion).

Considering my Mum has her gas on for just 2 hours in morn & 2 hours at night, plus showering & cooking, I can't believe her gas consumption is sooooo much more than mine!! Ideas/advice?? I know the boiler is a fairly new one (last few yrs compared to our 20 year old one).

TIA!!

Cardew

UK average is 16,500kWh pa.

Trying to compare different buildings and different lifestyles of occupants is fraught with difficulty.

Your mother's property is a bungalow, which straight away means that it doesn't have the advantage of the heat from downstairs rising to warm bedrooms and bathroom.

As a barn conversion it is possible the insulation is not as good as a modern house with cavity walls.

As an older person, your mother possibly needs the house warmer than you. Presumably with only 2 hours CH morning and evening, your mother works?? Only 2 hours on a winter evening???

dogshome

As Cardew has posted, different buildings & different people create different Gas Bills.

However, 22500Kwh a year in a single person bungalow needs investigation.
When was this Barn Conversion done? - If it's recent it should be well insulated, but if over 10 years ago it probably isn't.

This level of consumption also raises a question on the type of Meter installed and method of chargeing - Look at the meter, if it's marked m3 it's a Metric model - If it's marked ft3 it's an Imperial meter

Look at a bill and divide the Kwh charged by the meter units used - For a Metric meter the answer will be appx. 11 - For an Imperial meter it will be appx. appx.31
If the billing does not match the Meter's marking, have Mum get onto her supplier immediately

suzieq

Many thanks to you both.

Cardew - wow I'm surprised that's the nat avg, I thought ours was high! Although our house does retain heat well. And yes, she says she does have it on more during the winter, only an hour more, but I guess the layout if the place doesn't help either, it's an L-shape.

Dogshome, I have just done the calculation you mention, & it comes out at 11.07, so that looks ok. The conversion was completed 6 years ago, but Mum doesn't think the property retains heat very well at all. It's on the market now, the sooner she sells the place the better!

pingufan

Ours is usually around 17000kwh but the past year we used a whopping 19500kwh - due to the colder than average winter and the fact that we started putting the heating on in September last year (earlier than usual)

Our house is a large 4 bed semi with cavity wall insulation but little left insulation - we are looking to insulate the loft this summer

our old boiler died a month ago (a 19 year old Ferroli) so we've installed a new Worcester Greenstar, TRV's on all rads and an intelligent programmable room stat- hoping that will save a bit!

MrTrav15

Hi guys, Im new to the site and couldn't help but notice your topic. I have a similar issue to your mums in that I have just today received my gas bill , I own a 3 bed detached house, since November 2012 I increased my monthly direct debit to £80per month for my gas as I was slightly behind, I have had my bill this morning only to find I owe SSE £776, they have told me that this year alone my predicted usage is going to cost £1200 plus the £776 which means my monthly bill should be £164 per month. They have said I am using 27162.43 kWh just between november and todays date.

loracan1

Currently 220 kwh/week, very little of it on heating. At the worst of last winter it was ~800/week. Gas central heating, cooker, thermostatic shower, family of 3.

Cardew

MrTrav15 wrote: »

Hi guys, Im new to the site and couldn't help but notice your topic. I have a similar issue to your mums in that I have just today received my gas bill , I own a 3 bed detached house, since November 2012 I increased my monthly direct debit to £80per month for my gas as I was slightly behind, I have had my bill this morning only to find I owe SSE £776, they have told me that this year alone my predicted usage is going to cost £1200 plus the £776 which means my monthly bill should be £164 per month. They have said I am using 27162.43 kWh just between november and todays date.

Are you sure that the start meter reading last November was correct? i.e. could you be paying for some of the old occupant's gas?



Or is the present reading estimated?

albionrovers

I pay £120/month DD for a 4 bedroom bungalow, family of 4. Usage as follows : -

Aug 12 - 2505kWh
Nov 12 - 6561
Feb 13 - 14339
May 13 - 9515

Total = 32,920.

Comments etc all welcome.

Southend1

Current usage is zero as heating is off. Annual usage around 7500kwh. Live on my own in a 3 bed mid terrace, out at work weekdays 9-5

stoneybrokethatsme

We use approx 1200kw/h gas and 5000kw/h electricity - 2 adults in tiny, cramped 4-bed detached 1990 house with cavity wall insulation, A-rated boiler and minimal heating.

Curiously, our gas consumption is up by a whopping 20% so far this year but leccy is down by 4%.