which option will save me most money?

campervancrazy

Hi first time I have posted a thread so hope I'm in the right place etc!
Have really been trying to get my utility bills down but not sure whether it makes more sense to put the Rayburn (gas) on for an hour or two in the morn which also means heating the whole house (or can I just turn off all radiators individually?) or to switch the immersion on for half an hour which gives us enough for showers but no more then boil a kettle to wash up later (yes...I really am trying all ways!!)
At the moment _well for the last 35 days I have used 85 gas units and 383 electric. doing the second option but could do with more hot water really without the bills going sky high as still recovering from winter bills of many many £££'s!
I know a couple of you (Cardew, Tripled etc seem to know how these things work so if anyone can give me some advice I would really really appreciate it.
Thanks cc

Cardew

Rayburns have a reputation for very high consumption.

Obviously you always turn off radiators when possible.

383 electric units is 35 days is not bad, but of course it depends what you are electric appliances you are using.

To know how many kWh 85 gas units represent you need to know if it is an Imperial meter(measures in 100 cubic feet) or a metric meter(cubic metres). The former is approx 30kWh per unit, the latter 11kWh per unit. Most are now Metric so you are talking approx 1,000kWh in 35 days.

If your Rayburn heats water, then it will always be cheaper to use that; provided you can turn off the heating.

You really need to experiment. Turn the Rayburn off completely and monitor your electricity consumption, then do the same with the Rayburn on.

Bear in mind that a kWh of electricity costs 3-4 times as much as a kWh of gas.

campervancrazy

wow thanks for the quick reply, didn't expect anyone to get back to me tonight!
Didn't realise electric was 3/4 times more expensive so will obviously try to use that with the radiators off to see how that works out.
Got very scared after the hundreds of pounds owed after winter for gas but that was with heating.
Thanks again, you are very helpful
cc
sorry it was 851 gas units but thats with hardly using the rayburn at all, don't know if this is low or high for average usage but will try and keep track of it from now on!

Cardew

campervancrazy wrote: »

wow thanks for the quick reply, didn't expect anyone to get back to me tonight!
Didn't realise electric was 3/4 times more expensive so will obviously try to use that with the radiators off to see how that works out.
Got very scared after the hundreds of pounds owed after winter for gas but that was with heating.
Thanks again, you are very helpful
cc
sorry it was 851 gas units but thats with hardly using the rayburn at all, don't know if this is low or high for average usage but will try and keep track of it from now on!

I am a little confused. 851 gas units(you said 85) or 851kWh?

851 gas units in 35 days is huge(around 10,000kWh)

campervancrazy

no wonder you are confused, I was typing rubbish last night...sorry!

It was actually 27 units over 35 days which converted is (I think) 859 Kwh.
I have now turned off the radiators and put the rayburn on to heat the water, but I think I have to heat the cooker up too as if I don't....cold water.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.cc

Cardew

Thats better!

859kWh in 35 days isn't bad at all. - around £20.

It appears you have an Imperial gas meter. There is a program to eventually replace these with Metric meters. A metric gas unit is 2.86 times smaller than an Imperial unit.

It avoids confusion with gas to always use kWh in correspondence.