Cost of using Gas

G_M

Stick some insulation in your loft. eg

http://www.diy.com/nav/build/insulation/loft-insulation/Knauf-EkoRoll-Loft-Insulation-200mm-12057530

for over 5 square meters. Shop around you'll find it cheaper.

Do it this weekend instead of waiting around for months for the council and you'll start saving money straight off AND feel warmer this winter!

StinkerPinker

Really? A pound a day on the pilot light? That's about 2 units on the meter, which is what I use for hot water and cooking per day. My boiler is an old standard efficiency non-condensing type, and the gas used by it's pilot light is negligible. Surely you have miscalculated?

sniggings

stebiz wrote: »

I'm in a fortunate position at the moment where my house (which I own) is undergoing a full refurbishment even though over the years I have installed Double Glazing, Central Heating and Insulation etc. My average gas consumption was £80 pm on a 3 bed semi.

Whilst my house is being refurbed I moved my family to a new home which was to let. Even in the winter (last 3 months) we are only using on average £30 a month gas.

That just shows how uneconomic a lot of old housing stock is. We've now spent more time thinking of external insulation and a porch etc. Anything to keep the heat in.

An average of £80 is loads, why do you think that was good?

£30 is better but is that an average too? if it is then you would have been spending the same in the summer when you were all but not using the gas, so come winter you would have build a credit on your bill, so were likely using the credit you had build up the rest of the year.

sniggings

StinkerPinker wrote: »

Really? A pound a day on the pilot light? That's about 2 units on the meter, which is what I use for hot water and cooking per day. My boiler is an old standard efficiency non-condensing type, and the gas used by it's pilot light is negligible. Surely you have miscalculated?

mine is old too but the pilot light does use some, mine using about £0.30 a day.

I agree though a pound is crazy, have you looked at the size of the flame? how big is it? I can heat up a tank of water for a bath in an hour and the cost is around 50p, if you are using a pounds worth that should be enough to heat the hot water, something doesn't sound right here, you either have a leak, a standing charge or something, as the heat from the pilot light has to go somewhere if it's using that much.

Try contacting your MP if you are sure it's using a pound a day, but I just can't see how it can be and you not getting at least a tank of hot water out of it?

Robwiz

To the OP

Don't be fobbed off by council officers. Write to your ward councillor or if he/she holds them go along to a surgery and discuss the issue face to face.

You are entitled to go along to a council meeting and ask a question – like 'I have had x problems over the last n years and all I get is fobbed off. When is this council going to take carbon reduction and energy savings seriously?'

Think about going to the local press - they may see a story and investigate it.

justxneedxaxwin

We are in a similar situation using a lot of gas and house never seems warm, I contacted council yesterday regarding damp and a surveyor is coming out so gonna bring up a lot o things regarding cold and no insulation - by time they leave with a list of problems will wish never come. I know a lot of grants are for people owning home but there is various things for council tenants too which may be different in areas but worth having a look. I have found one in our area for walls doing , loft insulation but going to see where we get with surveyor. Hope you get sorted nothing worse than sitting in cold while the meter eats your money.