High bill/usage! Help appreciated

LittleMissJohnson

Hello,

I'm after a bit of guidance following a high bill from my supplier, EDF. I've recently gone from having migraines without the headache (just the aura) to full on migraine headaches in the last few months + beta blockers from this week. My brain doesn't feel like it belongs to me! Hoping a fresh pair of eyes can help me look at this properly.

I moved to my new house last June. It's a 4 bed detached property. 2 adults, 2 pre-school children. I'm with EDF for both gas & electricity on their Blue+price promise December 2014. I have 2 readings for the electricity meter - for day & night usage.

I have gas central heating and a gas hob. Everything else, cooker etc, is electric.

When we first moved in, our DD was set at £109 p/m and then reduced to £64 p/m in December 2013.

From June 2014, our DD was increased to £190 p/m (which includes £50 p/m to clear an additional winter bill of £656 for the winter period). Obviously a bit of a shock (also got hit by a tax miscalculation the same week - £4,200 owed..bad week!).

I've been trying to analyse my summary from EDF that came through recently. They 'estimate' my annual usage as follows:

Elec Annual Consumption Day: 4,805 kWh
Elec Annual Consumption Night: 2,016 kWh

Gas Annual Consumption: 19,601 kWh

The only major change from January this year is that my husband changed jobs and doesn't work from home anymore. When working from home (June 2013-Jan 2014), his laptop would be on (plugged in, not battery) from 7am ish to 6pm ish 5 days per week. Sometimes he would work later in the evening and sometimes at weekends. Without sounding stupid, do you think this could have a major impact on the bills?

Obviously freaking out a bit and looking to monitor energy consumption. I have recently installed an Owl monitor to try and keep an eye on things.

Should I be looking to replace any appliances? My washer dryer is brand new (very, very rarely use the dryer element). TV & fridge freezer from 2009. I have a Sky HD box and PS3, PS4. I think all but my bedroom light bulbs have been replaced with energy efficient ones. Sadly, they seem to have a negative effect on my head. The TV does get used a fair bit as does the Sky box. I was thinking about getting a slow cooker for winter as I tend to make a few casseroles.

Any help or advice appreciated!

Thanks

Andy_WSM

2 thoughts from me...

Check the Tariff you are on. If you are on Economy 7, then you probably shouldn't be as you have Gas. Do you run your appliances only at night? Economy 7 while providing a cheaper electric rate at night, usually midnight ish until 7am ish, penalises you during the daytime with a higher than normal rate.

Second is relating to your migraine and compact flourescent lamps. GET RID OF THEM! Awful things! I suffered years of migraines because of them, binning them all was the best thing I did!
In high use areas, look at replacing them with a good quality LED bulb, otherwise you can get halogen bulbs that use less than an "ordinary" bulb, but more than a CFL.

matelodave

- Unless you can change your habits and use a lot of electricity at night (between about midnight and seven in the morning) you might be better off on a single rate tariff. Washing machines & dishwasher can usually be run during the night but unless you are dedicated, ironing, vacuuming and cooking can't. Only run the washing machine, dishwasher and tumbledryer with full loads, they cost just as much to run when half empty as when they are full. You won't save money by buying new appliances, the only way is to become more aware and efficient with the ones you've got

Do you make sure stuff is turned off when not in use - PS-3 & 4s can use quite a lot when just sitting there and a lot more when being used. Likewise the TV, Skybox and other stuff can be using power even when it's not switched on unless it's unplugged.

LED lightbulbs use less power than Compact Fluorescents and the light is a lot better. Do you make sure that lights are switched off when not in use.

If you heat your water by gas then make sure that the immersion heater is switched off.

Check your time switches, programmers and thermostats to make sure that the hot water isn't on all the time - keeping a tank of water hot 24 hours a day wastes energy - make sure you only heat water for the periods that you need it.
Take shorter showers or shallower baths and don't waste hot water by letting it run down the sink. A decent amount of insulation around the water tank will help the water stay warmer for longer and save money

Make sure that your room thermostats are set at a reasonable level and not overheating the place and not actually heating it all night or all day if you are out. Have you got at least 8-10 inches (200-300mm) of insulation in the loft. A bit of draught proofing around the doors, skirtings and window will help if you don't have double glazing

Reading your meters regularly will help you identify what is using power and when (both gas and electric). Ideally read them at least monthly and send the readings to your supplier.

Checking the meters when the bill comes in and making sure that any estimates are corrected should ensure that you don't get any nasty surprises. It's obvious that the reduction from £109 to £64 was ill advised, especially as it happened in December when it's coldest.
You do need to make sure that you are paying for what you use and not letting a deficit build up. Do your own sums and work out what your annual bill should be and divide it by 12 to estimate what your DD should be. That's what you should pay - if for some reason the supplier mucks it about then get it sorted out or save the difference for when the big bill come in

LittleMissJohnson

Thanks for the advice! Especially about the bulbs!! I'm trying to identify possible migraine triggers at the minute and I'm pretty sure those bulbs are a big one. I could just about cope with the aura parts but the headaches are awful.

I always switch things off rather than leave them on standby. Never considered the Sky box though! Will start doing that from tonight. My husband isn't that great at turning things off. I'm forever switching the consoles off at the plug and turning everything off in his office. We have surround sound via separate speakers and I've noticed the spike in usage via the Owl monitor when they are on. I'm more than happy to have all of that stuff switched off. After a full on day with the kids honestly..the last thing I need is surround sound

I've started charging phones etc when the night tariff kicks in (12-8am for me). I try to make sure I have a full load of washing on at 6am so it's done before 8am and only wash stuff during the day if I have to (I have a 4 yr old & a 2yr old!).

I'm definitely going to look at the tariff re the economy 7 bit.

I'm also going to start winter proofing the house at the end of summer. We moved from a terraced place in London to this detached house in the Midlands. Things were rather snug in the old place.

Thanks again

tracey3596

From a "sufferer" who has reduced elec. usage from 6700kWh/yr to current ( - sorry for pun) 4200/year and reducing, with family of 2 adults & 2 children:

The "Aura" - if I ever find that thing at the end of the rainbow ; usually I'm layed low, waiting ( patiently? Who cares .... not me, who's maybe driven 90 miles with NO memory of HOW! )

ANYWAY

1 - bulbs: make sure you've NO long tubes. They are LETHAL if you suffer migraines. I have these in dining room & lounge :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/iBoutique%C2%AE-Daylight-Equivalent-Sufferers-Photography/dp/B002XWVNI6/ref=pd_cp_light_0
and these in bedrooms and other areas :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ecozone-Energy-Saving-Daylight-Equivalent-Spectrum/dp/B000F5FNXE
LED's could be ideal ..... but the technology hasn't QUITE caught up with our expectations yet and the (reliable) bulbs are SO expensive!
2 - triggers - a/ carpets? If your carpets are GLUED .... the adhesive is a known high-risk trigger. A quick "Google" will show you.
Helped me.
b/ others ......... like ........ worrying about the leccy bill!
Worrying about turning stuff off, to (more worry) save money on bills!
Sorry, but it ALL helps and one MIGHT lead to another.
HTH
Tracey