Comparing yourself with the 'average'

MerlinMags

First Utility sent me a nice email summarising what I'd used/paid in the past 12 months. I saw a graph of my gas usage compared to 'the national average' and was rather concerned I seemed to be using twice as much as anyone else!



Is this just because there are 5 of us in a draughty detached house, and the national average is 2 people in a terrace? My wife does insist the thermostat stays on 21degC....

I just wondered whether I needed to clamp down on a problem!

footyguy

MerlinMags wrote: »

First Utility sent me a nice email summarising what I'd used/paid in the past 12 months. I saw a graph of my gas usage compared to 'the national average' and was rather concerned I seemed to be using twice as much as anyone else!



Is this just because there are 5 of us in a draughty detached house, and the national average is 2 people in a terrace? My wife does insist the thermostat stays on 21degC....

I just wondered whether I needed to clamp down on a problem!

I thought an 'average' person was married, had 2.2 kids and lived in a 3 bed semi.

Maybe times have changed?

If you are happy and can afford what you use, don't worry about being average

Edit: as the notification suggests it is based on estimated readings, perhaps consider providing them with up-to date readings?

brewerdave

Two of us living in a reasonably well insulated detached -and we use 17000kWh pa -so at ~ 23000kWh for 5 people it seem OK to me:)

badmemory

Some thoughts for you - Are they clever enough to be giving you an average of only draughty detached houses using gas for heating? Do you use gas to heat the water for baths & showers etc? Some of those they are including in the average will only be using gas for cooking. However at an increase of over £100 a year they are telling you that you would be better off with a different supplier.

System

Source U.K. Power:

Estimated energy usage

For our calculations we have used the following annual energy usage amounts which are based on industry figures:

(1) Small House / Flat - gas usage of 8,000kWh and an electricity usage of 2,000kWh
(2) Medium House - gas usage of 12,500kWh and an electricity usage of 3,100kWh
(3) Large House - gas usage of 18,000kWh and an electricity usage of 4,600kWh

WestonDave

If you have a draughty house then you probably need to clamp down on that - especially if you are trying to keep the thermostat that high (ours is at 18C through the winter). The higher the target temperature the bigger the effect of heat loss will be - especially if the house is poor in terms of air tightness. We've got a detached house with 4 of us in it and our gas consumption is around 14,000kWh per year. Having an extra person might mean another shower per day but it shouldn't be doubling your costs. Obviously if you can afford it then its down to how practical draught proofing is compared to what you want to save.

FOREVER21

Average figures are just a guideline. there will always be some higher user and some lower.

For example my supplier E-On indicates my usage at 16000 k gas and 3k electric is higher than the average home in my area. What it does not take into consideration is that we are retired and at home more than most of my neighbours who are out at work. Also there is a mix of semis and detached houses so which one are they comparing us with?

If you have taken all the steps you can double glazing insulation etc. and you can afford it, heat the house so that you are comfortable and don't worry about average usage.

CashStrapped

There are many reasons for the amount you use in KWH. Others have mentioned a few.

The efficiency of the boiler is also a large contributing factor. If it is more than 20 years old it may be no more than 60% efficient.

However, if it works, replacing it is not really economical, keep it running until it has to be replaced. Look at the cheaper options as these can have the most impact.

Insulation and draughts are the two things you can fix that will bring the biggest returns for little outlay. Check your loft, are the cavity walls done? Is the hot water tank well insulated? Does the hot water tank have a thermostat? Do radiators have thermostatic valves ( a very cheap energy saving fix)?

Just do not forget that the more you insulate...and this sounds contradictory...the more you have to ventilate. This applies specifically to areas where moisture is produced the most such as bathrooms and kitchens. Otherwise you can start to get damp issues.

Similar to what WestonDave says above, ensure the thermostat is located in an area which is not susceptible to cold draughts. This could result in the boiler firing up more than it needs to.

Every house is different. So it is very hard (and can be misleading) to compare. Just focus on all the cheap and easy methods first and you may be surprised about how much you can reduce your bills.

MerlinMags

Thank you everyone for the very sensible replies.

I wouldn't say I'm happy paying for more gas than I need, but I will accept being above average if I'm not doing anything daft.

The boiler is 20 years old - I was shocked to hear it might be at 60% efficiency compared to a new one. True, it is starting to make odd noises (even after a service) but the cost of replacement would be £2k or more (plus the floors ripped up to solve pipework issues) so not particularly welcome. I guess all I can work on is the draughts, as the loft and walls are properly insulated otherwise.

I fancy the main problem is the large lounge; we spend all our time here, so that is where the thermostat sits, but due to a poor pipe arrangement the radiator never gets above lukewarm. I should light more fires maybe, but that means removing the insulation I stuffed up the chimney, every day.

And yes, I will be switching as soon as I'm free of the exit fees! I've marked the relevant date on the calendar.

matelodave

Instead of trying to compare yourself with everyone else have a go at looking at what you use and when you use it.

Set up a spreadsheet and read your own meters, once a week is ideal (or once a month if it's too much like hard work) to get your own record of what's actually going on in your house.

You can then try out some of the tips that others have suggested - like increasing your insulation, draught proofing, reducing your use of hot water, adjusting your thermostat & time clocks to optimise your heating times & temperatures. You'll then see if you are making a difference.

Don't forget to do the same with your leccy as well - turning lights and appliances off when not in use. Replacing lights in high use areas with LED's. Only using the washing machine, dishwasher and tumble dryer with full loads.

Even taking shorter or fewer showers or baths will have an effect on both your energy and water bills if you are on a water meter.

There's a lot you can do to optimise your consumption of utilities (gas, leccy & water) but firstly you need to know what you are actually using so you can see if you are making a difference.

There's only two of us, at home all day in a large 3 bed detached bungalow and I've whittled our total energy bill down from just under £1000 a year to around £650. Some of that has been due to reduction in energy prices but mostly due to improving how we use stuff as we've always been on the cheapest available tariffs.

CashStrapped

If you radiator is not warming up much or quickly compared to the others, there could be other reasons for this.

The system might not be balanced (ensures they heat up equally and at the same/similar time), or there could be sludge in them. A powerflush can be done to clean the system, if this has not been done for decades, if at all, it may help.

While a 60% efficient boiler is not fantastic, as I said, an upgrade to a modern one is not usually worth the outlay unless it is required. Modern boilers may only last 10 years, so by the time you have recouped the cost through efficiency savings, the boiler may need replacing.

Type the boiler name/model no. into google, it will give a rough idea as to the efficiency... 60% was just a guess based on age.

For large lounges, with big windows, even things like thick curtains rather than blinds, can make a big difference. Draught proofing around external doors if they are not upvc. There are lots of things you can do.