Average monthly heating bill

[Deleted User]

Hey everyone - I've worked out that our monthly gas bill for a 3 bed home is going to be approx £80+ for the last 30 days ...is this rather expensive or around average? Trying to work out if we should be cutting back on usage or not, as we're on a fairly good tariff (and we're poor students). Thanks

[Deleted User]

Gas consumption is more useful for answering the question than bill amount, but assuming you're on a tariff similar to mine, you're using about 25MWh PA, which is about the 91st centile, and more than twice the median.

matelodave

If you considere that it hasn't been everso cold over the last 30 days (or it hasn't where I live) then December, January, February and bit of March is going to cost significantly more per 30 days. It would therefore be a good idea to keep a close eye on your meter readings and see what you can do to reduce your consumption.

It's a good idea to read the meters once a week at roughly the same time and put it on a spreadsheet or even post it on a noticeboard/fridge door so that everyone can see what's going on and everyone can do their bit to keep costs down

Turn the heating down when you aren't there and make sure evryone else does, be careful with your use of hot water, take shorter showers and fewer of them.

Make sure stuff is turned off when it's not in use - you aren't at home to be nagged by Mum & Dad to turn stuff off, so it's all of you who'll suffer the consequences of waste.

matelodave

jack_pott wrote: »

Gas consumption is more useful for answering the question than bill amount, but assuming you're on a tariff similar to mine, you're using about 25MWh PA, which is about the 91st centile, and more than twice the median.

I think I understood what you meant but I'm not sure the average student would. Especially if you've read the story about the girl and her hot water bottle. I know its the DM but it does just go to show that some dont have a clue.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5092515/Student-believes-hot-water-bottles-heat-up.html

[Deleted User]

Haha, thank you both....this is based on a forecast of two weeks (15 days) and then used to guestimate 30 days of use. I'm trying my hardest to be a bit more clued up than the average student, but I need some second opinions in order to convince my hard to persuade housemates! I think our tariff is 3.876kWh - haven't got the meter readings on me currently but will check next week...

[Deleted User]

matelodave wrote: »

I think I understood what you meant but I'm not sure the average student would.

25MWh: 25,000 units.
Median: half the population use less, half use more.
91st centile: 91% of the population use less 9% use more.

Median is 12,000, 90th centile 23,500, & 95th centile 29,000.

matelodave

{removed_by_ForumTeam} wrote: »

Haha, thank you both....this is based on a forecast of two weeks (15 days) and then used to guestimate 30 days of use. I'm trying my hardest to be a bit more clued up than the average student, but I need some second opinions in order to convince my hard to persuade housemates! I think our tariff is 3.876kWh - haven't got the meter readings on me currently but will check next week...

Dont forget that everytime you use the hot tap or crank up the heating it'll cost you, so dont wander about in a T shirt and shorts with the heating up, wear a woolly and trousers and turn it down a bit to save you money.

The same goes for the kettle, only boil up what you need not a whole kettleful just for one cup - it's taken me nigh on 50 years to try and persuade my wife that and we still end up with a half full kettle of boiling water that just sits there getting cold.

elsien

3 bedroom house, gas central heating, hot water and cooker, 1 person, home working a couple of days a week so the heating can be on more during the day. Average cost £40-45 per month, if that helps. I don't have the heating on full blast but I'm not one of the spartan brigade either.

[Deleted User]

Thanks again. It's a real uphill struggle- one of my housemates insists on keeping the heating on a program 24/7 because it's apparently unfair for them have to walk downstairs to switch it on if cold...! However I may switch it off when I leave in the morning anyway, if we are way above average as you suggest...

elsien

It's possibly more relevant what your thermostat is set on. My heating is on all the time autumn and winter, but it's on 16 when I'm out, 17 or 18 when I'm moving round or at night and 19/20 when I'm sitting watching TV or working on the computer.
If your housemates are wandering round in tshirts with the heating on 25 and the windows open because it's hot, that'll be why. How well insulated is the house?

[Deleted User]

It's on everyday at 19 from 7am, 20 from 12pm, 21 from 6pm until 11pm and 18 through the night... it's poorly insulated (low E rating) - I keep trying to switch it off when warm but housemates insist on leaving it on this program. The bills are spilt evenly so any increase is shared between us, unfortunately