Average electric consumption

Fizzy1207

Could anyone please help with an average electric consumption please as ours seems really high and I'm not sure why. I have spoken to our supplier and they have said we are averaging around 700 units per month.

Just for information, we have a mid terrace 3 bed house built in 2007. I have 3 teenage children so there are 5 of us. During term time we are all out of the house from 8am till 4pm, during the holidays there are 4 of us at home all day. We have gas central heating and a dual fuel cooker. I have stopped using the tumble dryer for about a year now.

Hope someone can help please.

Robin9

Keep your own records to see what is being used - read your meter at the same time every day and also keep a diary.

Do you have an electric shower ? 5 of you taking a 15 in shower could be using over 300 units a month.

Gerry1

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/monitoring-data-and-statistics/typical-domestic-consumption-values

You're in Profile Class 1.

Fizzy1207

Thank you for that. Even if we are high users we shouldn’t be using anywhere near the 8,400 plus that we are using according to that website.

Fizzy1207

Thanks for the I suggestion, I have set an alarm on my phone to check it at the same time each day. Having checked it about 12pm and again at 6pm we have used 10kw In six hours. Will keep monitoring it.

Yes we do have an electric shower, on average it’s used about 20-25 times a week.

Gerry1

Check the power rating of the shower. Here's a ball park guide.

25 showers at 15 minutes with a 10kW shower = 3250kWh per year. Add your 'High' consumption of 4600kWh = 7850kWh. That's getting close to your measured usage.

Time to change that shower to a power shower with hot water supplied by the gas boiler !

If your gas is 3p/kWh and your electricity is 13p/kW, you might save about £325 p.a.

BTW, do you have an immersion heater? That could be quietly competing with the power shower to bankrupt you !

Fizzy1207

Unfortunately that’s easier said than done as we are in housing association and they provide the showers. We do have an immersion but it’s never switched on.

molerat

I have never understood why HAs install electric showers where they have gas heated tanked hot water. Maybe the lifetime cost / maintenance is cheaper.

Talldave

Do the teenagers all have gaming PCs? You're averaging over 1600W which is pretty hefty.


Hopefully you don't have any light fittings with 50W halogen bulbs?


When/if the teenagers go to bed, get them to switch off the PCs etc at the wall socket.


It might be time to get an energy monitor - if your meter has a pulsing LED, you can get one that's really accurate. You'll then have a live readout of consumption and you can go around turning things off to see the impact. I use a Geo Minim+ and it's great.

Norman_Castle

Fizzy1207 wrote: »

Yes we do have an electric shower, on average it’s used about 20-25 times a week.

How long are the showers? After 5 minutes you're not getting any cleaner. Buy a shower timer and explain to the kids shorter showers result in better birthdays.

Norman_Castle

molerat wrote: »

I have never understood why HAs install electric showers where they have gas heated tanked hot water. Maybe the lifetime cost / maintenance is cheaper.

Its possible in an older property the old boiler and tank wouldn't have been good enough for a shower. When replaced with a combi boiler the electric shower and tank is left in place.

If the bath taps can be fed from a combi boiler swapping them for a thermostatic mixer tap is simple and cheap enough.