Gas usage really high - very old meter

startingout2016

I have worked out my kwh of gas usage over the last year to be 16300kwh.

We live in a 2 bed end terrace house. 2 adults one child.
we are mostly out at work during the day, so heating on only for an hour in the morning and then on when we get in in the evening and over weekends.
The windows and doors have all been upgraded to double glazing.
There is carpet in each room so no draughty floorboards.
The boiler is a brand new worcester combi installed last year.

We don't have gas appliances, so the gas usage is only for heating and hot water.
There are 2 people having one shower each a day and approx 3 or 4 baths per week.

Comparison sites suggest an average expected usage of 12000 or 13000 kwh per year for gas.

Why could ours be so high?

I had a look at the meter and cant see anything wrong with it, but it is very old and having looked it up online it possibly dates to 1989.

Could it be a calibration issue?

Gerry1

How have you 'worked out' this figure? Do the bills show this usage in kWh obtained from actual meter readings, not estimates? Or have you calculated it from the volume of gas that the meter shows you have used?

Check that the number on the meter is the same as that shown on the bill.

In any case, the usage is not particularly high.

startingout2016

Its from meter readings I have taken and submitted.

RelievedSheff

An average is just that. Some people will use more some will use less.

We are projected to use around 7500kwh of gas per year. (Only been in the house 8 months but from actual meter readings this seems to be on track to be accurate)

If you average out yours and our useage you get 11900kwh.

dogshome

1989 vintage it's probably an analogue meter - (Small numbered wheels turning rather like a car mileometer)
These are very reliable and if anything, tend to run slow as they age.


It's possible you have a Gas leak - They can occur in areas where the tell-tale smell isn't noticable

Turn off all gas appliances and check the meter over a long period of time, if the meter moves get a gas engineer in to check

Robin9

You are suffering from end of terrace - ie lots of outside walls.

Mid terrace may well be nearer the "average"

D_M_E

Is the meter measuring in FT3 - cubic feet - and you are being billed for M3 - cubic meter- consumption?

If so then your bills will be about 2.8 times what they should be.

Gerry1

D_M_E wrote: »

Is the meter measuring in FT3 - cubic feet - and you are being billed for M3 - cubic meter- consumption?

If so then your bills will be about 2.8 times what they should be.

No, that mistake would be to your advantage. The problem arises if a metric meter is billed as if it were imperial.

st999

I live in a 3 bed semi and at the moment the gas usage for heating from about 08:00 to 23:30 with the thermostat set at 21 deg C is approx. 55 kWh a day, however the gas usage for heating for the year is about 10,000 kWh, as the heating isn't on for about 6 months of the year.

There is also about 11 kWh a day used for hot water and cooking making the years usage about 14,000-14,500 kWh.

RelievedSheff

Robin9 wrote: »

You are suffering from end of terrace - ie lots of outside walls.

Mid terrace may well be nearer the "average"

If only it were as simple as that!!

If we followed that theory then our 3 bed detached should be worse then the OP's end of terrace, when in reality we are using half the gas that they are.

There are far more factors at work then the type and style of house.

Robin9

RelievedSheff wrote: »

If only it were as simple as that!!

If we followed that theory then our 3 bed detached should be worse then the OP's end of terrace, when in reality we are using half the gas that they are.

There are far more factors at work then the type and style of house.

I agree - I interpret "end of terrace" to be an old property, poor insulation compared with todays super insulated property.

Add into that lifestyle, what is warm to some is too hot for me ………..