Is our usage crazy?!

QrizB

sarahdh said:

Only thing I can think could be contributing is the little heater my husband has in his office (in our shed/summerhouse - it's nicer than it sounds!). Surely that wouldn't account for doubling our consumption though would it? He can freeze if that's the case 

Mrs QrizB has a cabin (fancy shed) at the end of the garden where she does creative stuff. She heats that with a convector heater something like this:

https://www.toolstation.com/2kw-convector-heater/p77317

Typically it uses 6-8kWh/day to keep her cabin warm, but last winter we had a couple of times where she forgot to switch it off overnight ... and as you might expect, the electricity use on those days was huge.

This winter she's using one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0063EC3W0

It shuts the heater off after 2 hours so no more overnight heating.

Coffeekup

Gas is golden really for a family of your size, as for the non showering teen-agers your consumption will go up when they discover that.

Electricity I'd say is high it's 3 times as high as mine and you have 2 more in the house than I. However I do t work from home. So PC's, and  games consoles, soon eat up energy especially if being run 4-6 hours a day. As does TV boxes, and TV's just on in the background with no one watching. Turn all of the above at the wall when no one is home will make a huge difference over a month/year, as does turning washing machine, hi+fi, microwaves and toasters at the wall. 

Edit: also your fish tank could be a 20% of that usage if not more.

MrsBrush

Well, that is thread is hugely interesting for me, as I have just had a massive row with Bulb who decided that we need to be paying £286 a month (was £153 when we moved in to the house in October 21, which has been increased 4 times already) to "increase our credit balance", that we have not built up because of us only being here 4 months! They have been arguing that we need to insulate ourselves against the cap going up, as if we haven't noticed an almost 100% overnight hike!  More like they are in administration and are still losing money because of the wholesale prices going up and the price cap limiting what they can charge, so they seem to be trying to bully customers into paying as much as they can by any means possible! 

I have moved us over to the 'pay for what you use' option, which they eventually and very reluctantly agreed to. Lets see, because switching away remains a no-go at the moment.

I think this will dramatically drop our payments in the short term because our actual winter usage has been in the region of 752kwh for electricity and 1199.5kwh for gas - although fully aware that the price will hike up dramatically anyway.

We have a 3 bed semi, just 2 of us. I work at home full time, so PC and 2 monitors on all day every day, and I am guilty of not always switching them off. We have 2 TV's, which are also on standby. We have 2 (full) freezers, 2 fridges, a washing machine that is only used 3-4 times a week and the usual array of chargers etc. We have just replaced the electric shower, as the old one was useless - but we both only shower once a day, both pretty quick, and I have a couple of slightly longer showers in a week when it takes forever to wash the soap out of my very long and thick hair! My dishwasher has yet to be plumbed in, as the plumbing hasn't been sorted yet.

Our main usage issue seems to come from the ancient hot air gas boiler, which is highly inefficient and no doubt expensive to run. It is basically only on between 5pm - 10pm, and possibly an hour in the morning if it is very cold. It has an underpowered fan, which has to work overtime to get any heat through the place, so just as well the windows and insulation seems to be okay! The antique 1970s original gas hot water system attached to the prehistoric boiler looks as though it broke about 20 years ago, so hot water comes via the 3.5KW immersion heater - which is also expensive to run (and I think is the biggest power wasting culprit) and it doesn't heat up enough hot water to even half fill the bath, so also pretty useless as well. We have given up and turned it off completely, so we are now using the kettle for washing up and for general use. We have a gas cooker, that is used for around an hour or so a day generally.

I know that our energy use is a bit higher than most, but we have been struggling to figure out where we can make cuts, apart from the obvious. Glad it isn't just us, I thought it was just me getting annoyed, worried and fed up.

Phlik

MrsBrush said:

Well, that is thread is hugely interesting for me, as I have just had a massive row with Bulb who decided that we need to be paying £286 a month (was £153 when we moved in to the house in October 21, which has been increased 4 times already) to "increase our credit balance", that we have not built up because of us only being here 4 months! They have been arguing that we need to insulate ourselves against the cap going up, as if we haven't noticed an almost 100% overnight hike!  More like they are in administration and are still losing money because of the wholesale prices going up and the price cap limiting what they can charge, so they seem to be trying to bully customers into paying as much as they can by any means possible! 

I have moved us over to the 'pay for what you use' option, which they eventually and very reluctantly agreed to. Lets see, because switching away remains a no-go at the moment.

I think this will dramatically drop our payments in the short term because our actual winter usage has been in the region of 752kwh for electricity and 1199.5kwh for gas - although fully aware that the price will hike up dramatically anyway.

We have a 3 bed semi, just 2 of us. I work at home full time, so PC and 2 monitors on all day every day, and I am guilty of not always switching them off. We have 2 TV's, which are also on standby. We have 2 (full) freezers, 2 fridges, a washing machine that is only used 3-4 times a week and the usual array of chargers etc. We have just replaced the electric shower, as the old one was useless - but we both only shower once a day, both pretty quick, and I have a couple of slightly longer showers in a week when it takes forever to wash the soap out of my very long and thick hair! My dishwasher has yet to be plumbed in, as the plumbing hasn't been sorted yet.

Our main usage issue seems to come from the ancient hot air gas boiler, which is highly inefficient and no doubt expensive to run. It is basically only on between 5pm - 10pm, and possibly an hour in the morning if it is very cold. It has an underpowered fan, which has to work overtime to get any heat through the place, so just as well the windows and insulation seems to be okay! The antique 1970s original gas hot water system attached to the prehistoric boiler looks as though it broke about 20 years ago, so hot water comes via the 3.5KW immersion heater - which is also expensive to run (and I think is the biggest power wasting culprit) and it doesn't heat up enough hot water to even half fill the bath, so also pretty useless as well. We have given up and turned it off completely, so we are now using the kettle for washing up and for general use. We have a gas cooker, that is used for around an hour or so a day generally.

I know that our energy use is a bit higher than most, but we have been struggling to figure out where we can make cuts, apart from the obvious. Glad it isn't just us, I thought it was just me getting annoyed, worried and fed up.

Blown air heating, now that is getting on a bit. It was briefly popular in the 60's-70's if memory serves, the ducting is still in place under our suspended floors but the main system is long gone.

sarahdh

Sea_Shell said:

What is the rating of that "little heater" and how many hours per day does he have it on?

It is thermostatically controlled (oil filled radiator) or just "on" all the time, like an electric fan heater?

I'm not 100% sure (and he's away for work tonight so I can't check), but I *think* it's a convection heater, and I think from looking at Argos it's a 2000w one that has switches for 750w and 1250w, so goodness knows what level he has it on.

Would he be better with a lower rated oil-filled heater? Any other heater suggestions welcome!

Carrot007

People around here will say yours is high but in a 3 bed 20's end terrace tyou are around my elec and low on the gas.

Do not live there anymore but it was just for 2 people and not unreasonable if you like it not freezing (ie 22).

I had an electric shower but a few elecrtic heaters would probably equal it out.

Trouble here is people are money savers so on the unrealistic side of average usage (which means nothing anyway).

So your answer is you could defiunately cut it down if you want. No electric heating and heating on the gas would help. (unless, well who knows these days!).

I find your usage fairly normal 9low on the gas). So such is and people have differnet views.

In my curent place I use aroundf 5.5K and 14K so many on here would still moan but I expec gas tyo go down as have had a proper roof on the conservatorys (was open to kitchen when I got here (and yet both are still lower than before 50s semi 3 bed so lower ceiling and such (like modern places))).

sarahdh

Ant555 said:

Can I ask what energy monitor you have and how it works? I'm going to be like the energy police going forward!!

I have the role of CEO in my house right now (chief energy officer)

As I dont have a smart meter I bought this from Amazon - I am told its not as accurate as some however it does seem to work perfectly fine.  It was £39 for ages, I procrastinated and it has recently jumped to £44 which is what I paid.  You place a little clamp round the electricity cable from your meter and the display then shows all the usage.  The display doesnt have any sort of download to PC etc but its quite cheap and I am finding it extremely useful.  If you have a utility bill and it shows what your electricity rate is and what your standing charge is then you input that during the setup and it can estimate in £'s what you have spent today, yesterday, last week, month etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JIMQP6Y/

Note that you electricity usage is definitely high if you do not have an electric shower or electric heating. - this monitor will almost certainly lead you to switch stuff off or at the very least be aware of whats costing you big £'s

Do your kids cook their own food and therefore the oven is on a lot at different times?

PS - as already suggested take regular readings and record them yourself - monthly at an absolute minimum.

hope this helps

Can I ask why you went for this rather than a smart meter? I've put off getting a smart meter, but I have no idea why, so I don't know if I'd be best getting one, or something like what you have. 

The kids only cook using the microwave, and only for a couple of minutes at a time 

sarahdh

Thrugelmir said:

sarahdh said:

Phlik said:

You're gas usage looks about normal but your electric use is double ours with the same appliances and also two game addicted sons.

The high use electrical items to look out for are oven/hob, dish washer, washing machine, tumble dryer, kettle, electric shower.
You've already ruled out electric heaters and under floor heating and I've no experience in keeping tropical fish so can't comment there.

You don't have one of these mythical teenagers that needs to take 3-4 showers a day or stands day dreaming in it for his on end do you? I fixed our day dreamer by knocking the breaker off after 20 minutes.

Finally you are aware that gas and electric prices have doubled over the last six months too?

Only thing I can think could be contributing is the little heater my husband has in his office (in our shed/summerhouse - it's nicer than it sounds!). Surely that wouldn't account for doubling our consumption though would it? He can freeze if that's the case 

Work out the consumption. A shed/summerhouse isn't going to retain any heat if it's uninsulated. 

It has some sort of insulation, but nothing like what it should have.

sarahdh

Phlik said:

sarahdh said:

Phlik said:

You're gas usage looks about normal but your electric use is double ours with the same appliances and also two game addicted sons.

The high use electrical items to look out for are oven/hob, dish washer, washing machine, tumble dryer, kettle, electric shower.
You've already ruled out electric heaters and under floor heating and I've no experience in keeping tropical fish so can't comment there.

You don't have one of these mythical teenagers that needs to take 3-4 showers a day or stands day dreaming in it for his on end do you? I fixed our day dreamer by knocking the breaker off after 20 minutes.

Finally you are aware that gas and electric prices have doubled over the last six months too?

Yes I definitely think it's the electricity that's high.

Oven/hob we use no more than anyone else I would imagine (probably less looking at our recent takeaway consumption ). Shower is via gas combo boiler, and we have no tumble drier or dish washer.

Only thing I can think could be contributing is the little heater my husband has in his office (in our shed/summerhouse - it's nicer than it sounds!). Surely that wouldn't account for doubling our consumption though would it? He can freeze if that's the case 

I use one of these plug in meters to measure single appliance consumption

https://www.screwfix.com/p/energenie-ener007-energy-saving-power-meter-socket/3477H?tc=MC8&ds_kid=92700055281954487&ds_rl=1249401&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3Jn1xPSk9gIVjYFQBh2HRQ9_EAQYAiABEgJVK_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

You can measure each appliance in turn and leave it on for 24hrs to get an idea of daily consumption, you can then track down the culprit.

We have a 10kw shower and a dish washer in regular use and the boys computers and games consoles are used a lot and or annual usage is around 3200kwh.

Oh I need this, I'm going to get one! Official Energy Police Monitoring Device!!! I need a notebook...

Sea_Shell

sarahdh said:

Sea_Shell said:

What is the rating of that "little heater" and how many hours per day does he have it on?

It is thermostatically controlled (oil filled radiator) or just "on" all the time, like an electric fan heater?

I'm not 100% sure (and he's away for work tonight so I can't check), but I *think* it's a convection heater, and I think from looking at Argos it's a 2000w one that has switches for 750w and 1250w, so goodness knows what level he has it on.

Would he be better with a lower rated oil-filled heater? Any other heater suggestions welcome!

AIUI, it doesn't matter what type it is, if it's using 2kw per hour at full power, it's using 2kw per hour if constantly "on".

So it's more about how the power is controlled (thermostat) and for how long it's "on" for.... actually heating.

A heater that clicks on/off, will use less than one that is continuously on, assuming it ever gets the room up to temperature!