Good morning all - Energy Q from a novice... Moved into our new property in April and went on the

BUFF

Does your hw cylinder have an immersion heater as a backup from the gas boiler? If so, is it actually switched on - that would account for some of your high electricity usage & why turning the hot water thermostat down doesn't seem to have made much difference?

Alnat1

Is your boiler a combi or does it heat a separate hot water tank?

MWT

Prichard said:

However, our boiler is also probably towards the end of its life (think it is about 15-20 years old). Our hot water is also ferociously hot but turning the thermostat down on it does not seem to make a huge amount of difference. Do you think that changing to a new (and presumably more efficient) boiler might be worth looking into?

This together with the high electricity use does suggest an immersion heater may be left on, but that should be easy to find, so will be surprised if you hadn't already noticed it...

Prichard

MWT said:

Prichard said:

However, our boiler is also probably towards the end of its life (think it is about 15-20 years old). Our hot water is also ferociously hot but turning the thermostat down on it does not seem to make a huge amount of difference. Do you think that changing to a new (and presumably more efficient) boiler might be worth looking into?

This together with the high electricity use does suggest an immersion heater may be left on, but that should be easy to find, so will be surprised if you hadn't already noticed it...

I feel rather stupid but you appear to have hit the nail on the head. Just saw what must be the immersion heater (Thermowatt is the brand). 

Followed the cable to a switch in the boiler room and it was on. 

Now my concern is that the boiler might not work hence previous owner leaving immersion heater on. Is the best way to check that to wait a few hours for the water to cool and then put the heating on to see if the rads get warm? 

pochase

You have used a lot of gas already, more than you could just by cooking, so it is very unlikely that the boiler does not work.

Prichard

pochase said:

You have used a lot of gas already, more than you could just by cooking, so it is very unlikely that the boiler does not work.

Also just found the service document which shows it was serviced on 12th March and passed. 

Robin9

Continue to read those meters , daily if you can.  You should see a drop in electricity consumption

Prichard

Robin9 said:

Continue to read those meters , daily if you can.  You should see a drop in electricity consumption

Thanks & will do. Have also turned boiler down to 30 mins per day. 

Am I correct in saying that outside of the times that the boiler was heating the water tank, the immersion heater would have come on to keep the water (piping) hot 24 hours a day? Presumably sucking up a lot of power as it did so.

CKhalvashi

Prichard said:

Robin9 said:

Prichard said:

Estimated Annual Usage

Electricity: 8,726 KWH @ 28.455p (standing charge 43.39p per day)
Gas: 21,678KWH @ 7.479p (standing charge 27.22p per day)

Actual Usage 

Electricity: 1,170 KWH (20th April - today)
Gas: 1,569 KWH (20th April - today)

We have been giving actual meter readings.

Wow  -  its not easy to extrapolate these figures but elec is 600 KWh  a month so I can believe the 8726 figure. Gas at this time of year is not so easy  but with no heating on what are you using gas for  ?

Our gas usage can only be hot water / a small amount of cooking. But as above - our hot water is hotter than the sun. Absolutely biblical heat. I tried turning the thermostat down and also just having it on for 1 hour per day last week. So wonder if that will make much of a difference. 

If you have a +1 button on your controls it may be worth using this.

I have to wait about 15 minutes for hotnwater, but it should save you money overall.

If only having a shower, it may be cheaper to have a power shower installed, which shouldn't use a lot of electricity (at least ours doesnt for a 10 minute shower).

Prichard

CKhalvashi said:

Prichard said:

Robin9 said:

Prichard said:

Estimated Annual Usage

Electricity: 8,726 KWH @ 28.455p (standing charge 43.39p per day)
Gas: 21,678KWH @ 7.479p (standing charge 27.22p per day)

Actual Usage 

Electricity: 1,170 KWH (20th April - today)
Gas: 1,569 KWH (20th April - today)

We have been giving actual meter readings.

Wow  -  its not easy to extrapolate these figures but elec is 600 KWh  a month so I can believe the 8726 figure. Gas at this time of year is not so easy  but with no heating on what are you using gas for  ?

Our gas usage can only be hot water / a small amount of cooking. But as above - our hot water is hotter than the sun. Absolutely biblical heat. I tried turning the thermostat down and also just having it on for 1 hour per day last week. So wonder if that will make much of a difference. 

If you have a +1 button on your controls it may be worth using this.

I have to wait about 15 minutes for hotnwater, but it should save you money overall.

If only having a shower, it may be cheaper to have a power shower installed, which shouldn't use a lot of electricity (at least ours doesnt for a 10 minute shower).

Has two buttons ‘heating advance’ and ‘hot water advance’?