Help!!! Energy Bills

Imperial1847

MattMattMattUK said:

Imperial1847 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Imperial1847 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Imperial1847 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Imperial1847 said:

QrizB said:

Imperial1847 said:

QrizB said:

Imperial1847 said:

From the two bills I have (bare in mind this was with the old boiler):
Nov - Jan - 554 = 6169kwh
Jan - Mar - 652 = 7316kwh
Apr - Jul - 652 = 226 = 2536kwh.

OK, so let's say that you use another "summer" quarter between now and November. That's a total of roughly 18,500kWh/yr.

At current prices, that would cost £1500/yr, £125/month (with the potential to almost double with the price increase from October).

They'll also expect you to recover your £495 arrears over the next six months, to that's an extra £85/month - which gets us to £210/month.

Have you got a dual-fuel account? How much electricity have you used in the same time?

Electric:
Nov - Jul - 5079

OK, if we say 6500kWh/yr for electricity that's another £2000/yr, £165/month. That makes:

• Gas - £125/month
• Electricity - £165/month
• Arrears - £85/month (for six months)

A total of £375/month, at current prices. EDF's £379 seems to be about right.

From October the SVT will increase and I'd guess your gas bill will increase by £1200/yr, £100/month, and your electricity by £1000/yr, £85/month. Even with the arrears paid off you'll then be looking at £475/month.

Happy days, not.

Whilst the higher unit costs cannot be avoided, it might be worth trying to reduce your usage as both your gas and electricity usage are significantly above average. Is your home poorly insulated, lots of occupants?

Their are only 3 of us in the property, we have good loft insulation and the cavity wall insulation has been redone in the last few weeks.

The cavity wall might make a bit of difference and the new boiler, if running in the optimal way should also bring down usage slightly, but the reality is you are using a huge amount of energy for three people. I think you need to do yourself a bit of an energy audit and work out why you are actually using so much, lots of high usage electronics (gaming PCs, very old freezers, electric showers), and also work out why your gas usage is so high (heating running with windows open, indoor temperature set to high (should be 18/19c), lots of long hot showers/baths? an Aga?).

My son is currently at home as he's between finishing A levels and getting a job and does use a gaming PC for long periods, we do have an electric shower and the Mrs has a habit of heating on/windows open in winter.

Then your son needs to get a job, most students already have, and start contributing towards the bills, his aiming could be a third or more of your electricity bill. Your wife needs to stop trying to heat the outside, if the heating is on then the windows are closed, she is costing you a fortune. Without knowing how bad she is it is hard to tell how much exactly, but seeing how high your usage is her trying to heat the garden could be half or more of your gas bill. Electric showers are expensive to run, if you have a shower that runs from boiler heated water that will be much cheaper.

I fully agree on the heating the garden bit bit I'll let you tell her :-)

Perhaps showing her the bills might do the trick this year, if they are going to be costing £400-500 pcm. The one positive of these rises is that many people are now finally realising how much energy they were wasting. 

Thats very true.

markin

If TRV's are fitted to the rads, They should have been fitted along with the boiler install, If you didn't have them already, That should help a little.

Imperial1847

markin said:

If TRV's are fitted to the rads, They should have been fitted along with the boiler install, If you didn't have them already, That should help a little.

They have, we had the boiler, cavity wall insulation, TRV's and trickle vents on the windows all done at the same time.

rrl28

TVRs are only useful if the doors to the rooms where they are fitted are kept closed all the time.

The_Fat_Controller

rrl28 said:

TVRs are only useful if the doors to the rooms where they are fitted are kept closed all the time.

I wouldn't want to keep a TVR in any room, they are bloody noisy and unreliable, the emissions would be an issue too. LOL 

Phlik

rrl28 said:

TVRs are only useful if the doors to the rooms where they are fitted are kept closed all the time.

They're also only useful if other house members don't keep winding them up to max because they believe it'll heat up quicker.
I gave up in the end and put the limit pins in and claimed ignorance when questioned about it 

Alnat1

I know your son wants to get "the job" (the dream one where he earns a lot doing something he loves) but until that comes along he needs to get "a job" (warehouse/pub/supermarket where he earns something to contribute to his keep)

Your wife needs to get some nice thick jumpers/sweatshirts and get used to the house only being heated to 18C from 30 minutes before you get up until 1 hour before bed, off overnight and whenever there's nobody home. TRVs used to keep rooms you spend less time in cooler, unused rooms (spare bedroom, rarely used dining room etc) heating off or very low if damp is a problem.

Only fill the kettle for the number of cuppas you are making, all eat together so the oven is only used once a day. Use the Eco settings on the washer/dishwasher. Use tumble dryer sparingly, hang out whenever possible.

The most important part is to get the whole family on board with the energy saving. You need to make them realise that their way of living is no longer affordable and changes have to be made. 

rrl28

Can't alter previous post

Should be

TRVs are only useful if the doors to the rooms where they are fitted are kept closed all the time.

Coffeekup

I had an ideal boiler fitted 4 years ago replacing a 22 year old biasi boiler. L Anyhow after having it fitted the installer said wow it's 98% efficient, not many you see above 97% he said, and went on his merry way. I was hoping it would save me a 25% on my gas usage over the year, especially as it was marketed as more efficient etc etc.
Anyhow after taking meter readings over the next 8 months and comparing them with the previous year's I could quite clearly see that it made little to no difference at all. 

Moral of the story look at you energy usage, cut back where you can if you don't like you monthly costs, especially if your heating the house whilst asleep or heating the garden. 

* Have the thermostat in the room you spend most time in, as then the boiler will switch off when up to temp, instead or trying to heat a cold and draughty hall way.

* If the heating  is on in September or October and even early November these day's you should learn it's going to cost you, the same goes for having heating on in march April (Unless extreme weather).

Thermostat's are marketed to save you money in your bills but they dont know when you out the house so could be heating your home whilst your at work, visiting friend's or trundling around Morrison's. Pay attention to the thermostat and make a conscious decision on warmer winter days to manually turn it off or down. Heating the home to 17/18C is all that needed.

Dare I say it.... Don't show your partner how the thermostat work's, in my experience it'll ramp up the bill's.

[Deleted User]

rrl28 said:

Can't alter previous post

Should be

TRVs are only useful if the doors to the rooms where they are fitted are kept closed all the time.

Hi,

to edit post, hit the wee gear wheel in top right hand of message, sometimes need to refresh page first.