What is a realistic amount that usage can be reduced to?

Macc

My usage in the last 12 months was:-

21,148 Gas
2,893 Electric

I understand that the typical gas usage is around 12,000? Our house gets pretty cold in the winter. I work from home and Mrs Macc seems to be permanently freezing so I imagine for about 7 or 8 months of those 12 we just had the heating on most of the time between 8am - 10pm. Not going to do that this year obviously but what could I realistically reduce that to with much less use. If we had the heating on for say 2 hours in total for the day what would that roughly reduce our gas usage to? 

Petriix

You can massively reduce the gas usage if you hide out in one room in the winter and find an alternative heating solution like a wood burner or air to air heat pump.

It's impossible to put a number on it because the temperature outside is so variable. Last year was a particularly mild winter so it could easily be worse. 

Max68

I can't afford the expensive options such as wood burners or heat pumps, but I did cut my gas usage in half last winter by literally cutting back on when it was on. Tried one hour a day but it was too cold. So two hours in morning and two hours in evening and limited thermostat to 18 degrees and as I say used half compared to previous year. Was still cold mind you so a coat, curtains across porch door, fleece bedding etc did help. What I find bizarre is that in summer we seem to struggle to sleep when it's 18 degrees at night but when it's 18 degrees indoors in winter it's too cold!!

Northern_Wanderer

Max68 said:

 What I find bizarre is that in summer we seem to struggle to sleep when it's 18 degrees at night but when it's 18 degrees indoors in winter it's too cold!!

I am exactly the same but I suspect it's something to do with the cold that comes up from under the floor in winter. I have a thick floor cushion for under my feet in winter, helps a bit. Leg warmers too and slippers.

Alnat1

Being able to control which bits of the house you keep warm is important, so TRVs on your radiators low/off in unused rooms and full in main room and keeping internal doors closed to zone each room. Thermostat is best in the room you spend most time in, not in a draughty hallway that doesn't really need much heat.

I find I'm happy with the heating set lower in the mornings, I'm generally busy and moving around so find 16C is fine then I turn it up to 17C mid afternoon as temperature outside drops. Sitting around in the evening 18C (maybe a sneaky 19 if really cold out) with layered clothes (I'm nesh, long sleeved t-shirt, jumper, zippy hoody) and a blanket. I discovered wrist warmers last winter, really helped keep my hands warm without having to resort to gloves indoors. Our heating goes off an hour before my bedtime, comes back on 30 mins before I get up (hubby works silly hours, gets up at 3.15am and is out of the house in 20 mins, he doesn't get heating on for that!)

Xbigman

There are two sides to the equation.
Heating is highly dependent on insulation. If your property is poorly insulated you're stuffed. In that event spending money on insulation should pay for itself very quickly especially if DIY. 
Domestic usage is where you can probably save some money. Nearly 3000 units of electric for 2 adults is high (you don't mention children). Start by finding out where all that electric is going. Electric showers and Immersion heaters are prime area's to start with.



Darren

macman

How big is the property (no. of b/r's), and what type (detached, semi, terrace, bungalow)? The usage is not unduly high for, say, a 4 b/r detached house without cavity walls.

TheGardener

I've never been stingy with the heating (but will be now) and live in an old house with high ceilings - when changing a lightbulb last year I realised all the heat in the house was up near the ceiling!! We have a combi-boiler and have turned the water temperature down to 55 (from 67) degs and its absolutely fine - no one in the household has even noticed. (If you have a hot water tank it needs to be 60+) My usage was about 7300Kwh for the winter quarter last year and was about 550kwh for the spring quarter - I'm aiming for 200kwh for the summer quarter.   
Insulate, insulate, insulate - I was stunned by what a difference an extra layer of insulation in the loft made last winter (and it was much cooler upstairs during the meltdown temperature we had a few weeks ago) 
That is eye-wateringly high usage for gas but electric is about the same as us (before economies) but there are 5 or 6 of us in the household.
Looks like its time to look hard at the heating timer and not have it on the 'constant' setting - if you haven't got a boiler timer it's time to get one. .. and buy wooly socks, fluffy slippers and a jumper...

Alnat1

The hot water tank only needs heating to 60C for a short time once a week for killing legionella bacteria, it does not need to be 60C constantly.

Mstty

3000kwh electriciry units it's not high for two adults. The average states 2900kwh for 2-3 adults so it's pretty much bang on. 

It's just there are some on this forum that have cut everything to the bone and some that have to but it's about finding that enjoyment level where you don't hate your home. Budget defining of course.

That said the 3 of us (we are all electric but I will take out hot water) we use 2600kWh a year on electricity if we adjust our numbers to pretend we had gas for hot water and CH.

oldagetraveller1

Three bedroom semi, electricity around 2300kWh/annum, conventional condensing gas boiler (hot water and heating) about 8400kWh/annum.

The gas consumption is considerably reduced, in winter, by stoking up a good old  coal fire!