M&S Everyday Energy

muffinek

Hello

As per the above I am with M&S for both gas and energy, which ultimately is supplied by Octopus.

I live in 3bed semi Victorian, two adults one small child. We both work from home on various days but ultimately there is always someone at home. We have comb boiler Worcester 24i. 

Like everyone else I am getting increasingly concerned about upcoming winter and wonder if there are any better deals out there than I wasn't able to find myself. I can't just simply switch off heating due to small child at home although he starts school in couple weeks so I might be able to reduce heating a bit during the day. 

My units rates are 29.63p per kWh for electricity and 7.51p per kWh for gas and standing charges are 31.88p per day for electricity and 27.22p per day for gas. 

The estimated usage on the bill is 2581 kWh for electricity and 26 312 kWh for gas. Last 12 months actuals are 2 495 and 23 730. 

The only tariff I am being offered by current supplier is 12m fix with unit rates 72.33p for electricity and 19.93p for gas. This doesn't look like something worth considering unless I am mistaken?

QrizB

You're a fairly typical electricity user but are using twice the average amount of gas. I know you're in a Victorian semi, which won't help, but can you turn the temperature down a couple of degrees?

The fixed tariff looks expensive, at least until January.

pochase

Based on todays Auxilione predication it would not be worth it



 But the prediction has gone down drastically for two days in a row, and might go back up tomorrow. Cornwall Insights prediction would be much higher.

So currently the fixed tariff would cost you £50 more per month.

Your gas usage is more than double the Ofgem average, any chance you can reduce that?

muffinek

My gas usage is high because ultimately heating is on 24/7 in the winter due to working from home. I will certainly reduce temp on thermostat but other than that I am not sure what else I could do.

pochase

The question is can you afford £560 or more per month to keep the heating on 24/7?

Alnat1

Do you have TRVs on the radiators so the heating can be turned off (or only on very low)  in rooms that aren't being used at the time. Bedrooms can then be heated for 30 mins to an hour before you go to bed and 30 mins before you get up, OFF all night and other parts of the day if empty (keep internal doors closed)

Have a room thermostat that can be moved around and keep it where you spend most of your time. This will probably be living room in the evenings but could also be wherever you work at other times. Aim for 18C for the room in use and lower temperatures (using TRVs) in other rooms. Thick curtains, closed at dusk, should also help.

Kids can regulate their body temperature the same as adults so need to keep it warmer than you need for your son. Wearing sweatshirts, hoodies, fleeces etc. and good old fashioned slippers works out much cheaper than having the heating at 20C+

BUFF

muffinek said:

My gas usage is high because ultimately heating is on 24/7 in the winter due to working from home. I will certainly reduce temp on thermostat but other than that I am not sure what else I could do.

What temperature is your room 'stat set to?
Do you drop the heating temp overnight (or even switch it off)?
Do you have TRVs on your radiators & if so, do you use them to set different temps. for different (e.g. unused) rooms?
What is the flow temperature of the boiler set at?
Do you draw your curtains at night & have you done all the normal draughtproofing/insulation?

muffinek

I have TVRs and they are set already to lower settings in unused rooms. I could drop them even further but my concern always has been that then I will get lots of damp as it is Victorian house and there is already bit downstairs. 

The heating stays on whole night which I guess is part of the issue. I will need to reduce all of that but I won't know the difference impact until I start seeing bills once heating season starts. 

Boiler is set to 5 out of 6. 

BUFF

What is your room stat set to?
Does your programmer/ room 'stat allow you to set different temps. for differnt times? If so, try starting out by running 2C less overnight than day/evening. If not, do it manually.
1 on a TRV is typically (varies by manufacturer) ~10C, 2 ~15C imo you certainly don't need higher than that in unused rooms. 3 is ~20/21C & 4 ~25C.

It's just a "plain" Worcester 24i not a Greenstar? How old is it?

p.s. I live in a 3 bed Edwardian house albeit a terrace rather than a semi  so I am aware of the potential concerns/issues.

muffinek

I can't set different temp for different times sadly. I don't know how old boiler is as it was here when I moved in. I believe it is +/- 12 years old and it is Greenstar

BUFF

muffinek said:

I can't set different temp for different times sadly. I don't know how old boiler is as it was here when I moved in. I believe it is +/- 12 years old and it is Greenstar

You can do it manually then or, as I do, not run the heating overnight but have it come on early enough to be tolerable by the time that you get up.
You still haven't said what your room stat is set to?

Do you use the Eco button (this switches off the hot water preheat)?
5 on the control for CH is ~74C flow temp, this might be marginal for your boiler condensing - see if you can live with it at 4 (68C). 3.5 would be better (~65C) & 3 would be~61C.
This should allow your boiler to condense which will mean increased efficiency albeit your radiator/rooms may take longer to reach set temp.