how low is your leccy consumption now, this very week..... asking for a friend

wrf12345

"But would you say that was an enjoyable existence?"
Yep, getting British Gas to cut my DD when the unit costs went crazy was very enjoyable, otherwise business as usual and those cold showers produce a mild state of euphoria in the morning...

pensionpawn

lindatoo said:

3 bed house gas CH and hot water. 1 adult, 2 cats. averaging 2.4kwh electricity per day. Hoping to stay under 3kwh throughout the winter months. Aiming for annual usage of under 1000kwh last year was 1500kwh. I am a fixed rate for electricity well under the cap for both unit and SC until Nov 23. which meant I paid a little more between Nov 21 and April 22 but I'm benefiting now.

I no longer have my TV on if I'm using my PC.

I rarely have hot drinks (through choice, don't particularly enjoy them).

Rarely use the oven, use an air fryer, instapot, microwave and occasionally a slow cooker. (If any one can tell me how to cook a crispy fruit crumble without using the oven, I'd be very grateful)

Ceiling lights rarely on. Although now it's getting darker I will be deploying some of the suggestions I've read on this thread of using low energy lamps in my kitchen rather than using the whole darn nine spots and multi bulb pendant light that are all wired up to same switch despite having a switch at each end of the kitchen. 

Everything that is not in use is switch off at the plug. 

Washer on once a week, occasionally twice, on low quick wash programme and line dried. Hoping to keep drying outside as long as possible.

Stopped hoovering every day which is one of things that I'm finding toughest and no steam mop anymore, reverted to the old fashioned way.

I actually enjoy my daily war with the smart meter. Sometimes it wins, most of the time I do. My family think I'm mad, they're probably right.

My main issue is going to be with the gas. Not fixed, Last year I used about 11000kwh, which I really want to reduce. I have been looking on line, to try to understand what would the best settings for my Worcester Greenstar 29cdi combi, none of it makes that much sense to me.

The main radiator in my living room is under the window with floor length curtains, not sure if I should buy some shorter ones,

My front door is draughty I have put some new draught excluder round it but its still draughty and not just at the bottom so getting cushion or bean excluder will not solve the problem so looks like being another curtain.

And then there's the cats who are constantly wanting to go out and come back every 15-20 mins and they literally hurl themselves at the door if I try to ignore them, so heat will be constantly escaping that way. Anyone want two not very well behaved cats?

As you have a relatively new gas boiler then that's one of the low hanging fruit gone, the other being changing your windows which I can see (through meter readings) have made an appreciable difference to gas usuage. Both the boiler and windows are 26 years old (when the house was built) We changed our windows 11 months ago and I'm getting a new boiler next week which should almost half my gas usage. All part of our strategy of getting all the capital jobs done before fully retiring. We also have a full length curtain at the front door and over our French doors to the garden. More of a feature for us (looks more snug, especially through the darker months) however it certainly helps, even though those doors are relatively new. What about a cat flap? If it's on a door that doesn't get the wind head on it shouldn't be a problem. I've also trained one of my cats (it's normally the other way around lol) that the door will close when my 3,2,1 countdown gets to one, so he knows the door is only open for 3 seconds max (yes, even though there's a cat flap, why use it when there's a human to employ...) Finally, solar panels (which obviously help reduce electricity import) can drastically reduce gas consumption as the excess energy can be diverted to a hot water tank (if you have one). My gas boiler was switched off in June and I told the female contingent of my family that it's not going on until the first day of autumn (Thursday). Hopefully I survive that long lol.

RobM99

I can't lead a life worrying about how much power a low-energy bulb costs me in summer. I'm sure I can save 20p a day elsewhere...

Krakkkers

Everybody can cut back a bit.

MuckChucker

Ah it's more of a game now than the panic stations that the October/Jan increases were likely to cause. I've always been a bit OCD for light switches and the likes and it's been great to have the energy crisis to back up moaning to the household. In fairness, we've done well to cut down (formerly 70-100 per week, now mid 50s are the norm) so I'm letting things slide a little. I do still have a sub 50 goal but I think that'll have to get pushed back with winter afoot.

One thing I did note, last week the wife knocked the shower to the higher setting and had a proper long steam up....~2.5kwh! About 40% of the whole houses usage for the day.

wrf12345

I have my hallway closed off with a double-glazed door (and a newish double glazed door at the entrance) that cost precisely nothing as it was one I took out of the back of the house (pre Fensa but still seals etc) - the front door is north facing so a terrible design. There is no heating in the hallway as it would be pointless. An inner hallway then leads to the rooms. Some windows have secondary glazing from tilt and turn double glazing as well (bought when we were in the EU and you could get them for £50-100 from Poland) - you can buy them online in Blighty and fit them yourself if the outer windows are old double glazing but still seal ok - don't need Fensa for secondary glazing so it is a lot cheaper DIY but does not really work for large bay windows unless you brick up the side windows, which will have estate agents weeping with angst. A major benefit of such secondary glazing is the complete elimination of condensation on the inside of the old windows as well as keeping the heat in the house.

oldagetraveller1

The average over the past 31 days is 4.06kWh/day.

Three bedrooms semi. Gas heating and cylinder stored h.w. (gas heated).

The biggest daily consumers are a small chest feezer (garage) and an upright fridge/freezer in an unheated utility room. I would hope these will run less now the ambient temps. are falling.

L.E.D. lighting throughout. Kitchen and landing lights are motion detected.

T.V. and associated equipment is left on stand by when not in use.

Dizee123

I had managed to get my electric usage down to 6-8 kWh/day from previous 10-12.  On one day it even got down to 5.8 kWh, a new record.
3 bed bungalow, 2 adults, 2 dogs, 1 fish tank, using slow cooker twice a week instead of oven, turned off fridge/freezer in the garage after emptying it.  However, partner is a TV sports addict, so can't see being able to reduce it any further without getting rid of the fish tank (or getting rid of partner )

However, our elderly dog has taken ill and is causing a lot of washing so in the last 5 days I have been averaging 9 kWh with the extra washing machine use and carpet cleaning.  We also cut all the hedges (large garden) with an electric hedge trimmer which used an extra 2kWh one day - I was surprised how annoyed I got at this, despite it being necessary! 

Ally_E.

Green_hopeful said:

Re your draughty front door we had draught excluder fitted on the outside. It’s fixed to the frame with a metal strip and has a rubber edge that pushes against the door when it’s shut. I have had it fitted at a couple of houses and it’s made a big difference. 

Could you share a link to external draught excluder, sounds like what my front door needs.

JackRaygun

3 bed semi, 2 adults one working from home, averaging 3.52kw/h per day since early June. Washing machine and oven used once per week. LED bulbs throughout.

Major drains are old style LCD TV rated at 150w running 3ish hours a night and freezers in the kitchen and garage, the latter both working hard over the hot summer and as already pointed out as the temperatures drop so should their consumption.

We use a whistling kettle on the gas hob to boil water, for us slightly cheaper, but need to reevaluate with post October unit price rises. Found it useful last winter for putting heat into the kitchen.

Gas for hot water and heating, old school boiler with water tank. Gas usage over the same period 4.9 kw/h per day (including kettle use)