Anyone got any ideas on this bizarre happening?

Max68

I take a note of my energy readings each evening and I am on the list for smart meters.  For most of the summer my imperial gas meter has been ticking over one unit of gas every four days, which was fine because the gas boiler is used to heat hot water.  However, as the autumn chill has kicked in at the end of August the four days went to every three days and in the last week or so one unit is ticking over every two days?!  Now the only things that use gas are the boiler for central heating and hot water and the hob.  Everything else is electric.  The heating is off because the thermostat is turned right down to 14 degrees and although the radiator in the bathroom comes on at times that is due to it being a bypass I have been told. Done nothing different these last few weeks bar maybe the odd bath rather than the showers during the summer but I'm not sure how it could be that because the water is on a timer which hasn't changed.  So, I am at a loss as to why I am suddenly seemingly using more gas.  Any ideas as I am befuddled?!

Apodemus

Well, I've noticed that I have had to turn my electric shower up a bit this week because the temperature of the incoming cold water has dropped.  Could it be the added heat requirement to bring your hot water up to temperature that is the culprit?

EDIT:  ...and if I had my central heating thermostat set at 14C (rather than it being switched off), my heating would have been on for a couple of hours a day, this last week or so!

Max68

Apodemus said:

Well, I've noticed that I have had to turn my electric shower up slightly this week because the temperature of the incoming cold water has dropped.  Could it be the added heat requirement to bring your hot water up to temperature that is the culprit?

Aha, you might just be a genius Sir as come to think of it I have turned the shower up slightly.  Would that affect gas though as the hot water would already be in the tank?

[Deleted User]

Max68 said:

Apodemus said:

Well, I've noticed that I have had to turn my electric shower up slightly this week because the temperature of the incoming cold water has dropped.  Could it be the added heat requirement to bring your hot water up to temperature that is the culprit?

Aha, you might just be a genius Sir as come to think of it I have turned the shower up slightly.  Would that affect gas though as the hot water would already be in the tank?

But you would use more hot water in the mix - which would get replaced with more cold water that needed to be heated.

Max68

[Deleted User] said:

Max68 said:

Apodemus said:

Well, I've noticed that I have had to turn my electric shower up slightly this week because the temperature of the incoming cold water has dropped.  Could it be the added heat requirement to bring your hot water up to temperature that is the culprit?

Aha, you might just be a genius Sir as come to think of it I have turned the shower up slightly.  Would that affect gas though as the hot water would already be in the tank?

But you would use more hot water in the mix - which would get replaced with more cold water that needed to be heated.

Good point, seems like the mystery is solved, thank you.  Funny how subtle changes can escape you.

molerat

My gas use has increased slightly over the past week which I have put down to the water being colder.

Mstty

Also bear in mind a shower will take less hot water out of the tank than a bath. Likely one shower whatever timer you have set means it's not firing all the time for the time set every day but put in the odd bath and it will need to use more kWh to replace that over 1 timed heat or 2 or 3 etc.

chris_n

Max68 said: Done nothing different these last few weeks bar maybe the odd bath rather than the showers during the summer but I'm not sure how it could be that because the water is on a timer which hasn't changed.  So, I am at a loss as to why I am suddenly seemingly using more gas.  Any ideas as I am befuddled?!

The bath will use more water than the shower, cooling the tank more. This will require more gas to heat it up before you get to the tank thermostat setting and the boiler turns off.