Increasing gas usage

ljs_1985

I provide gas meter readings on the 1st each month and in the last 2 months my gas usage has quadrupled but I’m unsure why.

between July- Aug my monthly kWh went up by 30, between aug - September it went up by 35 and sept- October has already gone over 35kwh and we’re not at the end of the month yet. 

I have gas heating and my hot water is heated by gas. I haven’t put the heating on since April.

looking at the same Time last year I was using 3 or 4 kWh per month in July, august and September. Even in the winter months my maximum monthly usage was 29kwh so I’ve no idea why now In the summer I’m using more than I did in the winter? 

This couple with the obvious increases in cost my monthly bills have gone from £38 per month to £117 per month. My energy company have said I should report a gas leak but that feels extreme? 

Robin9

Can you give us those readings please ? I presume they are from the meter itself  ie the one in the garage or outdoor meter box and not the in house display. Please include the readings after the decimal point -   and m3 or ft3.

Possible gas leak  -  yes. 

molerat

I think you mean meter units not kWh.  I suspect you also have an imperial meter.

Give us some actual meter readings - are you sure you are not adding the figure after the decimal point ?

[Deleted User]

3 or 4 kWh in a month?  For a property that uses gas for water heating?  I think you're being confused by numbers on the meter like others have suggested.

Having said that, a tenfold rise in whatever measure it actually is seems suspicious and not explicable by the usual suspects.

Krakkkers

Units or Kwh? If metric 1 unit is 11.2 Kwh.

Robin9

@ljs_1985  Any chance of a photo please ?

Do you have to press any buttons to get to the reading?

ljs_1985

Hi there, 

No I don’t have to press a button to get a reading. It’s just a dial that ticks over.

I’m definitely not including the bits after the decimal but yea agree I’m probably talking about meter units rather than kWh.

an example being that on the 1st august it read 001010 and on 1st September it read 001041. But in the same period last year it was 000890 in august and 000893 in September. The amount it’s gone up this year between august and September is the most it’s ever increased in 30 day period, including the winter months when I would have had heating on.

I spoke to SGN and they said if I can smell gas and there’s no signs of gas leak aside from the meter then it won’t be a gas leak.

im a bit lost with what to do to be honest. 

QrizB

ljs_1985 said:

an example being that on the 1st august it read 001010 and on 1st September it read 001041. But in the same period last year it was 000890 in august and 000893 in September. The amount it’s gone up this year between august and September is the most it’s ever increased in 30 day period, including the winter months when I would have had heating on.

Has your meter really got 6 digits?

Assuming a metric meter, last August you used about 33kWh, roughly 1kWh a day. This August, you used about 341kWh, about 11kWh a day. 1kWh a day is very low while 11kWh isn't unreasonable.

What were you using gas for in August, cooking & hot water? Combi boiler (no hot water tank) or regular boiler (with a hot water tank)?