Gas bill / boiler issue??

50NY4

Hi im wondering if anyone can help.

I live in a semi 3 bed for 6 years ... i understand bills have gone up. but ours seems to be quite high when i compare it to my mums, who is with another company, but tbh the prices from company to company are not that much different. I don't think we use too much heating but hey im not an expert so i dont know where we are going wrong. We provide a meter reading each month.

We have a smart meter but it only works for electricity and not the gas - have called out the supplier but for some reason this can not be fixed :-( 

My boiler is probably over 10 years old, we have roughly 11 radiators. I cook every other day, do not spend too much time having a shower, also have 2 kids under 10.

I understand its currently cold so therefore we maybe using a little more heat at this time of the year but £360 for gas seems a lot compared to my mums who lives in a 4 bed 3 storey semi which has around 14 radiators and she cooks every day. Her bill for gas was £133 for December.

Could it be that my boiler is not energy efficient, or could my gas meter in the garage be faulty ..?

Im clueless with all of this stuff so any advice would be highly appreciated ... would just like to know what things ti need to check or who to contact to check what the issues could be ..? 

Thanking you in advance - Sonya

FreeBear

It is much easier to compare usage in terms of kWh rather than ££.

Things that will have a direct bearing on usage -

• Thermostat setting
• Time heating is on
• Outdoor temperature
• Levels of insulation

To a lesser degree, flow temperature can affect gas consumption - If it is set too low, the boiler is constantly running. Not necessarily a bad thing if it can modulate down low enough, but if it is short cycling, that will increase consumption. Set too high, and boiler efficiency drops off a little.

50NY4

Hi Freebear - thanks for posting some advice.

so we do have a digital thermostat which we have placed next to our chimney breast in the living room which is cooler there … 

I have set the timings and temp too

Mon-Fri 

On 6:30am - 18*

Off 8:00am - 16*

On 15:30pm - 18*

Off 17:00pm - 18*

On 18:30pm - 20*

Off 20:30pm - 16*

Sat-Sun 

On 8:00am - 18*

Off 10:00am - 16*

On 15:30pm - 18*

Off 17:00pm - 18*

On 18:30pm - 20*

Off 21:00pm - 16*

Do you think this is an efficient way to use the heating ?? 

FreeBear

My schedule is

07:00-08:00 19.5°C (or until temperature is reached)

08:00-23:00 19°C

23:00-07:00 17.5°C

Base line during the day and overnight is a little higher than yours - I have the advantage of solar gain when (if) the sun is shining. Also have a stove that get lit if it is likely to get very cold outside and this helps to heat most of the house. Comparing my gas consumption with yours is going to be a rather pointless exercise as the two systems will be completely different (I have a new heating system in a reasonably well insulated 3 bed semi) and I'm only spending £40-50 per month on gas.

Your heating schedule is not unreasonable, so I'd be looking at insulation levels and trying to kill any cold draughts. How much insulation have you got up in the loft ?

50NY4

There is no roof insulation other than floor insulation where all of the attic is not boarded but is insulated.

i think we’ll need to check all doors and windows for drafts too … we did seal some windows but I think I need to recheck them … :-( 

FreeBear

50NY4 said:

There is no roof insulation other than floor insulation where all of the attic is not boarded but is insulated.

i think we’ll need to check all doors and windows for drafts too … we did seal some windows but I think I need to recheck them … :-( 

The recommended level of insulation in the loft is 270-300mm of fibreglass or mineral wool - It should be laid between the joists and over (so under any flooring which should be on stilts).

If you post a photo of the front (or back) of the house, we might be able to point to some potential sources of draughts. Certainly with my late 1920s semi, the windows upstairs were badly fitted. Removing the wood trim around the reveals, it became blatantly obvious where the wind was blowing through. Plugging those gaps transformed the house.

MarzipanCrumble

OK - so your mother is a 1 or 2 person household?  Bet she layers up rather than spend money on heat.  Also, like I did in the 90's she may well have insulated, if her walls were cavity.

Unfortunately it is almost a fool's errand comapring heating because everybody's abode/lifestyle is different.  I wear a belted shawl and a hat - I live by myself and as a result save on heating.  I feel draughts which is the main reason I do wear a hat/shawl.  I feel more comfortable doing that (and also from childhood I have done that).

Some people leave their heating on during sleeptime i.e 18-20 degrees - NOOOOO!  I like a cold bedroom and feather filled duvets/pillows and mattress topper - in fact often have to kick off a duvet because too hot.  However I do have that hot waterbottle that also has claws and a mind of its own!

prettyandfluffy

You could put down a carpet and underlay in your attic, over layers of newspaper or similar.  That will provide insulation and is easier than taking the floor up.  Try Freecycle.

RavingMad

If I set the thermostat to 20⁰, we'd be able to walk around in t-shirts and shorts 😁

If the chimney is the coolest place then I'm guessing the rest of the house is nice and warm?

markin

£133 for a 4 bed is on the low side, so its either cold, a new build, or is only heated in limited rooms.

What is your home age, And is the loft a room conversion or just storage? If its storage without legs just roll out insulation on top of the loft boards.

northernstar007

RavingMad said:

If I set the thermostat to 20⁰, we'd be able to walk around in t-shirts and shorts 😁

If the chimney is the coolest place then I'm guessing the rest of the house is nice and warm?

i'd be in a jumper at 20c, joking my living room normally 22.5c, in jeans and t-shirt all the time