Huge jump in energy consumption - advice please!

aiden1992

Hi first time poster 

Wonder if anyone can advise please. My electric has always been approx 368kwh but since October last year it has been a lot higher - nov 507kwh, Dec 592kwh, Jan 721kwh and feb 684kwh. In comparison Jan 2023 was 331. 

No significant changes in appliances or lifestyle etc. 2 adults and 1 baby in the house. Wife has been on mat leave since January 2023. 

Wondering if this could possibly be a faulty meter? I've contacted the supplier, utility warehouse, and they advise there is no issue. What other explanations could there be for such a huge increase in monthly usage?

It's driving us mad because we are very careful with what we use! 

Any help or advice much appreciated 

bryanb

I’d look at heating.

DE_612183

are your figures actual consumption or estimates?

born_again

Given you now have a baby, heating higher?

Gerry1

Is the meter inside your property?

Do you have an instantaneous electric shower?

Robin9

Agree with @born_again     While in 22/23 you would have been happy with an occasional chilly house   -  the baby demands more warmth.  Is there a panel heater in the baby's room now on 24/7 ; the whole house now at 22 instead of 19 ......................................................

Veteransaver

I'd check you haven't inadvertently left the immersion heater on.
Also I assume wife is at home more. Is your heating with gas and do you use any electric heaters, Eg in baby's room?

markin

10kwh a day extra at the worst month could easily be Baby bath, Bottles, extra washing, computer/tv on all day, And then the is hot food and drinks in the day.

dunstonh

Wonder if anyone can advise please. My electric has always been approx 368kwh but since October last year it has been a lot higher - nov 507kwh, Dec 592kwh, Jan 721kwh and feb 684kwh. In comparison Jan 2023 was 331. 

Normally for most people electricity is higher in Autumn & Winter.  Even if heating is oil or gas.   e.g. water coming into the house is colder and needs more heating than warmer months.    Pump for the central heating is running longer.

In our area, January was colder then February, which was very mild by comparison.  Jan 23 is not a good comparison to Jan 24 due to weather differences.

With maternity leave and a baby, the heating is also going to be on longer and possibly higher.

Heating baby bottles will take a chunk of energy.

aiden1992

Thanks for the replies so far, should've clarified in the first post that heating is gas so not the culprit. Same for immersion heater as we don't have one. 

Also, I appreciate that being home with the baby will increase some usage as for example she does have an oil filled radiator in her room that is on approximately 7 hours per night, but this was being used in feb, March and April last year without an impact on the usage. Also I would've expected usage to shoot up from when my wife went on mat leave but it didn't. 

Still at a loss as to what has caused our usage to double in the last few months with no identifiable changes. 

Meter is also inside the property so don't think anyone could've tampered with it. 

aiden1992

DE_612183 said:

are your figures actual consumption or estimates?

Actual figures