Huge, Massive Gas Meter Reading Help ???

turnbulltj

I have lived in my 2 bedroom semi for 12 years with my wife and now daughter age 3. We have gas central heating and hot water and a gas cooker. My monthy DD for gas has been £35 for years and we always end up a tiny bit in debit during the winter and likewise, credit in the summer. No problems there.
In January, my Mechanical heating timer stopped working so it was not possible to set the timer for hot water. Heating was not an issue because that is always on constant and controlled by a seperate temp stat. However our water was controlled from 6-8 in the morning and the same in the evening for showers and baths.
However I was advised that to leave the water on constant would have no significant effect on my gas usage and this coupled with turning the water temp down a few degrees would be barely noticeable. I followed this idea agreeing with the principle.
Now for the horrifying bit ! I have just had my Gas bill for the quarter Jan 9th to April 9th 2008 at £674.00. (These are from actual readings on both dates) It is stating I have used 737 units which equates to 23,188kWh.
As you can imagine I am still getting over the shock.My question is this, Is this physically possible from simply leaving the water on. Obviously it has not been constantly burning and our hot water usage has been no different to previous months and years. This one quarter bill basically equates to what would normally be about 2 years.
Has anyone experienced anything similar or any advice as to what I can do. I have called British Gas who have said to do a survey over 7 days, but they have assured me that it is very unlikely that the meter will be faulty.
ANY SUGGECTIONS WOULD BE GREALTY APPRECIATED.
Thankyou.
Trevor

ianmr65

If it's a combi boiler, and the flow valve is damaged, or heat exchanger is blocked, when the hot water is on, and not the heating, the boiler will send water round the radiators. And stay on constantly. Uneffected by the thermostat.
This is not a problem,
1) If You know about it, as you can use the heat to heat the house, as well as the hot water.
2) You keep the heating on, and hot water on at the same time. and turn both of together.

The way to check is to see if any of the raditors heat up, at the same time, as you turn the water on, and not the heating.

If this is the case the boiler needs a service, and would be the cause of your problem.

Controlling a boiler using just a room thermostat, or even raditor thermostats is not a good idea. You are far better of using the timer, in combination with the thermosts.

British Gas is correct meters rarely give incorrect readings. And gas pressure tend to be very constant, or your appliances would not work. You can check the meter, by turning everything off, and seeing if it is still spinning. then turning on gas ring on ect.

turnbulltj

Thanks for the reply. it is not a combi, but a conventional floor standing boiler. However, none of this answers why all of a sudden the astronomical bill. It is as if I have vented the gas to the atmosphere 24/7. £674 bill in a quarter, come on, Even an ailing boiler wouldn't consume that !!

mute_posting

turnbulltj wrote: »

However, none of this answers why all of a sudden the astronomical bill. It is as if I have vented the gas to the atmosphere 24/7. £674 bill in a quarter, come on, Even an ailing boiler wouldn't consume that !!

I think you have answered your own question in yout original post (although perhaps not realising it...

However I was advised that to leave the water on constant would have no significant effect on my gas usage and this coupled with turning the water temp down a few degrees would be barely noticeable

I'm afraid you may have been given dud advice.

MP

Cardew

Well certainly a well lagged HW tank even with the boiler on 24/7 would only account for a marginal increase over a quarter.(as you are using the same amount of HW as normal)

One thought. Have you had a gas meter changed recently? You are being charged for the old Imperial meter(1 unit is approx 31kWh) and new ones are metric(1 unit is approx 11kWh)

SAGWALA_3

I am interested in your thought about metric / imperial although do not understand how to differentiate. Can you help please. My meter does read cubic feet on the dial if that helps.

mute_posting

A cubic Metre fills a cube 100cm x 100cm x 100cm (Metric)
A cubic Foot fills a cube 12" x 12" x 12" or (roughly) 30cm x 30cm x 30cm

Cardew

SAGWALA wrote: »

I am interested in your thought about metric / imperial although do not understand how to differentiate. Can you help please. My meter does read cubic feet on the dial if that helps.

If you look at the meter it will say M3 for cubic metres - normally at the bottom right in small print - and will be a Metric Meter(obviously)

The Imperial meter will say cu ft or Cubic feet. 1 gas unit is actually 100 cubic feet.

There have been plenty of cases where old Imperial meters have been replaced by the new metric meters and the Utility company not being made aware(or just make a mistake) and the customer is paying 2.83 times too much. I Imperial gas unit is approx 31kWh a Metric gas unit is approx 11kWh.

You have the old Imperial meter.

I believe they have been fitting metric meters for over 10 years now.

turnbulltj

That rules that out as a potential mistake then because my meter is def. cu/ft and they have applied the correct metric conversion of 2.83 as you rightly stated. Anyway, regardless of the volume measurement it still wouldnt account for the fact that the dial readings have physically gone up by 737 units in 3 months whereas previous to that my 3 monthyl usage would typically be circa 75 units approx or 2400 kWh.
I agree with you on the point about my water being constant and can assure you that my hot water tank is extremely well lagged. Also my boiler is in the kitchen and we would generally notice if it had been on for any exceptionally long periods of time. Is it possible that the meter has suddenly gone AWOL and actually giving improper readings?
I really have no explanantion for the unbelievably high bill and the trouble is that British Gas are saying that the meter and facts point towards the gas being used somewhere, which is not their problem, and that i am liable for this £670 bill.
I am absolutely beside myself, I cannot believe this Bill. It is a real problem.

turnbulltj

Just a further point for consideration. On my latest bill it states an actual meter reading from Jan 10th of 5883. An estimation was taken some 8 days later of 5959, that is a usage of 76 Gas units in 8 days. . . . . . . . Question, Why would they estimate a reading of 76 units used in 8 days when that would normally be what I would use in a quarter, as the previous quarters show. Most odd, I smell a rat here but just cannot put my finger on it. Any suggestions ?????

mute_posting

prices went up on 18th jan possibly?