Boiling kettle vs running hot tap

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falcieri
falcieri Posts: 195 Forumite
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I try to minimise my washing up. There's only me here. But is it cheaper to boil the kettle for hot water for the sink or to run the tap until the water comes through hot? I'm guessing the kettle wins against the boiler running plus all that water going down the drain. I bet somewhere someone has tried to calcuate the costs on this one? Anyone?
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  • beardiedog
    beardiedog Posts: 658 Forumite
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    falcieri wrote: »
    I try to minimise my washing up. There's only me here. But is it cheaper to boil the kettle for hot water for the sink or to run the tap until the water comes through hot? I'm guessing the kettle wins against the boiler running plus all that water going down the drain. I bet somewhere someone has tried to calcuate the costs on this one? Anyone?

    Same here. I live on my own and wash the dishes once a day with a kettle of water.

    Also, if you have a water meter, I guess it's probably cheaper this way than wasting all that water waiting for the hot to come through.
  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,360 Forumite
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    Kettle usually wins but electricity is about 3x the cost of gas, so gas is cheaper if you are using one kettle's worth of hot water and letting less than two kettles' worth run down the drain.

    If you use two or more kettles to fill the sink, but only turn the tap on once for hot water, tap probably wins (as the two kettle's-worth down the drain remains constant).
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
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    the cost of the water is insignificant I would think
  • ajbell
    ajbell Posts: 1,151 Forumite
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    Heating water on the gas hob is probably cheaper.
    4kWp, South facing, 16 x phono solar panels, Solis inverter, Lincolnshire.
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,613 Forumite
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    Dont forget that when you let 2-3 kettle's worth go down the drain to get hot water out of the tap, there'll be 2-3 kettle's worth of hot water sitting in the pipework between the tank and the tap which will get cold thus wasting the energy that you use to heat it.

    IMO it will be cheaper to use a kettle although if you are dedicated I'm sure you could do the sums to work it out a bit more scientifically.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • gardner1
    gardner1 Posts: 3,154 Forumite
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    Life's to short.......were talking pennies here over a week
  • RMJ20
    RMJ20 Posts: 19 Forumite
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    I hadn't even given this a thought but thanks for the food for thought!
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
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    If the hot water is in a tank, its probably best to make use of it, as long as it doesn't cause the boiler to fire up

    If you have a combi, then little in it
  • The_Big_Bamboo
    The_Big_Bamboo Posts: 178 Forumite
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    falcieri wrote: »
    I try to minimise my washing up. There's only me here. But is it cheaper to boil the kettle for hot water for the sink or to run the tap until the water comes through hot? I'm guessing the kettle wins against the boiler running plus all that water going down the drain. I bet somewhere someone has tried to calcuate the costs on this one? Anyone?
    When the tap water starts to run quite warm (but not v.hot!) use it to fill your kettle and then boil it up;

    ...hedge your bets. :D
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,613 Forumite
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    Not if your water come s from a tank in the loft as you'll contaminate the kettle. Nasty things can get into the tank, which comes into the kettle and wont improve your tea or anything else that you drink.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
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