Managing costs of gas and electric??

[macka09]

Hi guys. I’m just wondering what some of you may be doing in terms of heating or hot water usage going forward, with all these cost increases? Have any of you moved to solar or renewables? Any good ideas for keeping these costs as low as possible? Cheers. Just curious

 

[Last Plumber]

Use the most efficient heating controls you can. Boiler manufacturer's weather comp is probably as efficient as the control side gets. Proper home insulation. Whilst it is warm take and send in monthly meter readings to get monthly figures as low as possible.
That's my advice. It works for me as well as it is going to. Bigger jumpers and more clothes helps too.

 

[Last Plumber]

Use the most efficient heating controls you can. Boiler manufacturer's weather comp is probably as efficient as the control side gets. Proper home insulation. Whilst it is warm take and send in monthly meter readings to get monthly figures as low as possible so you are starting with paying what it costs as the demand increases.
That's my advice. It works for me as well as it is going to. Some mind prefer to over pay so there is a reserve in the account at the energy company. Each to his own I say.

Bigger jumpers and more clothes helps too.

 

[Murdoch]

In my experience most people get into a mess with their Utility bills because they don’t bother to check their bills to their actual meter readings

Then they don’t understand what uses the most energy, especially people who have their heating on too high for too long, often when they are out at work

Common sense seems to evade a lot of people

 

[gmartine]

I wasn't keen and rather sceptical but I had smart meters fitted a couple of weeks ago, they come with an In Home Display (IHD) or what I used to call a 'guilt' meter. To be fair I now know what my home's base line electricity usage is so much so I noticed the coffee machine had been left on chugging away with no one using it. Sometime's I've come home and it's still on so the IHD has been a useful tool in kerbing excess or unnecessary waste and therefore cost.

In terms of payment it's not for everybody but I insist on variable monthly payments or paying for what I use otherwise the Energy's Co are usually arsing about with your payment levels making sure you have enough credit for winter.

 

[SimonG]

I have smart meters and pay monthly for what I use.
In April was forced to a new boiler, old one blew up. So swapped from a heat only to a combi. We cook with gas as well.
Last months gas was £28, same month last year was nearly a £100.
I've turned the temps down on the boiler, especially the hot water. No point paying to heat it and then needing to cool it back down by adding a load of cold.
I dont think the saving is purely new boiler, it looks like there may have been an issue with the old controls.

Plus the old gas fire, we dont use, is coming out and a multi fuel stove going in. Hopefully help in the winter.

Plus I'm going to zone upstairs and down stairs separately.

 

[Chuck]

How warm you feel is governed more by the radiant heat flux (the black bulb temperature) rather than the air temperature (white bulb temperature). A typical domestic thermostatic normally measures the latter. This means that in winter, when the radiators are relatively hot, you can reduce the setpoint on the thermostat by a couple of degrees compared with the autumn / spring setting and maintain your comfort levels.

Another way to exploit this phenomenon is to have a small radiant heat source, such as an electric fire, in 'line of sight' where people are sitting. Obviously one needs to be careful if your electricity cost a lot more than your gas/oil per kW when adopting this approach.

 

[Arelia]

Hi Macka
Perhaps our shower timer with shut off may be interesting for you : it restricts the maximum shower time and when running, it reduces the waterflow by 15%.
It is very efficient cutting gas and water costs and even more if you have children at home.
Hope this helps

 

[SimonG]

Hi Macka
Perhaps our shower timer with shut off may be interesting for you : it restricts the maximum shower time and when running, it reduces the waterflow by 15%.
It is very efficient cutting gas and water costs and even more if you have children at home.
Hope this helps

No thanks.

 

[SimonG]

Cant make this stuff up. Email from British Gas.

 

[Last Plumber]

Cant make this stuff up. Email from British Gas.

WOW!
I've no words.
Everyone in the house gets a North Face jacket then?

 

[Murdoch]

Cant make this stuff up. Email from British Gas.

I'm guessing you don't live in a Footballers mansion.

 

[SimonG]

I'm guessing you don't live in a Footballers mansion.

2 bed dormer bungalow

 

[Murdoch]

2 bed dormer bungalow

do you grow things in it ?

 

[cjg]

i think bill and ben live there with there mate little w##d ? lol.

 

[gmartine]

Better burn that crop to keep warm dude.

You mentioned changing your boiler/controls and recently paying a lot less per month than you did last year. Is that 25k kwh estimate for gas based on last years usage then cos "average" use is supposed to be around half that?

The average gas and electric bill in Great Britain - British Gas

With our guide, find out about the average energy bill cost in the UK. Understand what influences this and read our tips on reducing your energy bill.

www.britishgas.co.uk

 

[SimonG]

Better burn that crop to keep warm dude.

You mentioned changing your boiler/controls and recently paying a lot less per month than you did last year. Is that 25k kwh estimate for gas based on last years usage then cos "average" use is supposed to be around half that?

The average gas and electric bill in Great Britain - British Gas

With our guide, find out about the average energy bill cost in the UK. Understand what influences this and read our tips on reducing your energy bill.

www.britishgas.co.uk

Yes, only changed boiler in April. Definitely think there was an issue with hot water controls.