vallumlj

Hi

Me and my girlfriend have just moved into our first home and 6 weeks later got a massive gas bill. It was £150 but after i gave them the correct meter reading this dropped to £97 and i still need to call back this Wednesday to give them another reading as i still think this is wrong. I dont think the builders put down the right readings when we moved in.

We also had a problem with our heating so we were having it up really high but have now fixed the fault so we are hoping things will get better.

My question is should we keep the heating on low all day and then turn it off when we go to sleep.

Or would it be better having the heating on a timer this is what we had been doing up till now. It was coming on at 6.30 then off at 8.30 then 4.00 - 10.00 at night and some times we would turn it on during the days as we are always in and out.

We have a semi detached 4 bedrooms , 4 bathrooms town house ( 3 floors ) we have turned off some of the radiators in the rooms we dont use much. Would it cost us more firing up the boiler everytime or would it still be cheaper than having it on all day say at 18c .

Thanks for any help

500

If it's a modern house that heats up quickly, a timer may be best, if it's an older house, keeping the chill off will probably be more cost effective

boxst

Mine stays on all the time at around 18c and I haven't noticed any increase in bills from when the timer was used (on in the morning, some of the day etc..).

Someone is at home all the time though so if your house is left unoccupied all day it may be better to have it on timer.

Steve

TopBanana

You can buy digital thermostats that have different heat ranges for different parts of the day. i.e. 00:00-07:00, 16 degrees, 07:00-08:30 20 degrees, etc.
Digital Programmable Thermostat Products from Heatmiser

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I've never understood where the idea comes from that it needs less gas to keep the house warm all day than to let it cool down when you're not there

The rate at which heat is lost from your home to the outside depends on two things:

1) The effectiveness of your insulation, which is a constant, and
2) The temperature difference between the inside of the house and the outside.

The greater the temperature difference, the more heat is lost and the more gas you have to burn to replace it. It's that simple! So, keeping the house warm all the time can only result in a higher gas bill.

TopBanana

I think it's related to the fluorescent light bulb thing! Never understood it either.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

The warmer the house; the more heat it radiates to the outside. Especially if its colder outside.

Think of your house as a radiator; the hotter it is, the more heat it gives off.

As the house cools down, the rate of heat it loses to the outside reduces as well. So the ultimate answer is to only switch on the heating as and when needed, or use a multiple program thermostat that'll drop it to around 15-17 degrees when your out and back up to your normal temp when you are in and want the house nice and warm.

Also, seeing you say its a new house (or renovated) check the radiator sizes. Builders/contract plumbers do have a habit of fitting undersized radiators for the rooms: Radcalcs radiator BTU sizing site If anything, radiators need to be oversized and controlled by a TRV.

If the radiators are undersized for the rooms, it means the boiler has to work flat out and have the radiators scalding hot most of the time to maintain the house's ideal temperature. This also makes the use of a condensing boiler pointless; as condensing boilers work at their most efficient if the temperature of the return water to the boiler is kept below 55degrees C. If its higher, it loses its efficiency. OK we're only talking a maximum of up to 10% loss but still, its money down the drain. The same also applies to condensing boilers being used in to heat conventional hot water tanks.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

That's a load of crap too. Switching a fluorescent bulb on and off a lot shortens its lifetime, but it doesn't really waste any extra power.

If it ever tried to draw much more than its normal operating current, the circuit breaker would trip.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

ive got the same kind of house as you (4 bed townhouse 3 storeys etc), we have ours on all the time at around about 18 and pay £40 ish per month (in credit as well)

They say its better to have it on all the time as once its upto temp its easier to maintain it than heating up from cold x times per day.

Dont know if thats true, but it works for us

Coffin Dodger

So you didn't read it yourself when you first moved in and informed your supplier of the reading when you took ownership? I wouldn't rely on anyone else to do it

I expect you're paying for the gas used before you moved in

When we moved into our place which was being rented out before we bought it it seems like the previous occupants hadn't settled the bill. They then went after the previous owners for the balance as they were ultimately responsible for it

TelBoy

18? Is it really just 18 degrees or is that just what the box says? Most people would be uncomfortably cool at 18 degrees, in my experience/opinion.

boxst

Mine is set at 18c and it is about right (checked several rooms). I wander around in a T-Shirt outside until it hits about 4c so I'm not a very good judge of heat in the house!

Steve

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

its what the box says but my mrs would tell me otherwise as she cant stand the cold. I find it okay and is the reason I walk round in shorts and t shirt whilst at home (ps im not scottish)

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

With respect, "they" probably don't have an engineering degree. Possibly not even a Physics A-level.