Excessive gas usage

[kennyruss]

Hi All, be gentle first post!!

Ok, rented a property for the last year and had gas usage problems from day one.

It is a 4 bedroom detached house (built 2005). Insulated and energy efficient to the max.

I have 14 radiators running from a Potterton performa system boiler 28e situated in our garage.

My gas consumption for the last 3 months average 176kwh per day and the bill some £820. Electricity is well under control but the gas is excessive. My bills are currently running about x2 any of my neighbours in the street who have similar number of kids etc. We have no bath, but 3 showers.

Only fault we have in the system is that the 3 way valve for my hot water tank is goosed at the moment, so only way to get hot water is to when the heating is on.

tried this experiment this morning.

Heating only for an hour with no radiators on upstairs and medium setting downstairs. Hourly usage 15kw

Heating and hot water for an hour again no radiators on upstairs and and medium setting downstairs. Hourly usage 25kw

Heating and hot water is on for an 75 mins in the morning and similar at night.

Dependent on coldness heating would be on for an hour at night.

Scottish Power don't think it is excessive usage, but looking at circa 38,000kwh a year which I think is obscene.

I have another plumber coming to look the system in the next few days, but thought I would run it past you guys as well.

Boiler does lose pressure over a period of a few days and I need to increase the setting to about 2.

any comments most welcome

cheers!

edit forgot to say it is a Megaflo system and thermostat is set to 20c

 

[MrsTaraPlumbing]

My gas consumption for the last 3 months .... bill some £820.
!

Wow - sounds high to me just comparing it to my own gas bill but I have got a different system to you! You been there over a year so have you had this checked sooner?

I remember a property that was divided into 2 flats and the gas bills were going to the wrong flats - for years!
One flat had high bills but used hardly any and the neighbour had the heating on high constantly and couldn't understand why her bills were so low.

 

[JohnD]

What is your actual usage per year, in cubic metres as shown on the gas meter?

How many cubic metres did you use in the summer quarter?

Have you had any estimated bills?

Where is your room thermostat, and what is it set to?

Do you have TRVs, and what are they set to?

What hours is the heating set on your programmer?

Do you have bare boards downstairs, or carpet?

Is your house open plan?

Have you got a conservatory?

How long do you think your 3-port valve has been faulty? Did the radistors get warm in summer?

 

[bolshy]

Your boiler could use 3.45 cubic metres of gas per hour at full rate. This equates to roughly 38kW. In an hour. Do you use any other gas appliances? Sounds as though it's working as it should to me.
You may need to change gas supplier if you can find a cheaper deal.
A service may improve your boiler's efficiency, but it can quite easily be gas rated. You need to fire your boiler up from cold with heating on to all radiators, run for 5 minutes and then take a 2 minute reading at the gas meter (take a reading, then another 2 minutes later) with no other gas appliances running.
Post the amount of gas used or the readings you took, if you want me to work it out for you.

 

[kennyruss]

My gas consumption for the last 3 months .... bill some £820.
!

Wow - sounds high to me just comparing it to my own gas bill but I have got a different system to you! You been there over a year so have you had this checked sooner?

I remember a property that was divided into 2 flats and the gas bills were going to the wrong flats - for years!
One flat had high bills but used hardly any and the neighbour had the heating on high constantly and couldn't understand why her bills were so low.

should clarify £820 if gas and electricty, but electricity is under control.

 

[kennyruss]

What is your actual usage per year, in cubic metres as shown on the gas meter?

How many cubic metres did you use in the summer quarter? - will checck

Have you had any estimated bills? - no I put all my readings in

Where is your room thermostat, and what is it set to? thermostat in downstairs hall, set to 20c

Do you have TRVs, and what are they set to? yes, usually 2

What hours is the heating set on your programmer? 6:30 - 7:45, 4:30 - 5:45

Do you have bare boards downstairs, or carpet? - wooden floors all house

Is your house open plan? no

Have you got a conservatory? no

How long do you think your 3-port valve has been faulty? Did the radistors get warm in summer? 3 months, no

 

[big-all]

under control fair enough but you need to deduct it from the equasion
as say £600 gas and £220 electric ??

 

[kennyruss]

under control fair enough but you need to deduct it from the equasion
as say £600 gas and £220 electric ??

£195 electric

 

[doitall]

My last gas bill was £190 quid for 30 days mind it is on 24/7.

£600 quid for 3 months don't sound too bad in rip-off britain.

 

[kennyruss]

My last gas bill was £190 quid for 30 days mind it is on 24/7.

£600 quid for 3 months don't sound too bad in rip-off britain.

Mine certainly ain't on 24/7, 2.5 hrs programmed and maybe once or twice for a boost during day if cold..

 

[kennyruss]

Your boiler could use 3.45 cubic metres of gas per hour at full rate. This equates to roughly 38kW. In an hour. Do you use any other gas appliances? Sounds as though it's working as it should to me.
You may need to change gas supplier if you can find a cheaper deal.
A service may improve your boiler's efficiency, but it can quite easily be gas rated. You need to fire your boiler up from cold with heating on to all radiators, run for 5 minutes and then take a 2 minute reading at the gas meter (take a reading, then another 2 minutes later) with no other gas appliances running.
Post the amount of gas used or the readings you took, if you want me to work it out for you.

Switching to Npower hopefully in next few weeks.

done the 2 min test.

All radiators TRV's at 4 - heating demand only.
0.096 m3 used for 2 mins or 2.88m3 per hour = 33kw

 

[kbdiy]

Just had my gas bill in for the quarter Nov-Feb. £470 on a fixed dual fuel from Eon.

House is 3 bed 1930's semi, well insulated but not perfect. Potterton Suprima boiler open-vented system, well controlled. Had the heating on 24/7 in the cold spell as daughter and grand-daughter were with us for Nov/Dec so more showers & hot water usage than average for the two of us.

On that basis, allowing for tariff variations, your £600 is not too far adrift.

 

[doitall]

2.5hrs a day is silly, are you sure a frost stat isn't running the boiler for the other 21.5hrs.

 

[kennyruss]

2.5hrs a day is silly, are you sure a frost stat isn't running the boiler for the other 21.5hrs.

nope boiler is dead unless demand is requested, or temp is less than 5c in garage.

got a frost stat in the garage, and is functioning corretly

 

[doitall]

The frost stat is where I would be looking first, is there a pipe stat in conjuction with the frost stat.

Is the garage heated or insulated.