Energy usage and bills at the six month stage!

I think I have worked the high electric bill problem out:

Our overall Energy use is low i.e. we have used a total of  2000 KW over a three month period from December 14  to  February 15 (the coldest months traditionally). Whilst my parents who live in a 1950s 2 bed bungalow (which is reasonably efficient but not as efficient as a sealed as a Passive house) used 2000 KW of Energy just in Feb 15 alone, again one of the coldest months in UK Winter, so yes I can see how much more energy efficient we are overall.

However......all our water heating (which is one of the biggest culprits), and energy use is electric whilst my parents are Dual Fuel. This means whilst they used 2000 KW in February alone their cost for their 2000 KW was much cheaper with Gas 3.2 per unit and electricity almost three times higher at 11.7 per unit. This would account for why our bill is exceptionally high, even changing tariffs to a cheaper supplier would only save approx £15.00 a year. My Dad is a very logical, intelligent man, who likes things just right, and likes to understand the whys and wherefores, hence my interest and his in our Energy bills.

The expensive users which will be clocking up the meter again I suspect will be mainly heating of any sorts but, in our case water and minimal household heating. This overall works out to my parents paying over a three month period the same as we pay for one month. When I look back and compare my own energy bill from the same period  in the old property in Great Yarmouth I find the similar figures, I am paying on the whole more now in my energy efficient house than I was because the Gas is so much cheaper, as is oil.

The houses are lovely and I wouldn't change mine for the world, (apart from having alternative cheaper way of heating water) my house may be very energy efficient and certainly does attain to the claims but it doesn't look like they do anything to tackle fuel poverty which was one of the aspects the government were hopeful of cracking down on. And its certainly not cheaper at the moment to run for me, which I believe is one of the famous quotes flying around on several web pages I have looked at recently. Admittedly we do not have gas but it does have oil which most residents appear to be on as obviously it would be far too expensive to run a household just on electricity. Although it is certainly cheaper than having night storage heating as pointed out to me - although I believe storage heating is mostly outdated now going out last century and actually I cant recall anyone I know still having them.

 

I can understand my other neighbours concerns, and both in Caister and Bradwell, over costs of heating, and dread to think what mine will be like if I am not extra careful. Thankfully our Winter this year was not bad - so far! 

Now I just have to dig out all those quotes about our energy bills being lower......

Energy Bills

OK well I have now been in for a 6 month period and so far my electricity bill has been about 30.00 a week. Now it has to be said I have been very cautious over the winter period so far and to be honest not really warm enough for my particular body needs. I will need to put more heating on in form of electric heating. I have a small oil filled radiator in bathroom which does make it comfy and once it heats up it does hold for a while. I have another radiator that I brought with me on the just in case factor and I will be plugging that into my bedroom plus I am going to have to start using the hall heating. I am expecting my bills to go up as I have been using the bear minimum as part of an experiment to see how cheap running a passive house would be, my new experiment will be how much will it cost to live... comfortably which means with more heating on and I will do this over the next 6 month period as am hoping it will be cheaper overall and cant afford for heating to go too sky high.

My neighbours bill has been much higher than mine but she has tried to keep warmer and has found it much more expensive.

I have to say at the moment I am missing my radiators and constant temperature throughout the bungalow, in the evenings the bedrooms are noticeably cooler.

Yes: Car Park done!

At long last the car park has been completed, sensibly thank goodness, I can not reverse out of my drive without going at an angle. And it looks much neater. This has inspired me to do some more to the outside front of my garden. I need to organise a few tubs and shrubs I think. I have ready my electricity bill but haven't had time to work out yet, I will do this as soon as possible and let you all know.