Need To Reduce My Energy Bill & Energy Use Help!

I was asked this question: I am still using 9kWh of electricity and I don't know how else to reduce my usage?

9kWh electric per day is estimated at 3,285kWh per year.

You're electric use falls about 13% higher than a typical household with a typical medium amount of energy use. 

The only true way to reduce your energy consumption is by firstly coming to understand it. 

Analyse energy bills and look at your monthly electric use in kWh and gas use in kWh, compare how many kWh this month to last month, and compare this month to this month last year. 

Look on your energy bill for 'estimated annual usage', from this you can estimate what you might pay. 

The unit price limit (which shouldn't but does vary a bit across the UK?) is on average something like this for *standard variable tariff:

@Oct 2022 rates. 

Gas standing charge 28.485p 

Gas unit rate 10.330p per kWh

Electricity standing charge 46.356p 

Electric unit rate 34.037p per kWh

(*Mostly diff for fixed tariffs*) 

(*Unsure if electric only tariffs have the same limit on unit prices*) 

So each day before we use any energy we will all pay an average of:

28.485p + 46.356p = 74.841p 

About 75p per day

This shows an idea of the average amount of energy a household will use per year, depending upon if they are a Low, Medium or High energy using household:


Low Usage - Smaller Homes

Flat or 1 bedroom house 1-2 people

Electric 1,800kWh 

Gas 8,000kWh 

Average annual bill £1,712.25 

Average monthly bill £142.69


Medium use a "TYPICAL" household - Medium sized family & home

3 bedroom house 2-3 people is

Electric 2,900kWh per yr

Gas 12,000kWh per yr

Average annual bill £2,499.87 

Average monthly bill £208.32


High Use household - Bigger homes & families

5 bedroom house 4-5 people 

Electric 4,300kWh per yr

Gas 17,000kW per yr

Average annual bill £3,492.90 

Average monthly cost £291.08  


Those of us with a dual energy bill on a standard rate tariff, will pay for what we use, so therefore if we use less energy we will pay less £, if we use more we will pay more £££. 

It's difficult to gauge use on £ bc of the Gov scheme & the volatile price changes, it's best to count Electric kWh & Gas kWh from actual meter readings on 1st of each month. 

Gas meter readings may need to be converted from m3 (cubic meter) or ft3 (cubic feet) into kWh. 

So, find out how many meter units used on your gas meter: 

For example: 5 

If the gas meter says ft3, then convert to m3 by doing: 

5 x 2.83 = 14.15m3 

If the gas meter was in m3, then skip previous step and go to next step. 

14.15m3 x 1.02264 (correction factor) 

x 39.5 (calorific value) 

/ 3.6 (convert to kWh)

14.15 x 1.02264 x 39.5 / 3.6 = 158.77kWh 

*Note the calorific value flactuates up and down slightly*

If you wish to calculate your cost of 158.77kWh just multiply by your energy suppliers unit price rate for gas per kWh.


Once we have determined kWh of use, then we analyse use by comparing monthly bills, month on month, then by this month this year comparing it to the same month last year.

 

Remember it is possible even though it does not appear to happen often, your meter might be faulty, or an appliance could be faulty, or, and this happens rarely your neighbour might be using it? 

If my usage appears to high my first step is to turn almost every single appliance and device off, even the fridge freezer but only temporarily. Then keep an eye on the meter to see if it is still going up more than I would expect. 

Then slowly turn things back on starting with the most important fridge freezer and any freezers. 

Keeping an eye on the meter still.

Hopefully something will jump out at me so I learn which device or appliance is the energy vampire! 

If I don't find anything then I would go buy an energy monitor plug in device and check each item. 

Also, do not leave things on Stand-By! 

SAVE £65+ PER YEAR


Assessing Your Energy Use Takes Time

Many things come into play when assessing your energy use, like is your home a new build with a well rated EPC? Newer builds are less likely to lose heat & waste energy through drafts & poor insulation & poor quality doors & windows 

Type of heating & hot water? When using central heating adjust the TRV (Thermostat Radiator Valves) to what is actually required in each room, if the room is empty why not turn the radiator off? 

Can you reduce the temperature of your heating thermostat by -1°C? 

SAVE £145+ PER YEAR

Heat people not space? Low watt heated throws. Put an extra layer of clothes on slippers and thick socks 

What tog is your duvet? 

Do not leave immersion heater switch on 24/7!

Check Combi boiler flow temperature settings optimal?

Baths more expensive than quick showers  

How old are your large appliances? Like fridge freezer, TVs, oven, washing machine, tumble drier etc? 

Newer models rated A are most energy efficient than a lot of older models. Appliances rated from A most efficient to G least efficent.

Have you draft excluded Windows and doors?

Cleaned dust & dirt away from back of fridge freezer? 

Checked door seals working on fridge & oven? 

Don't use plug in wax warmers 24/7, they only use 0.025kWh per hour, but 24/7 that is 0.6kWh per day, that's about 20p, so if you have 4 at home it just cost you 2.4kWh per day! At current supposed 34p kWh that is 81.6p

How do you cook meals? Slow cookers, microwaves and pressure cookers use less energy than putting on larger ovens, or why not batch cook a load then freeze them and reheat meals in microwave

Do you have two freezers can you stop using one?

Thermal cooking boxes! New idea I'm working on. I've seen Wonderbags for sale at £65

Keep freezer fairly full 

What temp is fridge freezer set to? Fridge use less energy at 5°C than if set to 1°C, freezer use less energy at -18°C than if set to -25°C. Organise fridge freezer to prevent keeping door open when trying to find things, a lot of energy is lost through open fridge freezer doors. 

Has fridge freezer got the right amount of space around it & behind it to enable good air movement 

Does anyone use high energy devices like Gaming PCs? If they do for how many hours a day?

Type of light bulbs LED low Watt bulbs are efficent, always switch lights off when not in use or leaving a room

Leave nothing switched on stand by!

Reduce use of, & length of extension leads if at all possible 

Get a Bissell carpet and floor sweeper instead of using an electric hoover 

Hair driers & straighteners usually high energy use, is it possible to use them for less time

Washing laundry can you put it on a lower temp for a shorter wash?  However heavily soiled goods may need higher temperature. Many newer energy efficient models come with a low 20° wash setting 

One cup tea makers efficent for making cups of tea

Only put exact amount of water required in kettle 

Setting Central heating at 23°C will use more energy than if it is set to 18°C. WHO said ideal room temperature for healthy dressed people is 18°C, it is widely agreed upon that a healthy room temperature is 18°C to 20°C, whilst elderly, immobile and vulnerable people may find a slightly warmer room temperature more comfortable like 18°C to 21°C. Room temperature below 16°C and above 24°C become a health hazards 

Can you air dry laundry outside on clothes line instead of using tumble dryer? 

Reduce Laundry by 1 load a week? 

Have quick showers

Can you the whole family sit in the living room together and watch TV as a family have a movie night watching only one TV screen, then have a board game night without any TV on once a week? 

Wows I get carried away!

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