We've gone all electric

We've had a calor gas central heating boiler for about 25 years, the Calor gas has got very expensive. In the last two years, in the worst period in the Winter it cost £46 per week for heating and cooking. Over the year it cost £3.09 per day for heating/lighting/cooking (plus electricity)

The latter part of the Summer we removed the boiler and gas cooker, replaced them with Oil filled radiators/fan heaters/convector heaters for use in rooms as required. Hot water supplied by instant water heaters (so no tank of water to keep hot when not being used). New electric cooker (my wife never did like gas). Cost of Electrical modifications (new consumer unit, instant water heater, cooker, wiring etc.) about £1000, replacing the gas boiler would have been considerably more.

Our cost comparison over the last three months is:-

Gas costs @ £46 x 13 weeks = £598 (plus electricity)
Electricity costs £382.39 less £22.95 direct debit discount = £359.44 plus vat @ 5% = £377.41, a considerable saving.

 

We went to Morrisons today, they had 1050w Halogen heaters for £16.99. I bought one to try out. It gives more heat for the wattage than ordinary heaters but wouldn't be advisable in confined spaces (like a normal electric bar fire). Today in our lounge it was comfortable with it switched to two bars =700w. The psychological effect of the bright orange glow is also good.

 

Why didn't you go for economy 7? Just interested, as I have oil central heating and am looking to replace sometime..

I like the idea of instant water heaters and instant showers - no wasted heat or water

 

Interesting thread Larkshall.
I would have thought all electric was the most expensive way to go - unless you're not comparing like with like - that is heating on, keeping all rooms comfortable at all times or heating just switched on when the room is in use.
I agree there are savings when there is no hot water tank, and hot water is just paid for as it is used, but electric heating is very expensive.
My last house was all electric and the bills were astronomical - £200 month, every month in the year.
Now I have gas heating and water plus electricity for cooking etc.
My gas bill is £60 month - to heat sitting room,dining room, conservatory(second sitting room in constant use) 2 bedroms, hall, kitchen and bathroom. The heating comes on at 0800 and stays on until 0100 The thermastat is set at 21 degrees. And I get all my kitchen hot water.
My electricity is £50 month for cooking , yes I do put the oven on when I want to, lights, shower, TV etc.
I think the electricity is astronomical and the gas is a bargain.
Any other thoughts ?

 

yup, the environment is the loser

 

I have to say that mains gas is not an option. Calor gas is very expensive. It was good that I decided to remove the gas boiler as when I did it fell to pieces so wouldn't gone on much longer. At 25 years old it is to be expected. Bearing in mind the environmental aspect, selective heating is the way to go. For quick heating of a room we use the fan heaters, for constant heating the Halogen heater comes out best. As my house will be demolished when I am finished with it, replacing an expensive boiler would not make sense.

 

in our last home we were all electric this included underfloor heating. at first we thought it was a great thing, kids lounging on the warm floor, our feet nice and warm etc etc.
we recieved our first bill which was that large i thought i had been heating the whole street
i had a conversation with an electrician he told me to watch the speed of the meter when the heating was full on. it was going that fast it was about to take off from the wall
dont have it now :flag: thank god music.

 

The savings on day/night meters on electricity are relative.
If you go to bed by midnight, you aren't going to be using much electricity during th off peak hours. Even if you keep your central heating pump on it won't use much.
The downside, is you'd be paying a higher rate for your daily use.

We're on a day/night meter, as I've got my koi pump on 24/7 and in the winter I use a heater for the indoor wintering tank which also has a pump. We are also late owls, not going to bed much before 2.00am and the dishy and the tumble dryer particularly, usually on (those new-fangled clothes lines have apparently not yet reached the North-West) "and every light on in the place."
We're on direct debit and paperless bills. I pay £160 per month, for a three bed semi.
We've a combi- boiler and an electric shower. We also have a beautiful and expensive marble "art deco" style fireplace and living flame gas fire, in the lounge which my wife insisted we have in case the central heating broke down, installed at the same time as the new combi. nine years ago...it's never been on!

To be able to accurately determine which utility supplier is best, you need details of your usage for a complete year. Every utility supplier has all sorts of tariffs. You need to know;-
The unit rate for "first usage" for each tariff.
The cut off amount, where the rate changes (each supplier and tariff has a different figure). The same with night rates if you have a "white meter."

All these different rates are to confuse the consumer. The government should insist they standardise, "first use" amounts.

I use an Excel spread sheet to work ours out, it's the only way I can calculate it.

Digressing.
The salespeople who call at your door usually haven't got a clue about their own rates, let alone other energy suppliers. They usually just ask you who you are with and say "they're cheaper." Once, one trying to seem more professional said, "We'd like to give you a quotation for our supply, how many bedrooms have you got?"

I replied; "I don't need an estate agent thanks" and put the phone down.

 

I use an Open Office spreadsheet to monitor my usage. Being a pensioner (80 as you can see above right) I am having to be careful with my finances. Recently replaced my computer, I use a Linux OS and Free Open Source Software, so I don't pay for either. I'm not hard-up but I am very careful.

 

I've done what I can, but our building will be demolished when I've finished with it. Not enough roof space to put any more insulation in, wall cavities (timber framed building) filled with fibreglass matting, windows double glazed. E.ON quoted one price but I see that they have charged me a lower one, got a £22 discount for Direct Debit as well.