Winter is here.. Heating bills go up... What do you do?

Puzzled · 2 Dec 2015 at 23:34

craig_t said:
Mine comes on around 5am-8am to take the chill off for whichever shift I am on it covers it, goes on for an hour at 11am then on again at 4pm-11pm. I have my thermostat set in hallway at 22C pretty much the whole time, unless I want to turn it off then I turn it down.

Why do you have it come on for an hour at 11am?

Our heating is pretty dated and we have a hot water tank so both come on twice day (morning / evening) and then if its chilly we pop it on again when needed.

Sometimes just use the fire in the living room rather than heating the whole house but not sure what's more cost effective really.

bimbleuk · 2 Dec 2015 at 23:48

You just reminded me to enter my meter readings. Currently ~£22/m combined. That's heat/water for 1 hour just before I get up and if it drops to freezing consistently I'll put it on for an hour before I get home each day too.

Being mid-terrace helps a lot though and I've added extra loft insulation this year as well.

Fuzz · 3 Dec 2015 at 01:05

craig_t said:
Do you find any differences in your bills from before having smart controls?

Yes but the smart controls came with a new condensing/Insta hot water type boiler, the hot water tank was thrown away and the house re plumbed so yea definite savings but can't say specifically what effect the smart control had on that

avrc · 3 Dec 2015 at 05:24

We have some sort of budget combination boiler with a digital timer. No idea what temperature as it's just knob with some white lines around it. Have the timer set from 2am until 3:30am which means I'm not cold when I get up at 3am. Then on again 5am until 7pm for the rest of the family. Not needed it on other than that yet. Already had it on over a month so far. I did the meter readings yesterday and over the past 31 days the heating and hot water was just over £20

Haggisman · 3 Dec 2015 at 08:55

Sit back and enjoy the fact that my house is actually cool for once!

SPG · 3 Dec 2015 at 09:11

Both thermostats are set to 19 in the morning for a hr, then the same at 1700, after that they revert to 16c then kick in whenever needed until 2200. Hotwater is on for a hr in the morning and half hr in the evening.

robj20 · 3 Dec 2015 at 11:30

We just have the heating on for about 3 hours in the evening, dehumidifier on over night takes the edge off in the morning and keeps the steamy windows at bay.

Other than that, dressing gown or more clothes its an old boiler so not very efficient.

dctek · 3 Dec 2015 at 11:41

ASHP + tech

Set at 19c overnight, 21c during the day - UFH downstairs and Rads upstairs with TRV's and hooked up to an ASHP, 1880's house renovated this year and I installed plenty of insulation. Everything can be controlled from phone or in room stat.

Apart from some noise issues (AC pipes vibrating) its been an excellent choice (no gas out where I live)

Considering we have a lot of tech on (and OH works from home) and all cooking, heating, washing, drying is done by electric, our bill is only £54 a month.

We do have a woodburner too for emergency backup heating and just because its nice to have fire in the house

AHarvey · 3 Dec 2015 at 12:12

Heating goes on and stays on if needed. Although our boiler is pap and constantly needs resetting so the heating is on/off/on/off etc all day long

Other than that, add extra layers to curtains, maybe put a thick curtain up over you front and back door and heating bill will drop a little. Our front door curtain went up and our gas bill dropped £10 a month

Needs proper insulation over the door too, it's such an odd design

Mr-White · 3 Dec 2015 at 12:21

My rooms hot most of the year due to computers running, so when winter comes I just close the window

MW

Mickie · 3 Dec 2015 at 12:29

I'm between natural gas and wood atm, wood runs out quick tho..

Skiddley · 3 Dec 2015 at 14:03

Put a third jumper on.

Jez · 3 Dec 2015 at 18:48

Mickie said:
I'm between natural gas and wood atm, wood runs out quick tho..

Pallets, unlimited free wood

Lopéz · 3 Dec 2015 at 19:17

I have a standard condensing boiler than a combi, so hot water and heating come on from 6-7 in the morning. In the evening the heating and water come on at 6, water goes off at 7 and the heating stays on until 10. Upstairs is always much warmer due to the water tank in the bedroom cupboard so I just have the TRVs upstairs set lower.

wazza300 · 3 Dec 2015 at 19:39

put it on as little as possible as it costs a fortune,i pity all the oap's

good job its been a mild winter so far

Regy53 · 3 Dec 2015 at 20:23

comes on from 6-8.30 to cover the mornings for us, then were all at work and it comes back on from 3 - 9 ish set at 21degrees.

That said its been very mild and it has not fired up to often.

On the weekend we have it set to 21 degrees all day.

koolpc · 3 Dec 2015 at 20:24

Wait for bills to roll in!

MooMoo444 · 3 Dec 2015 at 20:52

Jumper and gloves. Not even joking. I try to be a bit economical with it where possible. Got some nice fingerless gloves and some thick hoodies which do the job for free.

kayomani · 3 Dec 2015 at 20:58

45 minutes in the morning and an hour in the evening and if it gets cold I push the extra hour button in the evening.

My house might be over 90 year old but the the loft insulation does wonders!

Craig321 · 3 Dec 2015 at 21:00

Storage heating

It's all off at the moment though. It isn't cold. Was on last couple of weeks when it was in the minus and even then, just the one.

I also have my heating cost averaged out (by my own calculation rather than their one which was £20 over per month) since before last winter, so the bill doesn't change which is nice.