Help me work out how I'm using so much electricity??

[Crazybengalcats]

Hi, I know there are a million threads on this topic and I've read most of them, but I could really do with some help working out why the electricity usage is so high in our household.

I'm with Bulb and the annual estimated electricity usage is 14,000kwh :(

Here's what we have in the house:

Combi boiler

Electric oven and hob - we do oven cook a lot of things and some days the oven is on 2-3 times (we might eat something spicy later in the evening after children have eaten, for example) and each morning we boil coffee on the hob using a coffee pot.

Electric shower (all three children shower daily, 10 mins each roughly, partner most days, me every other day)

Kettle - boiled a few times a day, I do tend to fill it up each time

Toaster used maybe 3 times per week

3 x tvs on standby 24/7, one used for the xbox in our room which dp is on most evenings for a few hours

3 other xboxes plugged in but switched on infrequently

3 x sets of led lights (one in each of the children's rooms) - always on but this week I've started turning them off during the day.

Printer - plugged in and switched on all the time.

Alexa device

Google home device

Many phone and laptop chargers left plugged in and on at the wall

Washing machine - new this year and a rated, plus a tumble dryer - a rated. I do lots of washing (2-3 loads per day), one load at 60 degrees and the others at 40.... only an hour for each cycle though.

Tumble dryer I was using for most loads but have been trying to hang the washing out while it's been sunny recently

Chest freezer and a small undercounter fridge which are both -2 years old.

That's it!

Does anyone know the most likely culprits for the high electricity bills?

We can't get an in home display as we have a 1st gen smart meter so was thinking of trying one of the energy plugs to monitor usage but would like to start with one of the most likely electricity-guzzling appliances first!

Thanks in advance

Well done OP! Even if you only reduce by a bit- that's still a reduction.

Definitely shorten those showers, switch everything off at the wall, and don't fill up the kettle! Dry things outside. That chest freezer sounds like it could be sucking up energy too.

And here's the thing that might be unpopular - just don't use the oven unless it's worth it. If you're putting one thing in at 200 deg for 15 mins - do you need to? Oven on three times a day sounds a bit mad! Try and get that down (people can have cold lunches or use the microwave, right?)

@Supersnot123

OMG you wash towels after every use?? I use mine for at least a week before I wash it... is that really minging?? I reckon roughly one load of washing per person per week. We are a couple with a baby and do maybe 4, but DD is in reusable nappies so that bumps it up a bit.

Thank you Super. I was beginning to think I would be a social pariah for admitting to washing towels weekly. Clothes too for that matter. Apart from Gym Bunnies and sporty folk most of us would put clothes onto a clean body and they'd last for a couple of days at least. My SIL would whip clothes off her DDs once they got the slightest mark on them and they'd be in the machine before you could say Fairy!

@Hercisback

The arse face problem is easily solved, dry arse in the middle of the towel and face on the edge.

You have a lot of tech compared to many families. We only have one TV and one console.

You have so much you could cut down. It's up to you if you choose not to.

Or keep a supply of small towels/flannels to dry bum, then wash towel on one day.

@steppemum

eco cycles on washing machines are long because they wash clothes differently. Normal wash- agitates the clothes a lot in the soapy water, gets the dirt out. But agitating uses a lot of energy. eco wash - relies on longer soaking time, and less agitation. Longer but uses less energy, as the extra time is mostly spent waiting for the clothes to soak.

I'm afraid I remain unconvinced by the eco wash.

BUT turning down form 60 - 40 will make a huge difference. Some things even on 30. Bit I still wash sheets and towels at 60. And I find that 30 doesn't work for smelly teen T shirts, but 40 does, they don't need 60.
I think

Well my machine has been going since 10am and still has 39 minutes left. I don't know what temperature as it just says 'auto' when it's on the eco wash, so I think I'll carry on as I am using the 1hr, 40 degree wash!

Everything is washed on 40, bar towels, bedding and underwear.

Oh and I just saw your timer comment, I'll look into those thank you

The cooker/oven is our only way of cooking unfortunately.

A microwave wasn't something that I considered to be energy saving but I'll look into it.

And yes we have cold lunches, the three times a day is only on the odd occasion if me and the children are eating separately (them at 5, me at 7 for example) and I may bake brownies for pudding earlier on in the day.

You don't need to wash everything at 40. I wash everything at 30 and it comes out clean. Detergents are made to wash better at lower temperatures nowadays.

I wash most at 40⁰C with the odd 60⁰C wash. Rarely at 30⁰C

Ten minutes in the shower isn't necessary. You do seem to do a lot of washing. Try and cut that down. And the tumble drier use.

Stop using the tumble drier
Do your washing on a 30 degrees wash - unless your stuff is terribly dirty, 30 degrees is fine and probably about 30 minutes.
Shower for 5 minutes instead of 10 (It can be done)