To find energy useage and utility bills incomprehensible?

[teacher123]

Just had our meters read and had our bills sent to us through our energy supplier. Our direct debits were £40 PCM electricity and £60 PCM gas. We've only used our heating a handful of times as the weathers been so mild. We have a gas hob and an old fashioned back boiler to heat up hot water. Our electricity use is pretty profligate tbh-we often forget to turn lights off etc and have an electric oven. why then are we £40 in credit to our electricity bill and £194 in debit for the gas?!?! Is it because our hot water boiler is so crap and inefficient? (It doesn't heat up water as you use it, it has a tank)

Energy bills are incomprehensible because they are intended to be.
Just that.

Are you sure they got the readings right? I had the same sort of thing happen and when I checked my meters whoever had read it for them had clearly done it wrong, the figures they were working off were way out.

Hmm-will check readings tomorrow. I could understand if our electricity was high but the gas makes no sense at all!

how often is the gas being used to heat the water in the tank? Ours is only on a couple of times a day for 1-2 hours each time. We also have a gas hob/electric oven and have gas central heating that hasnt been on too much recently. We pay £145 combined gas/electric and I think roughly £80/£90 goes to the gas from that each month.

It is more efficient to have the heating/hot water on a timer than to have it on all the time

our gas is only used for heat and water and it's about twice as much as leccy bill. So your bills are prob right. A crap boiler makes a massive difference.

yes

ignore the amount of the direct debit. It is an estimate of what they think you might use over the next year, divided by 12

What matters is your actual (not estimated) meter readings. You need to take them every month, write them in your diary or somewhere they will not get lost, and input them online to your energy suppliers.

If you have not got a record of past meter readings, you can probably find them on your old bills. If they are lost you can look them up online. You may have to register on the energy company's website. Any bill with an estimated reading on it is no help to you.

Come back when you know your actual meter readings, preferably by typical month, summer and winter.

What colour is your hot water cylinder? (seriously)

How many hours a day is the timer set for your CH to be on; and how many hours a day are you at home (and not in bed)?

What hours is the timer for your HW on?

What temperature is your room thermostat set to?

What proportion of your light bulbs are energy-saving? Do you have any downlighters or spotlights?

Do you use any electric heaters? Do you use the electric immersion heater?

How old is the house?