New build utility bill confusion

[UncomfortableBadger]

Help much appreciated!

Moved into newbuild mid-terrace 4 bed townhouse in mid-September. Supposedly super duper efficient with A+ rated appliances etc. 2 of us living in the house, working full-time, away from home.

The builders told us to leave the heating on the default mode of full pelt, constantly for the first 2 months (to help dry the house) which we duly did. Did a meter reading at the end of this period - didn't seem excessive, which we were pleased about.

My OH then tweaked the settings on the boiler and thermostats so that the temperature is set at 15 degrees and the heating and hot water only comes on three times per day. The idea being that it would be cheaper to run the house.

On checking our meter readings today, our gas usage has more than doubled since OH changed these settings. We're now on track for our gas usage to be double what the EPC said it would be! Electricity seems about right.

So confused Any ideas why this might be?!

Was it actually on full pelt though or was the ambient temperature resulting in it never actually kicking in. Presumably if you'd had it on full pelt in September/October you'd have been sweltering in the house.

Should add, it's an Ideal Logic condensing boiler in the kitchen and Tribune HE invented hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard. There's apparently an immersion heater somewhere later down the line also!

a separate immersion heater? Isn't your cylinder int he airing cupboard the immersion?

Isn't it just because your boiler is having to work harder to heat the house now that it's December than it was in Sep/ Oct?

Having hot water on three times a day seems a lot to me. There are 5 of us here and an hour in the morning seems to be enough.

*atticuslaw Good question, thanks. It was bloody hot in the house when we moved in, although to be fair, it still is, even now.

Surely if we've reduced the thermostat temperature then the boiler shouldn't need to kick in at all? Or is that silly/wishful thinking on our parts?!

sloanepeterson OH says that the way the system has been set up, there have to be a minimum of three 'events' per day.

Beginning to wonder if he's talking tripe

Our system's timer has three events for water. We simply have it set for an hour in the morning, one minute at midday (because it can't be zero) and one minute in the evening. A tank is enough here for the whole day and we have a large house with four of us here and I'm at home all day.

Ours does the 3 events too but you can set them to a low temp so that it doesn't actually switch on. So...
7am - 20°
7.30 - 14°
12pm - 14°
12.01 -14°
7pm - 20°
8pm - 14°
Or something to that effect. Fiddle with temperature until it's right

atticusclaw2 Aaah, sounds like ours! Do your hot water and heating follow exactly the same pattern?

No I can programme them separately but I don't have the heating on the programme. Heating here just goes on for an hour in the morning and then for a couple of hours in the evening and I just click it on for a "boost" (which turns it on for an hour) rather than using the timer.

thedisreputabledog Amazing SN

We've got ours on at 15 degrees constantly supposedly now, hence why I'm confused.

Really do now think that OH has mucked up the settings somehow, seeing as none of you lovely lot have the same issue!

If your house always feels hot, your heating doesn't come on until you hit 15 degrees and your gas bills are very high then something is't right. Are you sure it isn't set on 25 degrees?!

Can you get another thermometer? (Even one of those paper ones for babies rooms)? 16° is about the coolest our house gets. If it was on a constant 15° I would think you'd be really cold!