Combi boiler gas consumption

[benws1]

Hi all. Moved into a new (to us) house a few months ago and had to get the boiler replaced recently. The house is a 1937 four bed with a 1992 extension over the garage (adding more kitchen space and the fourth bedroom).

Since we have had the new boiler fitted I've been trying to gauge our gas consumption. Boiler in question is a Worcester Bosch Greenstar 29CDI Classic and we have 12 radiators of varying sizes (four of which are quite large).

Neither of us really feel the cold so we have the heating on timed (up to 18 degrees) from 6-7am, 5-7pm and then 8-9pm (19 degrees). So far (with one bath a day too) it looks like we are using 4 - 6 units a day (when cold), or around 1 unit an hour.

We had a gas leak on the new pipe that was fixed on Friday, but since the 10th November we have used 44 units!

Does this sound right or should we get things checked? The house is quite big (because it's old) and the room with the stat (Honeywell CM927) in has a conservatory attached to it (we do close doors inbetween them though). I doubt it's the best insulated house too, but I'm led to believe that old houses need to 'breathe' and you can't just stuff them with insulation.

We have moved from a much smaller 2 bed house, so maybe this is normal and we are just not used to it. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Jimbob]

When you say 1 unit do you mean? In terms of m3 or ft3

 

[benws1]

M3.

Incidentally, looked at the meter last night and I think the big consumption happens as the boiler is fired up and heating the house. I.e., when it had settled it used about half m3 to keep the temp at 17.5 degrees for an hour.

It could just be the fact that it's an old house, it has high ceilings, it's a bit drafty, the radiators are big and it just needs a lot to heat it.

Thanks.

 

[Chalked]

Don't forget it was quite warm until the 10th November. And it's been cold since.
you gas consumption is based on the overall temperature that you run your house at, the efficiency of the system and the heat loss of the building.

 

[Meady]

I don't get what the problem is as you said you worked it out to start with that you were using 4-6 units a day, so over a 10 day period (10th-20th November) you should have used 40-60 units and you have used 44 which is inside your workings out?

 

[Ermintrude]

Go on internet and use a site called I measure it will help u monitor and improve energy use. It's free. Data is used for Cambridge energy research , none of your details are shared just energy details.

 

[PowerFlusher2]

You might also consider that it would be more economical to leave the heating run 24/7 at a slightly lower temp, creating an ambient heat through the house at all times, which has often been reported as being cheaper than using huge amounts of gas three times a day to reheat water which has been allowed to go cold since the last time you heated it up. A lot, obviously, depends on the quality of insulation, windows etc but studies have been done - though I have to say the most recent I can remember had to do with an old stately home which was heated using a straw fired boiler. Owner said he was spending 25 to 30 thousand quid a year on fuel to heat the house in the morning and again in the evening. The adviser told him to leave it on all the time and a year later the cost had gone down to less than half of previous years - even though the price of the straw had gone up in line with inflation during the time. Tried to find the programme (it was on TV) but have failed. Somebody else on the forum MUST have heard of this method of using domestic heating, though, perhaps they can comment.