reducing my gas consumption

[klove]

HI. I'm finding my gas consumption on the central heating system really high at the moment. I have a combi boiler and I'm pretty sure that the plate heat exchanger needs descaling/replacing and it's due a service. If I get these two things done will this make much of a difference to my consumption?

 

[nowucit]

A service is always recommended as this will ensure your boiler is running at peak efficiency, you may want to consider what controls you have on your system which will help you get the most from your heating at the lowest possible cost e.g. TRVs on the radiators and a programmable room thermostat if you don't have these already. These will allow you to control the heat output of the boiler room by room rather than it running at full belt all the time.

 

[klove]

A service is always recommended as this will ensure your boiler is running at peak efficiency, you may want to consider what controls you have on your system which will help you get the most from your heating at the lowest possible cost e.g. TRVs on the radiators and a programmable room thermostat if you don't have these already. These will allow you to control the heat output of the boiler room by room rather than it running at full belt all the time.

Thank you. I do have these on the radiators already and only heat a few of the rooms but I'm finding that my consumtion has gone up by 46% on the same time last year.

 

[nowucit]

Definately consumption and not price of gas?

Have you spoken to you energy supplier to find out if your tarrif has changed or how much they have increased their prices.

 

[klove]

No it's definitely the consumption and not the tariff

 

[Rickster123]

This time last year we'd had a few weeks of heat wave! Are you sure you're not now using the heating or hot water more? Have you got any dripping hot taps?

 

[lame plumber]

its been a long winter or havent you noticed!

 

[stevetheplumber]

best way to save gas is buy a big jumper

 

[SimonG]

Turn it off or turn it down. If you use it you have to pay for it!

What's the insulation like in your property, do you have a room thermostat? if you do what do you have it set too. Is it operating correctly? Lots of things to look at but you need to know what you are looking at.

 

[CMcM]

been along winter + prices have gone up. if it makes u sleep any better at night ur helping line some fat cats bonus at the gas suppliers...

 

[klove]

Thanks but I was specifically asking about the heat plate exchanger and the service.

 

[SimonG]

What makes you think that there is a problem with the hex?

 

[klove]

When I run a bath I have to run the tap really slowly to get the water hot. If I run normal pressure the water is not warm enough and when I do run the bath the radiators cool down. The kitchen tap however is ok at high pressure

 

[tamz]

To answer your "specific " questions
A partially scaled hex won't increase your gas consumption by much. Your water will just be cooler.
A service will ensure it is working safely and properly and may increase the efficiency by a % or 2.
It may however pick up if you have any gas leakage that you may have but don't smell (but for the kind of numbers we are talking here, everyone in the street would smell that size leak).

It is very difficult for a gas engineer to accurately check the meter is reading correctly (they do occasionally go wrong but usually on the slow side) however your supplier can arrange for this to be done at an independent test facility. If it is found to be accurate within the prescribed limits (+ or - 2% they will charge you for the test which is around 80 quid.

You say that your consumption is up by 46%. Have you monitored it weekly, monthly, quarterly? It has been a lot colder for longer this year. My supplier, (Scottish Hydro) gives me a graph of my quarterly consumption which i can compare against previous years.

Was it Edison who said we will make power so cheap only the rich will burn candles? The way the governments energy policy is going only the rich will burn gas or electric and all us plebs can huddle around a candle for heat and light.

 

[lame plumber]

bath tap has higher flow rate than kitchen tap and its combi for goodness sake the rads wont be heated when the water is being heated for tap water. so stop trying to find out whats broken when it isnt. listen to what tamz said, he makes a lot of sense.

 

[REDSAW]

have you got a gas leak?

cant help with the diagnosis but get it serviced as you say and take it from there

 

[tamz]

When I run a bath I have to run the tap really slowly to get the water hot. If I run normal pressure the water is not warm enough and when I do run the bath the radiators cool down. The kitchen tap however is ok at high pressure

A boiler can only heat a certain amount of water to a certain temperature. The faster you run it the colder it will be. Think of it like an electric shower, run it faster it will be colder.
If your boiler is a 24kw it can raise the temperature of the water by 35º at a flow rate of around 2 gallons per minute. That is fine at a sink or basin but at a bath it looks very slow and will take a while to fill. That is just the way they work.
The radiators cool down when the water is running because (without getting technical) they are switched off while the tap runs.

 

[klove]

I now have a smart meter fitted so I can monitor hourly, thank you

 

[dancinplumba]

Terrible init ? Had a leccy one took it to bed with me an everything, got really obsessed with my energy consumption, sleepless nights, my sympathy

 

[kay-jay]

Terrible init ? Had a leccy one took it to bed with me an everything, got really obsessed with my energy consumption, sleepless nights, my sympathy

The only sleepless nights you had in eight years...

 

[tamz]

I now have a smart meter fitted so I can monitor hourly, thank you

Maybe your smart meter is a bit smarter than the old one was :lol:

You have 3 options here.
Get it serviced and checked......£££
Get onto your supplier and get it checked....£££
Buy a balaclava and a big slipper and turn the boiler off :wink:

I should also mention as you mentioned filling baths. Showers are cheaper.

 

[tamz]

Terrible init ? Had a leccy one took it to bed with me an everything, got really obsessed with my energy consumption, sleepless nights, my sympathy

You should switch to all gas Steve. Pipe in a couple of mantles and Bobs yer uncle :wink:

 

[lame plumber]

a renovation down here did just that all gas lighting bar a couple of wall lights in leccy!, had to recommission it all after they went bust for new owners, wierd in this day and age lighting a gas mantle to see to commission a boiler! took a while to suss the pipework as 3 x 22mm gas feeds up one wall as well as tank feeds etc. wasnt sure about ticket needed for gas lighting, turns out its the leisure ticket for bbqs etc.

 

[tamz]

BBQ's :lol: depends how close they stand to them.

 

[COL_nottm]

Just a daft suggestion, do you find the radiators are colder towards the bottom?
Should your system be 'sludged up' this could cause the boiler to consume more gas to warm your house, but again this would be noticable...

thinking of all possiblities

 

[klove]

thanks a good suggestion, I'll put the heating on later and check that out