# High electricity usage



## Slim (29 Jul 2013)

Hi

we have always had a high electric bill and I am puzzled as to why. Our most recent bill, for two months mid-May to mid-July, shows consumption of 1,112 units. Our house is a 1999 build, about 2,500 sq.ft. Our principal electric appliances and usage as follows:
Electric showers - 2 - approx. 3 showers per day
Electric kettle - boiled approx 3/4 times a day
Washing machine - used av. once per day
Dryer - everyday in winter/spring, not so much in summer
Dishwasher - used mostly at weekend, 3 times
Electric oven - used about 3 times per week x 90 mins max each time
TVs - 2 on mostly evenings
Lights - we have a few multi bulb light fittings and some wall sconces
Outside lights - we have the outside lights on a sensor so they are on from dusk til dawn, I use mostly low energy bulbs in these
Central heating - Rayburn oil range on about 2 hours a day
Immersion - rarely on
Fridge freezer not very big and on all the time of course
Chest freezer - decent size and on all the time of course

Any ideas on where to start trying to find what is causing the high usage?

slim


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## hazelgreen (29 Jul 2013)

My guess would be tumbler drier... maybe more used this spring as so poor and the electric showers.  Better to use water heated by heating system or immersion sink option.


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## demoivre (29 Jul 2013)

How much is the bill OP - left the slide rule at home so I did ? Our bill would be around €260 to €290 for a similar sized house with six people living in it. No tumble drier but with 4 teenagers extensive use of showers, laptops, i pods/pads, tablets, gaming stations, house lit up like a Christmas tree every time I drive up the drive at night etc. etc. Don't use the immersion much and oil fired central heating. Much the same main appliances as yourself.


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## chrisboy (29 Jul 2013)

Most electric showers equate to about 2 euro an hour, or 10 units an hour, so this would be the biggie in most houses.. tumbledryer would be next..

If your shower was on an hour a day during this billing period it would be 1200 units, or 240 euro on its own for the bill


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## Slim (27 Aug 2013)

Apologies for not getting back sooner. The last bill, mid-May to mid-July amounted to €242.70, incl. VAT of €28.87, 
PSO levy                €  4.64 
standing charge      € 28.16
1112 units @ 16.28 €181.03
VAT @13.5%         €  28.87

Electric showers: I estimate 30 mins per day max, immersion rarely used, oil range on for a couple of periods, say 1-2 hrs per day. Too many lights, yes. Dryer would be on every day most of the year, except last couple of months which were very dry.

I will look at the ESB app and site. Thanks all.


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## Leo (27 Aug 2013)

Slim said:


> 1112 units



So approx 18 units per day.



Slim said:


> Electric showers: I estimate 30 mins per day max. immersion rarely used, oil range on for a couple of periods, say 1-2 hrs per day. Too many lights, yes. Dryer would be on every day most of the year, except last couple of months which were very dry.
> 
> Approx 5 units per day for the shower. Use a hair-dryer after? ~2 units per hour use.
> 
> ...


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## mathepac (27 Aug 2013)

Are your bills actual readings or estimates?

In either case you might find this little spreadsheet handy to keep track of bills (ESB / Electric Ireland only at the moment) 

To make the spreadsheet work, all you need do is type in two numbers and two dates.


Under the blue heading "Last Meter Rdng" (this appears on your last bill) type in your last meter reading . The cell currently displays "24462".
Under the next blue heading labelled "Current Meter Rdng" type in your current meter reading . Type this into the cell that currently displays "24750".

I have updated the spreadsheet to calculate:


Average Weekly electricity usage in both units and money terms
Average Daily electricity usage in both units and money terms and the next 
Projected Bill at Current Run Rates


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## Maz24 (27 Aug 2013)

I am on a monthly payment plan with Airtricity, due to continual increases in electricity prices I started to monitor usage approx. 10 months ago, my payment plan at that time had shot up to 108euro per month with just myself and my Husband at home for only part of the day. I stopped using the dryer and set up a clothes horse to dry washing overnight, I went around the house switching off every light that wasn't needed, when bulbs go I replace them with energy saver bulbs, every appliance that was normally left on standby, tv, skybox, stereo etc are now switched off at the plugs if not in use. Took a while to get used to especially for my Husband but now that he see's the savings he is fully on board, my monthly payment plan is currently reduced to 92euro, but I know by calculating my unit usage and checking bills that my real monthly costs are no more than 75euro over the past 3-4 months, last year over the same period I was using an average of 550units per month, this year I have managed to reduce that to an average of 350 units per month. I have now built up a substantial credit that can be used towards higher usage costs during the winter periods, we have not sacrificed on internet, shower or heating to make these savings. I also contacted Airtricity in March to let them know I was going to be changing provider and they gave me a 12month 4% discount to stay with them.


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## Sandals (28 Aug 2013)

Iv just cancelled my online billing as I have found it hard over the last year to watch electricity bill. on looking at the statements last week, Bord gais take €58 a month DD and some bills were €50 extra, next bill -€.87 cent. I joined the tesco scheme for the points. have to spend time looking at it. 

We never had a dryer but I purchased a clothes drying shed, a vented doorless wooden shed that holds my upright clothes horse. Its fantastic in showery, wet weather, not so great in galeforce rain as it gets in front entrance and slatted sides. 

We'v no electric showers, rarely use the immersion, solid fuel central heating with oil as a back up, used sunday morning only to keep system working. 

Our kids bedrooms have ceiling lights with loads of bulbs, have taken them all out but one bulb. Used to to have lamp in porch, now have a solar light.


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