# average electricity bill



## jillyb (8 Jan 2012)

hey there

We moved from a 3 bed duplex apt to a 3 bed house in september.

Since them our electricity bill has gone from around €80 to €135 bi monthly

This seem like a lot to me even with the charges going up , opinions?

However the only common denomintor is  our third housemate. he wasn't living with us in our last place. he is also gone home at weekends and I also work elsewhere part time so am away half the week. so cannot work out why its so much dearer

He does leave his alarm clock, tv etc on standby in his room and i think he has a convector heater- not sure how much he uses it though. 

Every other room in the house is the same as our last place, stuff plugged etc.

thanks


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## PaddyBloggit (8 Jan 2012)

I reckon the heater is the culprit.

They send the dial spinning in the same way that an electric kettle does!

Tell him to put on an extra woolly jumper!


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## lowCO2design (8 Jan 2012)

jillyb said:


> convector heater


buy an energy monitor (check with your landlord first as you may need help connecting it to the mains) this will allow you by process of elimination to figure out what sources are using the most. 

what age is this house as opposed to the duplex? 

is there an immersion heater in this house?


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## jillyb (8 Jan 2012)

hey thanks for replies

ya had a feeling it could the heater- told him about the bill and prob should have mentioned the heater.least he knows that we had to tighten up a bit. he never likes to plug stuff out etc and he always jokes that my other half is a electricity nazi- its playful as he's my other half's friend. 

My other half has said it to him before but not sure how much he took on board.

The house was built in 2000 so its a fairly modern house.While the duplex was built in 2006 alright.

The kitchen in the house does have the on/off switches for the appliances and we always switch them off.

There is an immersion in the house but we dont use it as we have two electric showers and usually have hot water from the heating being on

I suppose he does do at least 3 half clothes washes while he's here aswell. Not sure if thats much extra though.

will look into the meter- sounds like a good idea.

Jst wondering also what others ppls average bill is? just to compare


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## fastmover (12 Jan 2012)

Hello...I've just logged on because I haev to check my average usage....I'm in a 2 bed apartment and my bills are around €250 per bil (2 Months)....is your figure per bill or per month.....I have to admit I leave the immersion on all the time as I thought it was cost effective....feel like a dipstick now if ti was costing me €100 a bill


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## Mrs Vimes (12 Jan 2012)

fastmover said:


> Hello...I've just logged on because I haev to check my average usage....I'm in a 2 bed apartment and my bills are around €250 per bil (2 Months)....is your figure per bill or per month.....I have to admit I leave the immersion on all the time as I thought it was cost effective....feel like a dipstick now if ti was costing me €100 a bill



WOW! I have similar sized bills with 6 of us in a 4-bed house. Is your heating also included? Is that bill from winter or summer?

Get an electrician to fit a timer for the immersion (or do it yourself if you're able), you wouldn't be long paying him off out of the savings


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## Mrs Vimes (12 Jan 2012)

jillyb said:


> I suppose he does do at least 3 half clothes washes while he's here aswell. Not sure if thats much extra though.



They do say never to do half washes as it's really inefficient - 3 half washes a week (or even half-week) sounds like a lot for one person - could he put his clothes in with yours or maybe stick to 1 full one one week and 2 the next?

Check out [broken link removed] calculator - there may be something else you're not including or something using more power than it should. Just keep adding in your appliances until you see what your total bill should be - if you're not with ESB the figure will obviously be different but should be some way close.


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## ClubMan (12 Jan 2012)

Hard not to end up with an apples to oranges comparison in this context but I'm with _Airtricity _and their budget plan which was recently recalculated and I'm paying €67 p.m. for a three bed, terraced, _GoldShield_, _NightSaver_, all electric house. Main loads are immersion (on _NightSaver _maybe every second or third night), two large storage heaters downstairs charging overnight through the winter months, oven, fridge freezer, washing machine. Don't use the upstairs panel convection heaters. Use a standalone oil filled 1.5KW electric heater the very odd time.


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## fastmover (13 Jan 2012)

Mrs Vimes said:


> WOW! I have similar sized bills with 6 of us in a 4-bed house. Is your heating also included? Is that bill from winter or summer?
> 
> Get an electrician to fit a timer for the immersion (or do it yourself if you're able), you wouldn't be long paying him off out of the savings



Thats pretty much the average all year round......it has to be the immersion....that's switched off now and will take weekly meter readings....that doesn't include any heating....I'm going to have to get more organised with the timer for the gas as that heats the water also.....


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## johnjoda (13 Jan 2012)

*Electricity used*

I switched to Airtricity on 01/10/2011 and fitted the free energy monitor from Airtricity.
I have just done full audit on my usage for 3 months + 01/10/2011 - 12/ 01/2012
and used 2527 units over 105 days which works out to €3.80 per day which I consider reasonable for a 4 bed detached bungalow with the immersion heater on 24/7. I was surprised how accurate the energy monitor Is, and feel I may be able to save more by fitting a timer to the immersion ? any thoughts welcome


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## Mrs Vimes (13 Jan 2012)

johnjoda, that doesn't sound huge to me for your size house, although it would depend on showers, washing/drying clothes, etc.

Best way to check since you have a monitor is to turn off the immersion for a week or so and only turn it on when needed. Then check how much elec it's using and calculate savings against cost of getting a timer fitted. I would be very surprised if it wasn't going to save money within a short time. Unfortunately the ESB appliance calculator I linked above doesn't ask how long the immersion is on but instead how often you heat a tank of a certain size to a certain temp so I can't work it out using that.

You do need to work out what suits you for timings - I find I mostly just need it for washing up so the heating (oil) does for the breakfast ware (in winter), half an hour at lunch and again at dinner is what the timer is set for. We then turn it on for a couple of hours on bath nights or if we're doing huge messy cooking things.


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## ClubMan (13 Jan 2012)

johnjoda said:


> immersion heater on 24/7.


Seems excessive even if thermostatically controlled unless you are using hot water almost 24/7? You will definitely save - probably significantly - by putting this on a timer or just using it on demand/as needed.


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## Black Sheep (13 Jan 2012)

BTW Electricity went up by 2 cent per unit in October (ESB). I feel it is more important to check the number of unit being used rather than the bottom line of your bill. As there so many add-ons some of which are taken off again, the main aim seems to be to confuse the customer


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## amtc (14 Jan 2012)

I leave my immersion on all the time - asked two plumbers and they both said it makes no much difference. my bill was 90 euro last two months in a two bed semi


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## Fiskar (14 Jan 2012)

johnjoda said:


> I switched to Airtricity on 01/10/2011 and fitted the free energy monitor from Airtricity.
> I have just done full audit on my usage for 3 months + 01/10/2011 - 12/ 01/2012
> and used 2527 units over 105 days which works out to €3.80 per day which I consider reasonable for a 4 bed detached bungalow with the immersion heater on 24/7. I was surprised how accurate the energy monitor Is, and feel I may be able to save more by fitting a timer to the immersion ? any thoughts welcome


 
Subtract 1000 plus units off that total and that is what ours is for 105 days in an identical property. 800 units per 60 days is our average in winter. We too switched to Airtricity this month and I am looking at a nicely set-up energy monitor (5 days = 40kwhr). My plasma tv has astonished me.


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## johnjoda (16 Jan 2012)

Thank you for your thoughts and is appreciated. Never has there been more conflicting advice on immersion heater use - leave on or use as needed ?


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## johnjoda (16 Jan 2012)

Fiskar said:


> Subtract 1000 plus units off that total and that is what ours is for 105 days in an identical property. 800 units per 60 days is our average in winter. We too switched to Airtricity this month and I am looking at a nicely set-up energy monitor (5 days = 40kwhr). My plasma tv has astonished me.



Interesting comparison and can't imagine on how to get close to your consumption of electricity.
Our home is occupied 24/7 and would think this may be the difference ? Since getting the monitor I have become obsessed and driving my wife crazy following her around turning of lights


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## ClubMan (16 Jan 2012)

amtc said:


> I leave my immersion on all the time - asked two plumbers and they both said it makes no much difference.


Having it on 24/7 will definitely cost more than using it on demand/as needed. Try it for a week (a) on 24/7 and (b) only on when needed and compare the meter readings.


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## bullworth (16 Jan 2012)

My 2 monthly electricity bill came in at under 65 euro for 2 adults and one toddler with TV, fridge and internet always running plus energy saving lightbulbs everywhere. It looks reasonable until I consider when the Gas heating bill comes in it will be extremely painful and I do not expect good news there at all


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## selfbuilder (16 Jan 2012)

bullworth said:


> My 2 monthly electricity bill came in at under 65 euro for 2 adults and one toddler with TV, fridge and internet always running plus energy saving lightbulbs everywhere. It looks reasonable until I consider when the Gas heating bill comes in it will be extremely painful and I do not expect good news there at all



I wish I could swap with you. How do you only use €65 of electricity in two months? I would be happy if I could get mine down to €65 for one month.


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## Leo (16 Jan 2012)

ClubMan said:


> Having it on 24/7 will definitely cost more than using it on demand/as needed. Try it for a week (a) on 24/7 and (b) only on when needed and compare the meter readings.


 
That will also shorten the life of the heating element considerably as it will be cycling a lot more.


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## ClubMan (16 Jan 2012)

"Considerably"? Are you sure? I would have imagined that leaving it on 24/7 would cause more wear and tear than switching it on/off as required?


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## Leo (16 Jan 2012)

ClubMan said:


> "Considerably"? Are you sure? I would have imagined that leaving it on 24/7 would cause more wear and tear than switching it on/off as required?


 
Sorry, that's what I meant. It will be cycling a lot more if it's left on 24/7 than if it's just turned on as required.


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## ClubMan (16 Jan 2012)

OK.

BTW - useful link:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=25909.0



> Whichever strategy needs the immersion heater to be running for the  shortest total amount of time, for the amount of water you need, heated  to the minimum temperature you require, will be the most efficient for  you.


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## bullworth (16 Jan 2012)

selfbuilder said:


> I wish I could swap with you. How do you only use €65 of electricity in two months? I would be happy if I could get mine down to €65 for one month.



We keep our centre of activities to mostly one room and use energy saving lightbulbs  and energy efficient appliances e.g the fridge has a good rating. None of us would leave home with  a TV/DVD player etc on standby or unnecessary lights on. We always unplug everything. Does that explain it or am I  just lucky in this one regard ?
The gas heating bill will be huge though. I fully expect it to run into hundreds when it arrives. I will need to reconsider this method of heating.


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## wishbone (10 Feb 2012)

I literally just spent this morning working out our electricity and gas for the last year.  We're with Airtricity.  3 bed semi-d, work from home 2 days so heat is on then.  Heat is on downstairs during the day and then comes on upstairs from about 5.30 (as nobody goes upstairs during the day)  We have gas heating and cooking.  I like baking bread.  Electric shower, immersion is never on as we use the gas to heat it in the summer on a needed basis.  We do turn off TV, broadband etc at night for fire reasons if nothing else.  Washing machine easily 4 times a week, no dryer.  Two fridges and two freezers.  All long life bulbs.  No electric heaters.  Gas bill for one year 719e, electricity 602e.  Electricity through the year fluctuates less than the gas, between 1.30e and 2.00e per day.  Gas bill recently was 4.14e per day but in the summer is 0.50e per day.  Average cost per month is 110e for the two.


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## flossie (10 Feb 2012)

Just got my electricity bill in. Bord Gais - €166. That's for a 4 bed detached with myself and my brother living here. I work from home so running laptop, external monitor, wireless, printer etc. 24/7. Use gas to heat the house and water. Brother is unemployed and often has his TV/sky/XBox/laptop etc. runnign during the day (despite my nagging!). TV/Sky downstairs on for a couple of hours per day max, but i do leave it on standby.


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## fraggle (10 Feb 2012)

My two monthly bill (8 Dec - 8 Feb):
Elec: 233
Gas: 408
based on my supplied readings.

Airtricity

2000sqft dormer

We are generally energy conscious but we do have 3 freezers and 2 fridges. We also do a fair few washes and have a tumble dryer as we help somebody out.

I'm a bit surprised by the Gas though. I usually turn the heat off around 7 as we set a wood burner going. I don't put the heat on upstairs except down low on the landing to take the chill out and I generally turn the heat off in rooms we don't use all the time.... or I would turn the heat off in the kitchen if I am in the living room for the night and not using the fire.


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## Luckycharm (12 Mar 2012)

Just got big Elec bill well for us €253 for 2 months BG- 4 bed semi, kids and missus would be home in the afternoons on laptops, games consoles etc Washing machine on alot does this seem high/normal. Do leaving laptops plugged in all the time use up alot of electricity?


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## prodigy81 (12 Aug 2014)

Hi there,

What is the average Electric and gas Bill for a couple in a 3 bed semi? Anyone have any clue, it seems difficult to calculate!!
Cheers


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## vandriver (12 Aug 2014)

It all depends...
What heats your house/water
How long per day is the house occupied
How many showers(electric?)
Washing machine/tumble drier use

But FWIW,I live in a 3 bed end terrace and spend an average 2k a year on all energy.


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## niceoneted (12 Aug 2014)

I live in three bed semi, gas and electricity. Average €1,000 per year. Got extra insulation in attic Nov 2011. I use the heat by having it on for long periods at lower temps so house never gets too cold. All energy saving or led bulbs in house.use washing machine almost daily. Tumble dryer on damp clothes(not wet) only. Two electric showers in the house.


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## vandriver (12 Aug 2014)

Ted is that 1k for gas electric combined?


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## niceoneted (12 Aug 2014)

Yes total for the two. Have spread sheet for last few yrs that I compare. Gas would not usually be on mid April to end Sept.


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