High ESB bills with underfloor heating

joannelohan

I moved into a new apartment last November, its a two bed apartment with Underfloor and ceiling which works on night time rates as it only comes on from 11 at night to 8 in morning.Our first esb bill was 449 euro. We assumed it was the heating so we only use heating about 3 nights a week. Our next bill came and was 410 euro. We rang esb and they say only 140 relates to heat. We are totally puzzled as to what is using that much electricity. An electrician has been out and doesn't think there is anything wrong with meter, we only have washing machine on about 2-3 times a week and immersion is on a timer, the rest is pretty much standard usage as we both work during day. Does anybody have any idea what could be causing our bills to be so high?

handlemaster

joannelohan wrote: »

I moved into a new apartment last November, its a two bed apartment with Underfloor and ceiling which works on night time rates as it only comes on from 11 at night to 8 in morning.Our first esb bill was 449 euro. We assumed it was the heating so we only use heating about 3 nights a week. Our next bill came and was 410 euro. We rang esb and they say only 140 relates to heat. We are totally puzzled as to what is using that much electricity. An electrician has been out and doesn't think there is anything wrong with meter, we only have washing machine on about 2-3 times a week and immersion is on a timer, the rest is pretty much standard usage as we both work during day. Does anybody have any idea what could be causing our bills to be so high?

electric shower is the highest drainage on electricity. Do you have one ?

Millem

joannelohan wrote: »

I moved into a new apartment last November, its a two bed apartment with Underfloor and ceiling which works on night time rates as it only comes on from 11 at night to 8 in morning.Our first esb bill was 449 euro. We assumed it was the heating so we only use heating about 3 nights a week. Our next bill came and was 410 euro. We rang esb and they say only 140 relates to heat. We are totally puzzled as to what is using that much electricity. An electrician has been out and doesn't think there is anything wrong with meter, we only have washing machine on about 2-3 times a week and immersion is on a timer, the rest is pretty much standard usage as we both work during day. Does anybody have any idea what could be causing our bills to be so high?

As you are on night rate electricity your day rate is more expensive. Are you using washing machine, dishwasher or dryer during the day (as in before night rate kicks in).

joannelohan

No don't have electric shower

Nino Brown

Turn everything off, and watch the meter as you turn everything on then off individually.

madalig12

Thats some serious bill right there! Mine is about 120 an thats for a three bed semi. id have no money left if my esb were so high. if your bulbs are those wee small ones they are big users. i mainly use energy saving ones.

handlemaster

the only other thing Im thinking is that your immersion heating timer is broken.

joannelohan

Madalig 12 does that include your heat as well? Don't have those energy efficient bulbs will having them make that much of a difference?

joannelohan

Don't think immrrsion heater is broken we don't have that much hot water.

murphaph

Is there any way your day and night meters clocks could be reversed? That's huge usage if the meters are working correctly. Turning everything off and watching the meters is solid advice.

ted1

How many day units are you being billed for? This is where you start figure out your base load.
Maybe the timer on the underfloor heating is dodgy. Maybe the thermostat in the freezer is busted or there's a leak on the compressor is on 24 7. Maybe immersion is on fully. Or a balcony light is on, what type bulbs have you ?

Pawwed Rig

Lightbulbs wouldn't run up a bill by that much either. I assume you have submitted a meter reading? How would the ESB know the heating was €140? I would assume immersion and heating are your issue.
Other than that there is something wrong with your billing. How many KW hours are you being billed for in the period? I will compare it with my bill (in apartment too).

The_Conductor

Lets look at it this way. Its a combo electricity and heating bill. Its the winter months. Its working out at 400-450 per bi-monthly bill.

200-225 per month for combined electricity and heating, during the winter months- is not as extortionate as it sounds.

If you could strip out the heating totally separately and then compare- it would give you a better indication- but for a combo bill, for the coldest months of the year, it seems to be well within what I'd consider normal territory.

What is the BER for the apartment? It could well be that it may not be as well insulated as it could be- and you're shelling out for heating where other people wouldn't normally have to.

Also- having heating on continuously for 10-12 hours, even on the night-time rate, is not normal. An hour or two in the morning and an hour or two in the evening, with a brief burst overnight- is more a normal usage pattern.

I'm guessing your BER isn't spectacular- and you're running the heating continuously when it is on?

A bill for July-August usage might be telling (most apartment owners turn off heat altogether over the summer months)

ted1

In a poorly insulated building having heat on for 12 hours can be quite common ( not advised) as once the heat is off, the air that was heated quickly escaped and the place is freezing

murphaph

ted1 wrote: »

In a poorly insulated building having heat on for 12 hours can be quite common ( not advised) as once the heat is off, the air that was heated quickly escaped and the place is freezing

That sounds like you mean a poorly sealed/draughty building. The BER is such a nonsense that it could give you a top rating, even if the place is astonishingly draughty because NO AIRTIGHTNESS TEST is carried out.

The best insulation in the world is useless if there are draughts getting around it!

djimi

smccarrick wrote: »

Lets look at it this way. Its a combo electricity and heating bill. Its the winter months. Its working out at 400-450 per bi-monthly bill.

200-225 per month for combined electricity and heating, during the winter months- is not as extortionate as it sounds.

If you could strip out the heating totally separately and then compare- it would give you a better indication- but for a combo bill, for the coldest months of the year, it seems to be well within what I'd consider normal territory.

In fairness, from my experience of heating a two bedroom apartment, €450 is a million miles away from what I would consider to be normal. The most expensive bill we ever had was in the region of €350; that was the really bad snow a couple of years ago, where the heating was on a lot and we were foolishly using a ridiculously expensive storage heater. Since then we have never had a bill over €300.

Unless the place has zero insulation and the heating is on 12-14 hours a day every day, Id say that there is something very amiss for you to be seeing a bill of that size.

sparrowcar

Sounds to me like your neighbour is getting free electricity at your expense. Have you investigated this possibility?

D3PO

op post your units usage

and which of those are charged at day and night rates. Will give us a better idea where to start with recommendation's.

But I agree with SMCarrick here given its combined heating and electricity it isn't monsterous.

in these cold months I use approx. €260 for heating bi monthly. and my heating use isn't excessive. That would mean then you would be looking at a bill of €150 for electricity given your latest bill.

Hardly massive.

But again rather than speculation post your units and what they are being charged at and we can try help you figure out how to reduce things.

madalig12

joannelohan wrote: »

Madalig 12 does that include your heat as well? Don't have those energy efficient bulbs will having them make that much of a difference?

I never use the imersion heater as i use some oil to heat the house to be fair, still wouldnt cost that every two months.