House mates excessive electricity usage

Patsy167 · 06-08-2022 2:36pm #1

Looking for advice on how to approach this situation -

House sharing with 3 others (aged 20s-30s) and one of of the housemates is very careless with electricity usage. He'll do 4-5 runs of the washing machine and Tumble dryer every week, often running the tumble dryer for multiple times to dry heavy towels.

It's been getting on my nerves recently with the the whole focus on the energy crisis and the cost he's adding to the bills. We have two clothes horses/air dryers and all others will use these during the summer and only use the dryer in winter when its needed. Even when there's a heat wave outside that would dry the clothes in an hour he'll never uses the air dryers out of pure laziness.

He's generally lazy in every way, leaves the freezer wide open overnight, heating on in the living room overnight, and has the heating on constantly wearing t-shirt and shorts year round even in winter.

Is there a way we could bring this up with him without causing offence or discriminating against him or is this just the joys of house sharing that has to be tolerated?

endofrainbow · 06-08-2022 3:10pm

Timer for the heating and a rota for the washer/dryer?

DFB-D · 06-08-2022 8:15pm

I wouldn't worry about him getting offended.

Just make sure everyone is on the same wavelength and speak to him. If he chooses to get offended by this, it would be childish behavior...

bitent · 07-08-2022 2:02am

This is where the apparent saving money by sharing idea starts to break down.

You can't account for things like this when you get that bargain room for 450 a month. There is always at least one person like this.

I shared with a girl who ran towels for hours in the dryer to the point that they were burning hot about to set on fire.

The oven would be put on to "heat up" for 2 hours with nothing in it. When it did eventually get used, four little croquettes would go in. Beyond wasteful. And then there was the emersion!.

Definitely speak to him about this asap. Be diplomatic but don't put on the kid gloves. People like this often react in spite and tend to behave even worse when called out but with luck you are sharing with someone who just didn't realize what they were doing

I hope you can get through to him.

Murph85 · 07-08-2022 3:38am

The household is literally paying likely a few extra grand a year for this. Its ridiculously wasteful and unfair...

airy fairy · 07-08-2022 4:03am

Just call a housemates meeting to discuss increasing costs and how you all could reduce them. Introduce the dryer, washing machine usage along the way. How that maybe everyone does one wash and one dry per week to spread the cost fairly? If he gets the hump, then suggest that meter readings are taken during machine usage and that he may have to contribute more to the pot if he continues to use the machines excessively. Everyone should be using appliances fairly/evenly these days.

CPTM · 07-08-2022 4:14am

You could get one of those plug in devices which measure the amount of electricity used by an appliance to see how much it actually costs to wash and dry a big load like that. Just to have a figure in mind when chatting to them to help hammer the point home.

Caranica · 07-08-2022 8:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119439593#Comment_119439593

One wash per week? I usually do lights, darks and towels/bedding and that's just for one person. I got rid of the dryer though, no need for one. It sounds like there's no need for one in the OP's house either. Consider plugging it out for one billing cycle and seeing the difference that makes.

893bet · 07-08-2022 9:01am

Suck it up. Part of house sharing. Swings and roundabouts.

Dial Hard · 07-08-2022 9:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119439898#Comment_119439898

In fairness, three loads a week for a single person does sound excessive. I too separate lights/dark/colours but it could be three weeks before I'd have a full load of whites. Putting on less than full loads is wasteful in its own right. Good idea on plugging out the dryer for a billing cycle and seeing what difference it makes, though.

I never realised some people dry absolutely everything in the dryer til a former housemate moved in with me. To me, they're for finishing stuff that needs it or for something you need in an emergency and don't have time to line-dry.

Caranica · 07-08-2022 10:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119440020#Comment_119440020

Work clothes, exercise/ hobby clothes, weekend clothes, underwear, sleepwear, sheets, duvet cover, pillow cases, towels, tea towels, bathroom mats? My bedding is king size so the duvet cover gets heavy when wet. Now it wouldn't be 3 loads every week but it would be 10 a month probably.

At the moment stuff is air-drying in 2-3 hours and even in winter most stuff will dry overnight when the heating is on. OP suggest your housemate uses the large dryers at petrol stations and supermarkets if they really need something dried.

LilacNails · 07-08-2022 10:35am

Have the same problem op.

Share with 3, 1 puts on a wash once and week and hardly ever around. The other 2 are constantly washing , and re washing when they have left already washed clothes byild up in a heap, and washing clothes again after leaving them for days outside in the rain. Dread the esb every time.

Im kinda caught tho because those 2 are good friends and the other one is never really around and would be one to pay for the sake of peace. Its so infuriating!

Have thought about saying something but from my experience so far with them, cant see any agreement or understanding been met.

What do u roughly pay per month for it ?

Kurooi · 07-08-2022 12:30pm

Tots tell them to turn the heating down and do laundry less often because it's currently the PC thing to do.

Or take the route of sanity, firstly you need to have some understanding of what sum is involved. How large are your electric bills, how they compare against others in similar situation. Maybe you can find how many units the household used before he moved in. To me it sounds like dryer is the only valid concern, if he's the only one using it, you might want to try that measuring device to get an idea.

Second, beware that if you're starting to split hair it's only fair for it to be a two way street. Is he paying the same as you for a smaller room? are you using the bathroom more often? Is someone showering more frequently than others? Does only one person get the parking spot? Is one of you working from home therefore using more utilities? Are you watching more TV so maybe you should pay the TV license? He doesn't use internet so shouldn't pay? Are you cooking more, shouldn't you pay for that? Using the toaster? Microwave? Do we charge for how much fridge space everyone takes? Will you pay for fixing mould, since your air drying contributes to it while his drying does not? Did you have a partner, family, friends stay over should you not pay for that? Did you change or damage something that might cause him to lose the deposit?

He likely has little ideas and beef with each one of you too, and valid also. If you're starting to apportion usage that might all come out.

bikeman1 · 07-08-2022 1:16pm

That reminded me. I had an oven licencee at one stage. Full blast oven on for ages with nothing in it.

I told her to stop doing that as it was a safety hazard and a huge waste. I had to turn it off and tell her, let me know when you are ready to cook and I’ll have it at the right temperature for you in good time!!

Leg End Reject · 07-08-2022 3:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119440020#Comment_119440020

😬

I do about 5 loads a week. Bedding, towels and then a mix of light and dark washes for clothes. I change out of work clothes into around the house slob clothes when I get home. Now, the slob clothes would last 2 days. Then pjs, underwear, going out clothes etc.

I only use the dryer in winter for bed clothes and towels, everything is lined dried if it's not raining, or put on a clothes airer.

eusap · 08-08-2022 8:20am

Take the fuse out of the dryer plug and tell him its broken

Claw Hammer · 08-08-2022 11:23am

Take thye fuse out of the plug in the tumble dryer and see how well he can manage without it.

dennyk · 09-08-2022 9:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119440020#Comment_119440020

I live alone and three loads a week is the bare minimum I can get away with. My washer is so small that it can only handle a few items at a time; if I try to cram more than four or five shirts in there at a time, or more than two pairs of jeans at once, they just won't be washed and will come out all soapy.

DoctorEdgeWild · 09-08-2022 9:46am

5 loads of washing a week?! Is it an army barracks? 😂 Can see why the rising costs of power is hurting so many people out there.

OP - Definitely time for a meeting of the housemates, rather than doing things like removing plugs, doing things by force, have a discussion - Say that bills are too high, we need to find a way to bring them down - Here are the options - Then discuss.

Stuff like leaving the freezer open all night is over the line though. Stuff like washing, as evidenced above, can be different norms for people - but nobody should be doing something that stupid! Good luck with it OP!!

Spanish Eyes · 09-08-2022 3:42pm

There's far too much washing being done. Our mothers/grannies washed on a Monday and that was it.

Wear once then wash is fine for underwear, socks, shirts, but for most other things it is not necessary to wash after one wear. Every two weeks or so for bedding is fine. Surely if you shower every day you are clean getting into the scratcher?

If people had to wash by hand with a rubbing board and and mangle (like my mother did until the first washing machine arrived), you wouldn't be washing a pair of socks or a tea towel every day.

Ochon agus ochon agus an ice cream cone Peig Sayers is back!

melekalikimaka · 09-08-2022 3:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119439584#Comment_119439584

how much do you think a standard tumbledryer costs to run for a hour

meijin · 09-08-2022 4:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119450324#Comment_119450324

https://www.moneyguideireland.com/cost-using-tumble-dryer.html

A++ rated, about 50c each time... 😆

seriously, wait for sunny weather to make your laundry and bring it outside to save 50c?

PalLimerick · 09-08-2022 4:10pm

From reading the comments here, half of the people house sharing think they own the house lol. Most of the demands mentioned here by sharers I'd tell them pıss off and that would be me being nice about it. FTR, I don't house share.

Leg End Reject · 09-08-2022 5:12pm

I'm amused at all the laundry police.

It's impossible to account for individual electricity usage in a house share. Apart from laundry there's cooking, heating water with a boiler, electric showers/immersions and all the electrical items that each will have in their own rooms.

While there's no need to have an oven on for hours before it's actually used, or to use the clothes dryer for every wash it's going to be tough to get everyone to agree to new house rules, nevermind actually follow them.

walshb · 09-08-2022 5:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058257705/house-mates-excessive-electricity-usage

I’d fooking jail someone that ignorant and wasteful!

gameoverdude · 09-08-2022 6:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119450777#Comment_119450777

I'd do time!

Patsy167 · 10-08-2022 11:54am

OP here, thanks to all for the great advice. I got everyone together yesterday evening and explained the concerns. We were all in agreement that there is a need to be more mindful of the electric usage so it looks like we have a plan.

walterking · 10-08-2022 12:07pm

Work out the average cost per wash / tumble dry.

Have a sheet with the names on it.

Get them to sign each time they use machines.

This will show them the costs involved.

The other thing is to do express washes - most machines will have a 45 min option (some have 30 min). These are pefect for all but the most soiled of items. Towels and sheets in particular suit the 30 min wash.

Use clothes horse for drying items outside and then finishing them off in the dryer.

You'd be surprised at the amount of savings you can make.

I think the benefit of the high electricity charges is people becoming more careful and using less.

Leg End Reject · 10-08-2022 12:40pm

A 30 min wash for towels and bedclothes?

Welcome to bacteria-ridden towels and snuggling at night with the faeces of dust mites.

Most appealing ...

Sierra Oscar · 10-08-2022 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119450374#Comment_119450374

I can't imagine the average rental having a new A+ heat pump tumble dryer just yet. The vast majority are probably the more energy inefficient condenser dryers. Your own link highlights it's over €1 a load. It all adds up. In fact, I'd imagine a lot of rentals have washer-dryers which are even more expensive.

Whatever about the washing machine, tumble dryers use a lot of electricity comparatively speaking. Washer dryers are enen worse and the drying cycle takes longer than a condenser / heat pump machine.

It's unlikely to break the bank in the grander scheme of things, but it does seem a bit silly to use a dryer in fine weather and whatnot. Laziness perhaps?

MrMusician18 · 10-08-2022 1:10pm

A modern washing machine (say Beko C rated machine) uses about 0.7kwh of electricity for the standard eco cycle, so about 20c if you are on a discount power plan. So about €6 more than if you consider his washing machine use double normal. A condenser dryer uses 1.5 kWh per cycle typically or about 45c. About €13 in excess over normal. Those combo washer dryers are much more inefficient however if that's the type you have

Someone running a wash no dry every day uses slightly less power than someone using a standard 9kw power shower for 5mins. Putting the oven on for an hour is 2kwh or 60c.

I would be very reluctant to call someone out for excessive use of an appliance unless I was sure my own nose was clean. The most I'd do here in this situation is that you should agree that washing should be line dried while the weather permits and for everyone to bo more mindful of their energy use.

Ray Palmer · 10-08-2022 1:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119453633#Comment_119453633

Surprise me and say how much you save. Many people don't actually know the cost and are just going on what their mammy told them as kids.

handlemaster · 10-08-2022 5:30pm

Had the same issue a few years back. Washing machine was on every day. So I put the rule that as the washing machine uses alot of electricity that everytime someone uses it in the house they were to put a euro in a jar. This went to the electricity bill. Worked well.

endofrainbow · 10-08-2022 6:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119453793#Comment_119453793

A decent squirt of Dettol or white vinegar will do wonders - it will also clean the washing machine.

10-08-2022 8:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119440020#Comment_119440020

There is no way I could leave a pile dirty washing lying for three weeks waiting to build up a full load before washing it. That's kind of gross.

Don't washing machines come with half load settings anymore?

Leg End Reject · 10-08-2022 8:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119456162#Comment_119456162

Yeah, it is gross. There are different programmes on a machine that only take a 3 or 4kg load and are shorter, so no need to have your laundry basket turn into a biohazard.