Average Electric Bill

BlackEdelweiss · 07-09-2021 11:54am #1

I think my electric bill is very high but dont have anything to compare it to.

It is usually about €170 per month. We live in a 3 bed semi with a converted attic / office. We have 3 kids living at home. Usual tv, white goods, 1 pc, phones etc.

Is this very high?

If it is very high, what could be causing it?

Housefree · 07-09-2021 11:57am

Is your heating electric?

BlackEdelweiss · 07-09-2021 12:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117857707#Comment_117857707

Oil.

Electric showers.

07-09-2021 3:43pm

Yes it is high in my opinion.

The largest contribution to domestic electricity bills in ireland tends to be from things that heat. This would include but not be limited to immersion elements, cookers, electric heaters, and instantaneous showers.

An air conditioning unit would be an expensive piece of kit to run too if you had it as would a mining rig.

07-09-2021 4:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117857743#Comment_117857743

I'm not a fan of electric showers, I'd rather use the hot water in the tank heated by the oil, which is what I do, pump in the hot press then feeds the showers. Use immersion in the warmer months and that usually does the showers and house then for the day with very little left over by night, I know a lot of People say the shower heats only the amount of water you need, true but the heating is on a lot more than it's off during the year so why add to the cost heating water if there's a tank full in the hot-press going to waste ? + as I said we just about get the day from a tank using the immersion in the warmer months.

Out electric bill is around this but I got night rate leccy so all the heavy loads are on during the off peak times which the introduction of the smart meters seems to be doing away with as they introduced a 3rd band called peak band to catch all those cooking the dinner between 5-7 pm and the Government spouting about smart meaters going to make bills cheaper. I've seen companies greatly reduce the night rate time now for those with smart meters. Anyway, for now I will keep my standard day/night meter.

I also drive electric car from Carlow to Dublin and back each day 5 days a week, sometimes get some free charging for half the trip sometimes not. Weekend driving and extra driving is on me.

07-09-2021 4:12pm

An oil boiler is preferable to heating the water electricity but it is still quite expensive. A modern gas boiler would be far cheaper to run but better still would be a heat pump or solar panels.

Xcellor · 07-09-2021 4:17pm

Are you sure that is for 1 month and not 2 months. I have a modest 4 bed wife and baby and the figure you quote is more like 2 month usage.

JimmyVik · 07-09-2021 4:29pm

Thats very high.

Did you switch to those new smart meters recently.

A lot of people getting caught out by the expensive plans that are the only ones available with smart meters.

magicbastarder · 07-09-2021 4:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859113#Comment_117859113

yeah, my first reaction was also that that is more likely the figure per bill rather than the figure per month.

BlackEdelweiss · 07-09-2021 5:03pm

Monthly bill, just checked my bank account to be sure.

Gaz · 07-09-2021 5:07pm

For comparison, my house is a 4 bed detached house with gas for heating (family of 5). Our monthly bill is just shy of €100.

Creamy Goodness · 07-09-2021 5:07pm

There's something awry there. I'm in a 4 bed semi, with a similar/same load (minus the kids but I make up for it with a lot more electronics) and my bill for two months is €153, heating and cooking is all electric, no gas/oil.

Atlantic Dawn · 07-09-2021 6:08pm

€170 a month for a 3 bed is a lot, especially considering these are the summer months. Have you checked if any appliances are faulty? I'd be looking at say the fridge is permanently running the compressor due to a leak or fault.

John.G · 07-09-2021 7:32pm

Well water pump??.

3d4life · 07-09-2021 8:21pm

I think my electric bill is very high but dont have anything to compare it to. It is usually about €170 per montDo you have a clothes dryer ?

@ OP

Do you have a clothes dryer ?

Do you know what price you are paying per unit of electricity ?

When did you last change electricity provider ?

When did you last visit Bonkers.ie ?

MAULBROOK · 07-09-2021 8:35pm

Change supplier and get solar PV.

Most expensive bill I had was €114 for two months in the winter, lowest is €50 during the summer.

Solar works,

Wildly Boaring · 07-09-2021 8:41pm

If you said 170 for 2 months in summer in you situation I'd say it was high.

We've never had a bill of 170 for 2 months.

So for one month, yes it's high

AndyBoBandy · 07-09-2021 8:46pm

4 bed semi-D, 2 adults (both full time home based), 1 child, plenty of electronics, electric over, Electric car, bill is roughly €100 per month (€1,200 per year).

Wearb · 07-09-2021 8:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859930#Comment_117859930

+1 One of the biggest culprits, though often more than that. They should always be wired with light that comes on when it runs.

3d4life · 07-09-2021 8:56pm

We live in a 3 bed semi with a converted attic / office

This doesnt sound like a well water situation.

*** Awaits OP to clarify ***

Dempo1 · 07-09-2021 8:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859322#Comment_117859322

I'm not doubting you and I know some accounts Monthly but mine is Bi Monthly with Electric Ireland (esb) , might be just worth checking the actual bill, for example mine reads 61 days (2 months). I suggest this as I know some customers set up payments over 12 months on a budgeting type plan/option.

I do think your bill is high if its Monthly and I think the electric showers are the main culprit. Perhaps dryer,Kettle, Emersion etc. Essentially anything requiring an element to heat water very, very costly.

redarmyblues · 07-09-2021 9:09pm

3 bed semi, gas hob, electric shower, oil and solid fuel, 65 pm, I adult, 1 11 yo.

Darc19 · 07-09-2021 9:23pm

Cannabis grow house in the attic conversion?

My bill just came in. Smart meter, so actual readings rather than estimates.

555 units used in two month period.

€143 bill.

It used to be €230-€250

Biggest use was always washing machine and tumble dryer. Used also for an Airbnb property linens and towels.

We checked settings and moved to one hour or 40 minutes wash cycle. (Absolutely no need for 2hour+ wash cycles)

We Let clothes dry naturally for a couple of hours and finish the drying in the dryer.

Similar to dishwasher. We give particular plates a quick clean under the tap and used the 30minute cycle.

Bills dropped immediately and substantially.

So with 2 adults and 3 children, I would suspect that the big users are washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher.

07-09-2021 9:52pm

Agreed, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher all have heating elements and tend to be on for protracted periods hence they consume a lot.

passatman86 · 07-09-2021 9:59pm

About €160 a month here with pre pay power, smart meter..

Question - anyone else with pre pay power in a family home, did you change your rates option or is it necessary..

And anyone on pre pay power broadband - what you think of it, what is the daily or weekly charge

Thanks

OU812 · 07-09-2021 10:11pm

I track costs (for fun, honest - I do nerdy stuff with data so I use this sort of thing to practice with). I happen to have tracked bills from 2008 when I started this gig.

That’s our usage above. We’re heavy users. Full house, lights always being left on despite my best efforts. lots of iot things etc

Washing machine & dryer going most days. Heating is gas (figures also tracked). I do change supplier every year for the discounts though.

magicbastarder · 07-09-2021 10:48pm

what happened between nov/dec 2014 and jan/feb 2015? that's a 50%+ jump. estimated reading vs actual, i assume?

Darc19 · 07-09-2021 11:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861172#Comment_117861172

That was the time electricity jumped very quickly to the levels we are currently experiencing.

Prices went on a downward trend after that until this year's increases

spurious · 07-09-2021 11:04pm

How many kWh per month are you using OP?

07-09-2021 11:14pm

Seems high all right. It's not your provider, it's consumption. Something is causing excessive usage. Speak with an electrician maybe.

dublin49 · 07-09-2021 11:22pm

4 bed with Attic ,1200 a year sounds right to me.170 a month is way too high.Are you sure it doesnt include your gas?

joeysoap · 07-09-2021 11:31pm

5200 kw per year. That’s above average. Bills under €200 per 2 months (thanks to switching yearly 41% off this year).oil heating a definite saving ( buckets of hot water) from sept - May ( cost of oil expensive though) led lighting where possible. I have an ‘outhouse’ with an oil filled radiator on a timer in winter. I can ‘estimate’ usage at any time ( between actual bills)

notAMember · 07-09-2021 11:37pm

That's high alright.

Our average is around 80 per month. 3 bedroom B rated house.

4 people, 1 working from home full time. 90% + meals cooked at home. Electric car. We use oil heating, and have pumped tank-fed showers.

We have a dryer but rarely use it, mostly dry our clothes on a clothes line with a perspex shelter over it.

delly · 08-09-2021 12:02am

As others have outlined OP, something is amiss. I've a 4 bed house, gas heating, electric cooker. Hot water is via the gas, but I do use the clothes dryer a few times a week, as well as the dishwasher and washing machine going on a daily basis. I've pasted in my daily use in both cost (before vat) and kWh to give you an idea, but 15 kWh or €2.50 per day is my average.

Bobeagleburger · 08-09-2021 8:58am

Track what applicances are causing the consumption. Electric showers are a killer if there's a few people using them every day, particularly those who like long showers! They use 9/10 kW per hour!

Also, get pv solar panels.They cut my electricity unit usage by 90% May-Aug. Currently at about 80% coverage for September.

magicbastarder · 08-09-2021 9:02am

we're fairly high for a household of two - bills around €180 per billing period, so that's just over a grand a year. our shower is electric, we rarely use hot water from the tank for that.

home heating is around €700 for the gas and occasional hot water; we've a honeywell system though which balances nicely against the small stove we light and that's maybe an extra €200 in wood.

OU812 · 08-09-2021 9:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861172#Comment_117861172

Combination of estimated readings (which *kind of* balanced out) and also coming out of contract and not noticing.

Gooser14 · 08-09-2021 5:52pm

Is your payment 170 every month? If it is you have probably signed up to a level pay plan where your supplier is taking a set amount from your bank each month. You need to check your electricity bill to see whether your account is in credit.

BlackEdelweiss · 18-09-2021 8:11am

Is there any benefit to switching to pay as you go electricity?

Creamy Goodness · 18-09-2021 8:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117906958#Comment_117906958

No, like everything pay as you go. It’s much more expensive per unit for the exact same energy coming into your home

but if you’re struggling with cash flow it could be useful but exhaust other avenues first like finding the source of high energy usage, move your billing dates of other things to times when cash flow isn’t an issue etc.

dublin49 · 20-09-2021 7:20pm

my bi monthly bill is around 220 but let my deal with provider slide and lost discount so this month is 280,will be driving hard for the 41% discount on offer posted on bonkers,My average for 4 bed including gas is normally circa 2400.

20-09-2021 11:10pm

I was with BG for electric only for 9 years.. Started ar 80 a month then went up to around 97 4 months ago. 2 adults 4 kids.

Then someone told me I should switch every year, so did that very thing. New deal looked great average estimated bill was to be 800 or so, which for some reason translates to 145 euro per month. With panda power. Patiently waiting for the day I can never give them another penny.

Muahahaha · 21-09-2021 4:52pm

Has anyone got an email or letter from Energia saying that their prices are going up? Saw it mentioned on Claire Byrnes show last night but I havent got any email from them. The segment said that they only increased prices in June and are now doing so again, this time by 17% iirc.

I only signed up with them 3 weeks ago and specifically asked the agent if they were planning to increase prices and was told on the phone "no, we have no plans to increase prices". That was the hook that made me sign up.

dublin49 · 21-09-2021 10:15pm

i rang my provider ,my deal had lapsed and my electricity rate was up by 70%,i noticed on bonkers they had a retention deal of 40% discount on electricity which I got along with 39% for Gas.My new rate for elect is .1417 ,Anyone doing better than this as I have 14 days to cancel.Not sure if its ok to name provider.

21-09-2021 11:16pm

I have always found it to cheaper to change provider once the year has passed. They will offer deals to stay but the best savings are always from changing once the contract is up.

naughtysmurf · 28-09-2021 8:24pm

Agree with 2011, currently with Energia, my welcome letter / email is 10/10/20, on the 11/10/21 I’ll be gone

joeysoap · 28-09-2021 11:09pm

look up the first bill. It will show the date electricity is from, the welcome letter is dated much later ( maybe 2/3 weeks).my ‘welcome ‘ Lerner is 10th May .bill says 27 aprril

joeysoap · 28-09-2021 11:10pm

Letter

april

Sleeper12 · 29-09-2021 12:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859034#Comment_117859034

It's worth remembering that an electric shower is A energy rated. It's cheaper to have a 5 minute shower in an electric shower than a 5 minute shower heated by oil, gas or the immersion. The only way to have a cheaper 5 minute shower is with water heated by solar & even only then after the solar has paid for itself after 10 years or more.

29-09-2021 1:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953644#Comment_117953644

That's fine if you have no other form of heating but anyone on oil or gas will save a lot of money using the hot water already in their copper cylinder which I presume is the vast majority of People in Ireland. + the majority of electric showers have low pressure and the powerful ones will definitely chew up the leccy no matter how efficient and electric shower there's no question that using hot water from the heating is much more efficient, in this case making the electric shower 100% inefficient because all it's power would be going to heating water that's sitting in the copper cylinder going to waste.

Sleeper12 · 29-09-2021 2:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117954159#Comment_117954159

They pay to heat the water in the hot water cylinder. There is no such thing as free hot water just because the heating is on. The cost of putting this hot water into the cylinder while the heating is on cost much more than heating water for a shower using an electric shower

Most homes have zoned heating systems. Hot water is a separate zone. You can have heating on but hot water off. Old systems where you can not control hot water, upstairs & downstairs heating separately are very inefficient. Think about it, constantly heating the hot water cylinder compared to only heating the water you need. It's not free because as you use it in the shower, your oil or gas has to heat the water used from the cylinder. If you have this type of setup you should look into getting it zoned. There is still a grant for upgrading you heating controls. Worth around €750 I think.

Average Electric Bill

Comments