What's your esb bill like after christmas?

K-9 · 30-01-2014 1:18am

SpaceTime wrote: »

I'd say if your bill is high its not your iPhone. Unless you're running the new iTumble Dryer

The BIG consumers of power in most homes are heating appliances and lighting.

Electronics make a tiny impact.

Even modern washing machines and dishwashers aren't that sore on power.

Some dishwashers actually use significantly less water and energy than using the rubber gloves, hot water and Fairy Liquid approach.
Non-heat pump dryers, especially cheap vented ones that run on timers rip through power.
Some condenser dryers are reasonably efficient.

Good insulation, retrofitting LED bulbs where affordable, decent windows that dont bleed energy and making sure your central heating system isn't wasting energy is a huge part of it.
You would be amazed at how some older central heating systems had no lagging and mostly heat the foundations of the house and space under the floor boards

Some Irish homes also have the boiler outside in a shed linked with inadequately lagged pipes that heat the garden!

There's a lot of really basic stuff that we should be looking at before lashing thousands on solar panels..

€110 for my bill, and that's using fan heaters a lot for heat.

Fan heaters have a bad reputation, it's a bit like the Irish fear of the immersion, in the immersion case deserved, in a fan heaters case not, mostly bullshyte. Central heating will cost more, somebody mentioned turning the oil on and switching off radiators in all the rooms barring the one you are in, very few people will do that.

Heating water is usually expensive electricity wise, immersion especially. Electric shower is expensive,but it's only on for 15 minutes or so, so not that bad.

Lighting isn't that bad if you've energy efficient bulbs in and haven't got every bloody light in the house on.

Cogsy88 · 30-01-2014 1:24am

Leave immersion on all the time will save you money. ^^

K-9 · 30-01-2014 1:28am

When I say fan heaters, obviously I don't mean running 3/4 at the same time. They are quite an energy efficient way of heating a single room.

For the poster who mentioned 10c for boiling a kettle, there's something wrong with your meter then!

K-9 · 30-01-2014 1:33am

Cogsy88 wrote: »

Leave immersion on all the time will save you money. ^^

There's a quote button built into sites like boards, very efficient way of using boards.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 30-01-2014 1:41am

Ours arrived today...€233. It's usually around the €180 mark so not too bad.

Cogsy88 · 30-01-2014 1:42am

K-9 wrote: »

There's a quote button built into sites like boards, very efficient way of using boards.

Thanks for the advice

Sam Kade · 30-01-2014 10:37am

My bill arrived today 224.

TheDoc · 30-01-2014 1:00pm

Can't wait for my bill.

living in a 2 bed apartment with a real fireplace so rarely have the heating on, but got into using it around December.

Left it on by accident all Christmas day, and one instance all night. An electrical one.

Typically my bill is between 70-90 each period, I'm scared for this one coming

OU812 · 30-01-2014 1:03pm

Sarn wrote: »

€274 for a 1 bed apartment for 61 days (December - January), no gas. Previous was €103 and before that €65. The heating is the killer.

Pay €17 a week all year & you're fully paid up with no large bills to dread.

That's not bad going btw.

SpaceTime · 30-01-2014 1:29pm

Cogsy88 wrote: »

Leave immersion on all the time will save you money. ^^

that depends on how well insulated the tank is.

if its one of the highly insulated foam covered cylinders you might be right.

if it's exposed copper or just has a lagging jacket there's usually enormous heat loss.

SCOOP 64 · 31-01-2014 12:17pm

It arrived! not as bad as i thought €272, sure it was well over the €300 mark last year, but i have changed 7 50watt gu10 in kitchen to led replacements,and dishwasher was broke some of the time ,now fixed, if that makes any difference,
still €272, can do without it!.
Just read again that was estimated, could be more, could be less.

Larbre34 · 31-01-2014 12:25pm

Dishwashers and tumble dryers will hammer you far more than the immersion, its just an Irish obsession from a time before your mammies had dishwashers and tumble dryers.

203 for leccy and 160 for Gas for a 3 bed semi for me with a C rating, only pay about 70 every two months in the summer for all energy, so i cant complain. Both bills with Bord Gáis.

Heroditas · 31-01-2014 1:07pm

Larbre34 wrote: »

Dishwashers and tumble dryers will hammer you far more than the immersion, its just an Irish obsession from a time before your mammies had dishwashers and tumble dryers.

203 for leccy and 160 for Gas for a 3 bed semi for me with a C rating, only pay about 70 every two months in the summer for all energy, so i cant complain. Both bills with Bord Gáis.

Your bills are similar to mine - 3 bed semi as well although my gas bill is a wee bit higher. the joys of having an 18 month child whose room is like an ice box.

firestarter51 · 03-02-2014 12:34pm

3 bed semi here and my bill is 257, this time last year was 200, time for the head torch, thats a crazy jump

firestarter51 · 03-02-2014 12:46pm

quick question, my emersion tank is a foam insulated version, is it cheaper to leave the water on ?
my dishwasher packed up at xmas and i havent the money for a new one

rubadub · 03-02-2014 1:24pm

Cogsy88 wrote: »

Leave immersion on all the time will save you money. ^^

How do you figure this?

If you have nightsaver energy it is possibly cheaper to have it on or on timers, but this depends on your usage. In most cases I it is not cheaper to leave it on.

Some come up with wrong forumlas, like saying "it takes ages to heat from cold", but if it is turned off it takes a good while to get cold. I have heard some really odd logic over the years about heating.

If anybody has radiators which claim amazing efficiency send me a link to the site and I will gladly debunk the claims.

firestarter51 wrote: »

quick question, my emersion tank is a foam insulated version, is it cheaper to leave the water on ?
my dishwasher packed up at xmas and i havent the money for a new one

If you are using electricity to heat water then its often cheaper to just boil a kettle for hot water to do dishes. The water is of course hotter and so works better. Many people will be pouring down loads of luke warm water down the drain, the hot water having its heat drawn out by all the tubing going down to your kitchen tap. Then people only put in the plug when it is coming out hot enough.

SCOOP 64 · 03-02-2014 1:43pm

firestarter51 wrote: »

quick question, my emersion tank is a foam insulated version, is it cheaper to leave the water on ?
my dishwasher packed up at xmas and i havent the money for a new one

Try and do with out the dishwasher for a couple of months ,see if bill lower,
i did because my broke too,and it did a make a difference, then someone else said dishwasher will use very little electricity when i mention this before, but i did have it on once aday, as for leaving Emerson on, this was talk about on one the morning shows the other day, the general opinion was to not leave it on, but its one of those debates.

Candy_Girl · 03-02-2014 1:51pm

I'm still paying it and it won't be clear for another three weeks, I wouldn't mind I only had one set of lights on my tree :mad:

Super-Rush · 03-02-2014 1:56pm

Ours came on Jan 6th and was only €150.

AnonoBoy · 03-02-2014 1:58pm

Still printed on paper, same as always.

rubadub · 03-02-2014 1:59pm

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

as for leaving Emerson on, this was talk about on one the morning shows the other day, the general opinion was to not leave it on, but its one of those debates.

What were any of the reasons to leave it on?

SCOOP 64 · 03-02-2014 2:04pm

Candy_Girl wrote: »

I'm still paying it and it won't be clear for another three weeks, I wouldn't mind I only had one set of lights on my tree :mad:

Thats the way i pay ,will start next week ,then pay every week until paid,
thats why i didn't sign up for Direct Debit, i know you get a discount, but didn't want it taken out in one go, problem is when its a big bill , the next bill drops through door when you have just finished paying last one.

SCOOP 64 · 03-02-2014 2:16pm

rubadub wrote: »

What were any of the reasons to leave it on?

When constantly on, water always hot ,so thermostat turns off when temperature reach, so using less electric, but when always turning it on from from stone cold takes a longer time to reach temperature using more electric, but not every one agreed, opinion was to turn it on when you need , you use less electricity.
but if some one on here wishes to experiment with this let us know how you get on, not me I'm not leaving it on!.
I use oil for heat and hot water, i never turn on emersion.

Curlysue76 · 03-02-2014 2:23pm

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Thats the way i pay ,will start next week ,then pay every week until paid,
thats why i didn't sign up for Direct Debit, i know you get a discount, but didn't want it taken out in one go, problem is when its a big bill , the next bill drops through door when you have just finished paying last one.

I try to have my paid before the bill arrives. Have direct debit for discount, but pay online set amount each month. Sometimes in credit, sometimes when bill is bigger than expected,, get rest paid by dd. with Electric Ireland, usually €100-120 a bill.

Was away week of Christmas so not much bigger than normal. €127.

Super-Rush · 03-02-2014 2:25pm

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Still printed on paper, same as always.

Mines comes via email.

rubadub · 03-02-2014 2:34pm

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

When constantly on, water always hot ,so thermostat turns off when temperature reach, so using less electric, but when always turning it on from from stone cold takes a longer time to reach temperature using more electric, but not every one agreed, opinion was to turn it on when you need , you use less electricity.

You do not use less electricity because of this, common misconception.

When at temp the thermostat turns off alright, and then back on again after it has dropped in temp due to heat loss.

CarrickMcJoe · 03-02-2014 2:34pm

RiverOfLove wrote: »

Our bill at home is usually comes to about 150 euro sometimes around 160 or 170.

The esb bill came and it was 257 euro.

Anyways a got a message from my sister with my mother going into a fcuking raging fit blaming me for the high bill because I charge my ipod overnight about 2 or 3 times a week. 4 at the very most.

Never mind that it's right after xmas, it was middle of winter. An extra home for the holidays. All 3 of my siblings have tablet devices but it's just me and my ipod that caused the hike.

Would an ipod cause should a hike?

Well, you must have been round at my house with your iPod, bill came in at €280. Usually 150

SCOOP 64 · 03-02-2014 2:38pm

rubadub wrote: »

You do not use less electricity because of this, common misconception.

When at temp the thermostat turns off alright, and then back on again after it has dropped in temp due to heat loss.

So constantly on or turn on as needed ?

monflat · 03-02-2014 2:41pm

We have pre pay power n its great cause we are not lumped withba massiive bill every two months.
The only thing i see which eats electricity is the immersion and the dryer

AnonoBoy · 03-02-2014 5:14pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Mines comes via email.

Oooooh la-de-da mister internet man!

What's your esb bill like after christmas?

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