Has anyone got any idea how much difference draughts make to heating bills? Our gas bill seems to be running at around £20 a *week* and all I can think of that we can make a difference to is the noticeable draughts coming around the back door...
Is that =A320 a week avergaged out over the whole year via a monthly payment plan? If not and it's just your actual usage over the winter months I'd say it's not bad at all! Mine is =A315 a week averaged out over summer and winter for a three-bed 1870s terrace. Maybe I should be worrying?
Anyway, there was a thread on here within the last two weeks on draught-proofing products, have a look in the Google archive.
Cheers!
Martin
We've just had a bill of £160 for 49 days. Can't remember exactly when they were, but IIRC they were somewhere between January and March. This is a 4 bed terrace so maybe we're doing fairly well... We do use a woodburning stove a fair bit mind to try and keep the bills down.
They can make a difference. I had wall insulation and loft insulation installed as part of the Warmfront Grant Scheme. Check it out as you might be able to apply. I used to have a gas fire in the living room with a boiler behind it powering the central heating and it was classed as inefficient. A boiler was also installed in a cupboard upstairs out of the way and the pump/thermostat/timer replaced. Before I had all this done the heating bill from last winter was £130. The latest bill was £86. I don't often need to use the living flame gas fire as that is terribly inefficient. I put it down to the new boiler being efficient and all the insulation which is much thicker than what I had. I have the whole house (3bed semi) heated between 18 and 21c as it does get a bit too warm at times. Hot water heats for a few hours a night and stays warm all day as the tank is insulated very well. Double glazing also helps, but no draughts does lead to condensation building up - so I do leave a window slightly open at times. I would recommend changing gas supplier. If you are with British Gas you're paying twice as much as I do with Ebico. Have a look on the Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert site and also Google for WarmFront Grant.
If it's an old non room sealed boiler there should/must be a vent somewhere which will add to through drafts.
cheers, Pete.
Loft and Wall insulation is out as a) it's a rented property and b) it's got a loft conversion and solid walls.
TBH I don't think we're on a bad one at the moment, although I know it varies greatly by area and usage. Move out in June anyway...
Balanced flue on a brand spanking condensor.
Draughts are the most wasteful and most easily tackled things.
a HIGE difference.
I had an old single brick rented cottage..I tacked hardboard over the suspended (gappy) wooden floors and put seals round the doors. Instant huge subjective difference.
Eventually the landlord put in UPVC wndows, and that completed the draught proofing.
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