[Misc] Suggestions to save energy this winter…

[Baldseagull]

I'm, not following your Q - 'They' ?

Ref 50 deg cylinder - yes you can do that but under approx 55 degC is a good temp for legionella/bacteria growth, so we keep above to kill it off. Some boilers and heat pumps have a weekly anti legionella program built in to do this.

The other side to this with heat only/system (single temp) boilers is that rads in your house are currently designed for 70deg flow temp. A room with heat loss of say 1kw should have a rad with output of 1kw+; Once you start dropping the flow temp, that rad doesn't give out 1kw; at 50deg flow temp it's more like 500w and a probability your room will be cold in winter.

By they, I mean other condensing boilers than Combi condensing boilers.

The rads on the system are no different to the rads on a combi boiler system are they?

If the only issue is legionella or other bacteria, I think I will risk it with a copper tank and pipework, plus I have solar which hits the immersion set to 70 when it can, but it makes sense why it isn't recommended for non combi boilers, from a safety point of view, rather than the efficiency can't be improved.

 

[Garage_Doors]

We use an instant boiler for tea / coffee, as it only boils the exact amount of hot water that you need.
Only saves pennies but charge our phones and battery packs in the car / van so we don't need to plug in to wall sockets in the home.

 

[Rowdey]

By they, I mean other condensing boilers than Combi condensing boilers.

The rads on the system are no different to the rads on a combi boiler system are they?

If the only issue is legionella or other bacteria, I think I will risk it with a copper tank and pipework, plus I have solar which hits the immersion set to 70 when it can, but it makes sense why it isn't recommended for non combi boilers, from a safety point of view, rather than the efficiency can't be improved.

Ah, then yes, all correct.

As said, some non-combi's can we set up for two temp - Vaillant and Viessmann that i know of. Needs some electrics and pipework changing, but essentially they become 'Hot Water Priority' just like a combi. Higher temp to cylinder, then lower temp to rads

 

[Bodian]

We use an instant boiler for tea / coffee, as it only boils the exact amount of hot water that you need.
Only saves pennies but charge our phones and battery packs in the car / van so we don't need to plug in to wall sockets in the home.

You do realise that charging your phone in the car means you are using petrol/fuel, and it is less efficient (because you are burning fuel to generate the electricity in a less effective way) than using the electricity at home to do the job? Having said that, the amounts involved are pretty infinitesimal it probably doesn't really matter!

 

[lawros left foot]

I have a question.

My energy provider has recommended that I REDUCE my monthly standing order to £117 a month for all m energy.
I have 7 solar panels, my present payment is £150 per month and I have over £500 in credit .
My joint bill at present is approx £80 per month.

I don’t want to get into debt, should I reduce my payments?

 

[carlzeiss]

Just hoping now that EDF doesn't go bust as we have just over 2 years left on our current fixed rate deal with Energy bills for the last 6 months averaging £25.50 per month with the assistance of solar + batteries .

 

[Springal]

Nice to see fairy liquid advertising their washing up liquid is suitable for washing up in cold water ! Lovely

 

[carlzeiss]

I have a question.

My energy provider has recommended that I REDUCE my monthly standing order to £117 a month for all m energy.
I have 7 solar panels, my present payment is £150 per month and I have over £500 in credit .
My joint bill at present is approx £80 per month.

I don’t want to get into debt, should I reduce my payments?

Why would you not want to reduce your payments and have your credit returned , better to have the money in your bank account rather than your energy providers . Also what happens if the company goes bust .

 

[Bodian]

Nice to see fairy liquid advertising their washing up liquid is suitable for washing up in cold water ! Lovely

They don't mention that if the water is hot enough, you don't really need fairy liquid for the majority of the stuff you wash up anyway?!

 

[Beach Hut]

Why would you not want to reduce your payments and have your credit returned , better to have the money in your bank account rather than your energy providers . Also what happens if the company goes bust .

Is the right answer also it would appear energy companies are not taking into consideration the £400 rebate when calculating monthly payments. Ovo seems oblivious to it

 

[lawros left foot]

Why would you not want to reduce your payments and have your credit returned , better to have the money in your bank account rather than your energy providers . Also what happens if the company goes bust .

It’s bulb, so it already has gone bust and been bailed out.

I don’t want to be in a position where come February I’m owing them hundreds.

 

[Bozza]

Why would you not want to reduce your payments and have your credit returned , better to have the money in your bank account rather than your energy providers . Also what happens if the company goes bust .

You see, I take the absolute opposite view but we've long been on Direct Debit where the cycle is always to build up credit over the summer which is then used up during the more expensive winter months. So, I'd rather overpay now, particularly given we know prices are going up on 1st October and, very possibly, 1st January again.

Better to have money in my bank account? With current interest rates, I'd only be pennies better off.

Supplier going bust? This isn't an issue. You'll get the money back via OFGEM as occurred to all those who were in credit when we had the spate of companies going bust a while back.

Each to their own though, obviously.

 

[Bozza]

It’s bulb, so it already has gone bust and been bailed out.

I don’t want to be in a position where come February I’m owing them hundreds.

Our posts crossed. If I were you and I could afford the higher payments now, I'd just keep paying. You're never going to lose the money, regardless of what happens.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Use a slow cooker.
Charge any phones, DIY accessories at work (if you can).
If I've used my drill or strimmer, I'll charge the batteries at work when on nights.

 

[lawros left foot]

Our posts crossed. If I were you and I could afford the higher payments now, I'd just keep paying. You're never going to lose the money, regardless of what happens.

I think you’re right.

I hate being in debt, I’m going to keep paying at the current level, and see where we are in March, I think.

A lot may have changed by then.(I hope)

 

[AmexRuislip]

I think you’re right.

I hate being in debt, I’m going to keep paying at the current level, and see where we are in March, I think.

A lot may have changed by then.(I hope)

We're with EON and have regularly had fixed rates, which is a gamble I know.
But it's helped us out, well have to watch when it ends in 2023.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I think you’re right.

I hate being in debt, I’m going to keep paying at the current level, and see where we are in March, I think.

A lot may have changed by then.(I hope)

Agree completely (and with Bozza) and am also accruing credit currently. We are currently in the summer months and, even prior to all this, I would have been very wary about lessening my Summer payments until I'd been through a full winter

 

[zefarelly]

I've no idea what we're going to do . . . .our monthly bill has just been trebled to well over £1000 a month, but we've been trying to get in touch with them for over a month as we;re £3k in credit

It's Criminal.

 

[LamieRobertson]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/03/bust-energy-suppliers-credit-delays-survey/

Note the survey was in March and shows that for some transferring credit balances etc can take some time ..but maybe reflects there were just too many people involved in ‘bust’ firms ….personally I’ve built up a large credit balance, some of which I’ve withdrawn and pushed aside for future energy use, but I’ve still maintained a credit balance and I’m of the opinion that the weak energy firms have already gone

 

[LamieRobertson]

I've no idea what we're going to do . . . .our monthly bill has just been trebled to well over £1000 a month, but we've been trying to get in touch with them for over a month as we;re £3k in credit

It's Criminal.

Mind me asking who are you with and what you think the monthly payment should be…….1k a month wtf!