Originally Posted by Less (Post 1058000)

Ye god's hypochondria r us?

What a depressing tale we all wish to tell each other, (he said whilst almost choking on a cheap can of ale).

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1058000)

What a depressing tale we all wish to tell each other, (he said whilst almost choking on a cheap can of ale).

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1057991)

Maybe so - but here I am near the only family I have (one son).

I have been on the lookout for a bungalow for ages, but I don't feel well enough to cope with a removal upheaval.

The halogen heater arrived and is faulty - jumped through hoops unpacking, assembling, repacking, mailing the supplier,installing my printer to my latest PC, downloading UPS label and return docs (what a palava !)

After seeing how flimsy halogen heaters are, I am glad of an excuse to return it - now ordered a Dimplex oil filled radiator.

Next month my fuel direct debit goes up to £173 , even though I sent them £200 off my debit:(, so drastic action to reduce costs was essential.

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1058000)

Ye god's hypochondria r us?

What a depressing tale we all wish to tell each other, (he said whilst almost choking on a cheap can of ale).

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 1058004)

So that's your tale of woe then Less? That you've got to drink cheap Ale instead of something reassuringly expensive. :D

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1058012)

I can't see why you've been paying so much Margaret, we live very similar lifestyles heating wise, 24 hours per day and I keep my thermostat at 24c and from what you've said my combined bill is around £1100 per year around £800 cheaper than yours, okay I have both gas and electricity, which is not an option for you but it still seems a bit strange

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1058022)

The winter before the last one, there were TWO layers of loft insulation above my flat. When the loft asbestos was removed that insulation (contaminated) was removed and only ONE layer was put back.

It may be that that insulation was shoddily fitted and there may be gaps around the edges. I am considering asking HH to go up there and look. Next week a HH fitter is due to visit to do a gas appliance check - really! :D - even though their fitter capped my meter last year, so I intend discussing it with him.

Another possibility is a faulty meter. At past addresses I have experienced meters which began to run slow and fast. They can start doing that for no apparent reason. That will involve paying a meter check fee if the meter is tested as OK, so I will explore the insulation potential problem first.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1058012)

I can't see why you've been paying so much Margaret, we live very similar lifestyles heating wise, 24 hours per day and I keep my thermostat at 24c and from what you've said my combined bill is around £1100 per year around £800 cheaper than yours, okay I have both gas and electricity, which is not an option for you but it still seems a bit strange

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1058032)

jaysay, you're using gas and electric, MargaretR is just using electric!

I just worked out if I heated our home to the same level as we do with gas and electric but using just electric it would cost me £4196 a year. That's almost 4 times what it costs now.
As for MargaretR looking for a more efficient electric heater- it can't be done. Even a traditional light bulb gives off 95% of the electricity in heat, only 5% in light. All electric heaters will have very similar efficiency.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1058033)

I have read that oil filled, thermostat controlled is cheapest to run. As for light bulbs - all mine are LED - expensive to buy but cheaper to run than fluorescents

I have just calculated that total KWH used for last winter was 42% higher than the winter before. I know the weather was worse but was it really that much worse?

I am going to ask for my loft insulation to be looked at.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1058062)

Loft insulation is something that doesn't bother me. living in a ground floor flat, but I was wondering just what difference it does make?

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1058062)

Loft insulation is something that doesn't bother me. living in a ground floor flat, but I was wondering just what difference it does make?

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1058085)

For her the difference will be similar to when she had workmen removing the asbestos.
Complaints about workmen using her bog and leaving the seat up how dare they!
After cleaning service, being rubbish.
Then we will have her bemoaning the fact that she needs the loft insulation removed because like everything else, she is allergic to it!

:)

Originally Posted by Clearviewsimon (Post 1058248)

Have you looked at oil free eco rads by Dimplex Margaret?

I have one that we used in our middle(jubilee) bedroom before we had a wall mounted rad fitted.