For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
  • 1
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 15
#1902865
avtur3 wrote:There will be no rash decisions, but the conversation will likely focus on the future of the Aga, removal and replacement will come at a cost, and then if we did change there is the debate gas or electric alternative.

We have just spent ~£2,000 on x2 new radiators, associated plumbing & a new fused spur in anticipation of our oil fired Aga being replaced by an electric "range" style cooker at the end of the month. We are not on a gas main, I wouldn't want a submarine parked in the garden, and would prefer to move away from a reliance on fossil fuels anyway.

Add in the cost of the cooker and I doubt I will see a payback in my lifetime ...
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
By Bill McCarthy
#1902873
There will be renewed interest in cutting peat up here this summer. I have a couple of peat banks on my property, free fuel apart from the work required to cut it and get it home. Thoughts of carbon reduction will be put on the back burner(pardon the pun) until such times as fuel costs stabilise.
Self sufficiency in my food supplies would be relatively easy
Been to the farm supplies outfit today, no fertiliser in yet but it would appear that it is about to near £1000 per ton.
User avatar
By rikur_
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1902889
malcolmfrost wrote:Latest heating oil price from Boilerjuice and Homefuels direct is over £1/litre, but they can't deliver....
Presumably because they would be committing to deliver in 10 days time at that price.

My usual supplier is unable to give neither price nor timescales for heating oil delivery - other than 'it will be at least April'. I found an alternative that could deliver 25th March at £1.46/litre (for those unfamiliar with the topic, it was £0.20/l in May 2020, but normally around £0.50/l long term average).

Fortunately I've currently got both air source and oil, so will mothball the oil until prices are more reasonable.

Does anyone know if this is just panic buying, or are we seeing reduced supply already?

Incidentally for those doing the comparison..... £146.30/litre of heating oil, is around 22p/kWh of delivered heat output (assuming a modern boiler averaging 85% burn efficiency and 75% system efficiency). At that price it becomes comparable with electrical resistance heating.
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1903103
Well Bulb have just entirely ended the "Smart" tariff that I'm on (it has/had a Peak rate for a few hours around tea time, a lower rate the rest of the time) rather than just putting up the prices. Their EV tariff is 4 hours off peak overnight (takes longer than that to charge the car) so same as Octopus Go.
Its going to be expensive!
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1903109
AndyR wrote:Delightful email today to inform me that my electricity price will be going up on 1 April…..rather appropriately :roll:

41.660p per day standing charge and 29.494p per kWh.

Gas has an even higher increase in percentage terms, but 27.220p per day and 7.319p per kWh.

I was day dreaming about looking at an EV, now not so sure. Lots of the economy figures (per mile) of EVs seem to be based on ludicrously low unit prices for electricity. Certainly many times lower than the new price.

Is it even worth looking at alternative suppliers?


The new rates confirmed by Octopus for their basic flexible tariff which we are on are :-

Electric 41.391p per day standing charge and unit rate 29.484p per kWh
Gas 27.216p per day standing charge and unit rate 7.3185p per kWh

Almost exactly the same as @AndyR, what difference there are are in the second decimal place, I guess this going to be similar with all suppliers.

Standing charges seem to be up to a combined £250 per year, in addition to the obvious increase in unit rates.
AndyR liked this
User avatar
By Ridders
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1903137
The new standing charges for electricity are according to Ofgem (asked by MSE):
*The cost of moving everyone whose firm went bust to new suppliers.
*Increases in fixed network costs (the cost of maintaining the energy networks).
*An increase in policy costs (such as green levies and the rise in the warm home discount rebate).

:|

We have been turning down the central heating, putting on warm clothing and I’ve taken to wearing a hat round the house, just to keep warm and save burning money/gas.

Also we have improved the insulation in the house, sorted out some really badly installed recessed down lighting, added a deep second layer of insulation topping in the loft and improved the ventilation up there too (now it’s better insulated). We have reflective things behind the Radiators too.

Then on Friday our (25yr old) boiler died on us, it’s now temporary fixed but we’re going to replace that with a more efficient one.
User avatar
By Miscellaneous
#1906721
I confess to not paying too much attention to electricity prices and rates. However, given the continual notifications of increases in the DD payment, together with some of the posts on this thread and the media attention I decided to have a look based on the first 5 days of April and the latest increase in prices.

From £90pm before this all kicked off I see we are now using circa £250pm. :shock: :shock:

Granted it is only over 5 days, nevertheless.......

On the bright side usage should drop over the summer. It doesn't bode well, though, for the projected further increases come October.

I wish I hadn't bothered looking. :lol:
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1906724
Miscellaneous wrote:

From £90pm before this all kicked off I see we are now using circa £250pm. :shock: :shock:

:lol:


It comes to something when it's cheaper to go flying every fortnight than to put the heating on.
It's probably better for the environment, too.

A win-win situation.
Miscellaneous liked this
User avatar
By Miscellaneous
#1906726
T6Harvard wrote:It comes to something when it's cheaper to go flying every fortnight than to put the heating on.

Indeed, T6. I'm just contemplating what was going on at home (every electrical appliance, it appears) on Saturday when I was at Glenforsa. :? Lesson learned. Extend the invitation next time. :D
T6Harvard liked this
User avatar
By Rob P
#1906758
Ridders wrote:Then on Friday our (25yr old) boiler died on us


Taken too young. I am sorry for your loss :(

Rob P
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1923884
I've just happened across this thread while searching for something else ... here we are 5 months down the line, how things are continuing to change, and very much for the worse.

We have an appointment booked for tomorrow to review our current appliances, a gas powered Aga cooker and 20 year old gas central heating boiler. We're looking to make one last turn of the natural gas dice, by trying to find the most efficient gas appliances currently available.
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1923891
If you can get someone to optimise your boiler (which may include weather compensation, load compensation, smart thermostat and a boiler which can take those inputs and provide variable heat control) you should save at least 10% in gas use, perhaps up to 30%.
OCB liked this
  • 1
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 15