Gas, Hot Water & Electricity Questions
Okay, I'm completely in the dark on the use of gas heating.
Even though I'm British, growing up in Australia we didn't really ever have much use for heating, and when we used it (in the middle of winter) it was electric. When we got in a shower, we turn the knobs - one for hot water, one for cold. If you're lucky enough to have a good hot water system you get immediate hot water, if you're unlucky enough to have a small/ ineffective hot water system and you're the 5th person having a shower, you get cold. (
Air-conditioning, reverse cycle systems I know about, and to a lesser extent hot water systems, I know about. But gas heating/ combi gas & hot water systems, and electric showers - nada.
So I'm posting this in the hopes that someone might know the answers and enlighten me!
Mainly what I want to know is what is the best way to get the best and least expensive use out of gas and electricity?
I have this big ass combi (what looks to be a hot water/ heater) unit in the pantry closet which we can set on a timer (which took me half an hour to realise that clips to the centre are off and clips to the outer edges are on), however we ALSO have another timer system in the kitchen near the sink (haven't figured out that timer yet) and what seems to be a (Mira) electric shower in the bathroom.
Our gas bill for the last four months that we've been here has been less than 20 pounds, however I don't know whether that's because we're doing a good job of using what we have, or we're just not using it all that much and doing a BAD job of using what we have and it's more expensive than it has to be.
So questions:
If we need to use the heating, does it come on at one level (full blast), or does setting each room's heater to a low level reduce the amount of gas being used? If we were to switch certain rooms off (turn the twisty thing to 1 or zero (which I'm assuming is off), does that reduce the gas used?
If we need to use the heating, is it better to leave it on all night or to use the timer to have it switch one and off throughout the night? Will the latter make it work harder to maintain the temperature, therefore use more? Or is it better to have it switch on for short periods of time to raise the temperature a bit and then switch off again to save the gas? (I would assume that the houses build here would hold heat in effectively? - it certainly feels like that in the middle of winter when you go into shops!!)
The little pully switchy thing in the bathroom for the shower. If this is on (the light glows on the shower hot water thingy) does this mean water is boiling constantly throughout the time this is on? Does it make a different to have this switched off when not in use or does it heat only the water that is being used?
I would assume the timer thingy in the kitchen would be for the hot water as the combi thing in the pantry closet is set purely for the heating - but the hot water comes on regardless of whether this is on or off. Is there anything else this could be for?
If anyone has any information that will educate me in this situation it will be MUCH appreciated!
:)
Even though I'm British, growing up in Australia we didn't really ever have much use for heating, and when we used it (in the middle of winter) it was electric. When we got in a shower, we turn the knobs - one for hot water, one for cold. If you're lucky enough to have a good hot water system you get immediate hot water, if you're unlucky enough to have a small/ ineffective hot water system and you're the 5th person having a shower, you get cold. (
Air-conditioning, reverse cycle systems I know about, and to a lesser extent hot water systems, I know about. But gas heating/ combi gas & hot water systems, and electric showers - nada.
So I'm posting this in the hopes that someone might know the answers and enlighten me!
Mainly what I want to know is what is the best way to get the best and least expensive use out of gas and electricity?
I have this big ass combi (what looks to be a hot water/ heater) unit in the pantry closet which we can set on a timer (which took me half an hour to realise that clips to the centre are off and clips to the outer edges are on), however we ALSO have another timer system in the kitchen near the sink (haven't figured out that timer yet) and what seems to be a (Mira) electric shower in the bathroom.
Our gas bill for the last four months that we've been here has been less than 20 pounds, however I don't know whether that's because we're doing a good job of using what we have, or we're just not using it all that much and doing a BAD job of using what we have and it's more expensive than it has to be.
So questions:
If we need to use the heating, does it come on at one level (full blast), or does setting each room's heater to a low level reduce the amount of gas being used? If we were to switch certain rooms off (turn the twisty thing to 1 or zero (which I'm assuming is off), does that reduce the gas used?
If we need to use the heating, is it better to leave it on all night or to use the timer to have it switch one and off throughout the night? Will the latter make it work harder to maintain the temperature, therefore use more? Or is it better to have it switch on for short periods of time to raise the temperature a bit and then switch off again to save the gas? (I would assume that the houses build here would hold heat in effectively? - it certainly feels like that in the middle of winter when you go into shops!!)
The little pully switchy thing in the bathroom for the shower. If this is on (the light glows on the shower hot water thingy) does this mean water is boiling constantly throughout the time this is on? Does it make a different to have this switched off when not in use or does it heat only the water that is being used?
I would assume the timer thingy in the kitchen would be for the hot water as the combi thing in the pantry closet is set purely for the heating - but the hot water comes on regardless of whether this is on or off. Is there anything else this could be for?
If anyone has any information that will educate me in this situation it will be MUCH appreciated!
:)