We live in an 18th century 2 bedroom cottage, which we rent, with no insulation and one of the first combi boilers which was installed in 1997 and there is no thermostat. Our gas bill is pretty heinous for 2 hours heat in the morning and an hour and a half in the evening when we switch to a wood burner. Hot water use is basically limited to my wife showering in the morning and me showering at night or after a bike ride. The bill for our tiny house is £80 a month for gas.
We can’t do anything about the ancient, crap boiler. It’s been condemned once by Worcester Bosch but later uncondemed by our landlord’s father in law who is a heating engineer. It breaks down twice a year. The landlord won’t change it and we’re moving out this autumn anyway.
When we moved in our neighbour, who is a heating engineer, came round to fix it for the first time and pointed out that it was a combi boiler and we should switch from having the hot water on a timer (2hrs morning, 2hrs evening) to on all the time. In our old house with a brand new combi boiler that was fine but I can’t help but think that with this decrepit hunk of junk we’d save a hell of a lot switching to having it on twice a day again, or maybe just in the daytime.
Anyone got any advice on what will be most efficient? I can’t face being in debit to our gas company when we leave by the amount we are in now.
