Doing Something Wrong

[stanl]

I have only been using the Nest Learning Stat now for 4 months and I must be doing something horrendously wrong.

This time last year I lived in a 4 bedroom house and had a hive system and my Gas bill was £188 for the 3 month period for January to April.

This year I live in a 2 bedroom house with a Nest system and my Gas bill is £588 for the same period.

Even allowing for a 100% increase in fuel costs that would be £376 so I am obviously doing something wrong.

I have watched You Tube and that hasn’t helped at all so where should I be looking to discover the error of my ways.

[george_t]

Hi @stanl,

Let's see what's going on. Do you use the thermostat with a Manual Schedule or just with the Auto Schedule? 

[stanl]

I use a manual schedule, in my previous house I had a Hive system which was very basic but extremely simple to use.

With the nest there are a lot more options and I don’t think I have things set correctly so any advice will be most helpful 

[george_t]

I understand. Please let me know if your manual schedule is followed or if the thermostat starts the boiler at random hours outside the schedule?

[stanl]

Hi George 

It does random times I woke one night at 3am and it was on but my schedule had it going off at 10pm.

I also had the heating timed to come on at 4:30 and it was coming on at 3:30 but have adjusted that because I didn’t realise there was a time for ‘Preheating’

[sporfrog]

Sorry to interject here... just a few additional things to consider in addition to scheduling. It is an extreme difference but it may not only be the thermostat. There are other factors why heating could be more expensive in one building vs another.

1. The HVAC unit could have a vastly different efficiency level between the two buildings. Age, fuel type, and efficiency rating all play a part.
2. One building could be better insulated with a higher R value both in the walls and ceilings as well as around windows and doors.
3. Windows can be leaky so a building with single pane windows will be less efficient than a building with double pane windows.
4. If the weather -temperature, wind, sunshine, etc - varied greatly from year to year that will impact how often the HVAC unit needs to run to heat the home.
5. Presumably the 2 bedroom house is smaller than the 4 bedroom when considering total square foot or square meter. But if the 2 bedroom is bigger it will likely cost more to heat.

Good luck!  I hope you get this resolved and become a fan of your new Nest Thermostat.

[stanl]

I am in the UK so my stat controls a gas boiler, radiator and hot water tank.

No HVAC unfortunately 

[sporfrog]

Got it.  Yes, sorry. I am using that as a generic term for heating and/or cooling. But you are right some folks may not consider a boiler HVAC. However, because it provides heat (H in HVAC) it loosely falls into the same category. Regardless, overall, the list contains possible factors that could contribute to differing heating bills.

[stanl]

OK,

Thanks for the advice.

[DragosC]

Hi there, thanks for your help @sporfrog. Do you still need our help @stanl? All good? Keep us posted. 

[DragosC]

Since I haven't heard from you in a while, I'll have to close this thread. Should anything else come up, please open another thread and we'll take it from there. Have a good one and stay safe!