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August 31, 2022
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My gas supply is solely for hot water/heating - how is my gas usage so high even when boiler is off?

  • August 31, 2022
  • 62 replies
  • 11142 views

I have a Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 630 boiler paired with a megaflo eco systemfit unvented cylinder.  My gas usage is nearly 3 times my colleagues who has a combi boiler (they have a much larger house, more occupants and has a gas hob and oven). My gas usage is solely for hot water/heating.  My system is managed through the nest app and my water is heating for a total of 4.5 hours a day (I don’t have hot water whenever I want). I went on holiday for a week, turned my system off and it still charged me for all but 2 days of the 7 I was away.  We’ve had no heating on and only the hot water scheduled for the times mentioned above. My usage is around 800-850kWh per month.  I live with my boyfriend and two year old.  I’ve spoken to so many people who can’t find the issue - can anyone help?! Picture of my usage for the week I was away.

Best answer by Jeffus

Updated on 08/09/25 by Chris_OVO:

 

Hi @Anders95 I think i would start by getting a boiler engineer to look at your setup. Particularly your controls. 

On first inspection it doesn't look like the issue is related to your smart meter given the usage pattern when you are away. 

 

1. We need to see the daily usage page for the gas readings so we can see the 30min readings. Just to check when the gas boiler is firing up. For a day when you were at home, and a day when you think the boiler was off, but it still looks like you used some gas. I think your boiler may be firing up every other day when you are away. It will also help check your boiler isn't on for more than 4.5 hours normally. 

2. You have your water on for quite a long time 4.5 hrs. This seems a lot for the size of your household. It obviously depends on usage e..g  use of showers and baths., but still that seems high. Especially as you have a modern tank. Do you know the size of the tank? Have you tried reducing the time? 

3. I would check the thermostat on the tank to see if it is set at a too higher temperature.

4. I am not convinced the boiler is actually off when you are away. On first inspection it looks like it is still on and firing up every other day for a short time as the water in the tank has cooled down a bit naturally perhaps . 

5. It doesn’t look like you have a gas leak as you have a zero reading every other day when you are away. Unless it is something in the boiler when it is turned on. But you would certainly smell the gas leak then if it was happening. So i don't think it is that.

6. Unfortunately with a tank you will end up heating water you don't actually use. You have a modern tank so this will help, but some of the water will cool before you use it. That is not the larger issue you are seeing though i think. 

7. There is a small chance you have a leak on one of your hot water pipes from your boiler so you are heating water you are then loosing somewhere. But that doesn't explain the usage pattern when you are away. 

8. You could try downloading this app and seeing what is says for your gas readings, especially to see if the app can see your 30min readings. 

https://www.glowmarkt.com/

9. You are right, there is no way you should be using 800kWh of gas just for water heating. That would be 9600 kWh a year. A typical house only uses 12000kWh for heating and water according to the ofgem figures and most of that is for heating and not hot water. 

Does that help? 

62 replies

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 31, 2022

Hey @Anders95 ,

Could you show us photos of your gas and electric meters please? Seeing those will help us figure this one out. :)

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Anders95Author
Rank 2
August 31, 2022

Sure, picture attached. I also had the same problem in September last year. 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 31, 2022

Ok, bear with me. I need to get my laptop out and I’ll be home in about 30 minutes

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Anders95Author
Rank 2
August 31, 2022

Thank you! 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 31, 2022

Ok, I’m back!

I see you have Smart Meters, so that narrows things down a lot.

Please can you go back into the app and show me screenshots of both the electric and gas meter readings? You’ll find them under Account > Meter Readings. I’m especially interested in the last months worth if possible.

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Anders95Author
Rank 2
August 31, 2022

 

Anders95Author
Rank 2
August 31, 2022

This is august! Gas is blue 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 31, 2022

Those are the usage graphs, I’m actually looking for the meter readings under Account > Meter Readings so I can check whether smart readings have been going in.

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Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 31, 2022

Well, after analysing what I’ve seen so far, I’d say these usage graphs appear to be estimates.

You might want to try asking OVO to put the meters into Daily or Half-Hourly Mode @Anders95 . That might help fix the problem going forwards. I’m also wondering if there’s signal issues, so I’d probably also recommend getting a SMETS2 Smart Meter Health Check done as well.

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Anders95Author
Rank 2
August 31, 2022