My electricity bill has just tripled: how about yours? Alternative suppliers?

[platinumsage]

The organisational dynamics involved in the profit motive vs the service motive still matter. That's why despite successive Tory governments, the NHS is still largely free at the point of use, and why Yanks still get chucked into massive debt despite the Affordable Care Act.

There are other dynamics between types of supplier and types of government.

The NHS is pretty unique afaik, not sure why it gets compared to the US so much, instead of say Germany, Israel or South Korea.

 

[two sheds]

Because that's the model that's most likely going to replace the NHS?

 

[platinumsage]

Because that's the model that's most likely going to replace the NHS?

It suggest it’s the furthest away from the NHS model, if you were to put all the developed world health systems on a spectrum of degrees of bad privatisation. As such, I’d suggest it’s actually the hardest to transition to, and thus the least likely.

 

[two sheds]

But the highest profit for insurers and pharmaceutical companies and hospital trust and politicians who are shareholders, and thus the most likely.

 

[platinumsage]

But the highest profit for insurers and pharmaceutical companies and hospital trust and politicians who are shareholders, and thus the most likely.

If it was that simple, most countries would have the US model already.

 

[two sheds]

I didn't say it was that simple, but it's a huge incentive for the tories to introduce it.

 

[rubbershoes]

What's the point of calling it a cap then?
A cap would be a government limit above which they cannot go - determined by the government.
All OFGEM do is follow the market - and distribute the wreckage when their authorised retail sellers go bust.

And their justification for raising the cap is that otherwise energy suppliers would go bust and some costs would fall on consumers. I'm not sure what costs these are and how they fall on consumers but the head Ofgen bloke was waving the figure of £2.8 billion around

In other news, BPs profits have increased by about £2 billion in the last quarter

 

[CH1]

Paul Lewis was wittering on about tweaking your Combi boiler to save money on gas

Save 9% in gas use, by turning down the 'flow' temperature

Running the your heating system at a lower 'flow' temperature can save around 9% on your gas use, Jo explains why and how to do it

www.theheatinghub.co.uk

Also he mentioned that gas kettles were much cheaper to run than electric ones.
I recall it was a fad several years back to have a "whistling" kettle.
Anyone seen any of those for sale in the Brixton area?
This "travelling kettle" is on offer from Amazon for £9.98
I prefer local shops, but I fear if stocked Morleys might charge £29.98 for the same thing!

 

[cupid_stunt]

Paul Lewis was wittering on about tweaking your Combi boiler to save money on gas

Save 9% in gas use, by turning down the 'flow' temperature

Running the your heating system at a lower 'flow' temperature can save around 9% on your gas use, Jo explains why and how to do it

www.theheatinghub.co.uk

That's interesting, and bookmarked, I'll mention that to the guys installing my new boiler in 3 weeks, and see what they have to say about it.

 

[dessiato]

This morning I've been reading about the massive profits being made by some suppliers. It thoroughly disgusts me that we, the people, are being increasingly driven towards fuel poverty to inflate the incomes, and wealth of those at the "top."

I found myself thinking, "well that's the world we live in." And this is how they get us. We're so driven down that we are just accepting these inequalities. And there's the rub. We're so brow beaten we just keep taking it and accepting our increasing poverty.

I wish I knew the solution to this.

 

[CH1]

Re kettles this is the type I had in mind - retro copper bottomed with fins for extra heat absorption.
A half-price snip at $35. A bit extreme having to import it though!

 

[Storm Fox]

The problem with the electric 'suppilers' is that they don't supply anything, they just read take the meter readings and bill and I assume 'buy' electricity for a price at a point in the future. For me SSE delivers the power and maintains the infrastructure up to IIRC 33kV than its National Grid above that voltage. OVO or Npower or whoever just billing companies. This creates a whole other level of profit taking and an unnecessary level of infrastructure around allowing people to move from one intermediatory to another.

So even in their main core function is billing they are pretty shit as experienced by cupid_stunt

 

[MickiQ]

That's interesting, and bookmarked, I'll mention that to the guys installing my new boiler in 3 weeks, and see what they have to say about it.

I confess my utter amazement that this is not common knowledge it was pretty much the first thing the British Gas fitter told me about.
Attached is a picture of (part of) my Worcester Bosch, the boiler flow temperature is controlled by the dial under the display and is set to e (for eco) which means the boiler runs at 58C which is supposedly optimal for economy.
If you try and turn it past the e mark the dial will actually click to let you know that you have gone past optimal economy.
It works fine at that temp unless it is REALLY cold (sub zero) in which case turning it up to about 70C for a couple of hours to get the house warm before turning it back down to e does the trick.

 

[two sheds]

Was thinking about the idea mentioned on urban about opening doors briefly on winter mornings to get some air flow. If I open my bedroom door upstairs and spare room door downstairs I'll get flow through pretty well all the doors but was wondering whether I should have the fan blowing air out of the upstairs or downstairs door. I presume because warm air rises better from upstairs.

 

[SpookyFrank]

The problem with the electric 'suppilers' is that they don't supply anything, they just read take the meter readings and bill and I assume 'buy' electricity for a price at a point in the future. For me SSE delivers the power and maintains the infrastructure up to IIRC 33kV than its National Grid above that voltage. OVO or Npower or whoever just billing companies. This creates a whole other level of profit taking and an unnecessary level of infrastructure around allowing people to move from one intermediatory to another.

This is the latest fudge, after the previous fudge was revealed to be a scam. When the 'big six' had the market sewn up between them, the idea was they both generated electricity and sold it to punters. Except these 'energy companies' were already split into retail companies and generating companies. The former bought their power from the latter, at an artificially inflated and rigged price, to avoid taxable profits and calls to reduce prices for consumers.

The new improved version we have now is basically the same but now there are retail companies with no generating capacity at all. This means that investment in generation has to come from the state instead. So here we are sat on a goldmine of renewable energy resources and yet still beholden to Putin and the Saudis and every other cunt.

 

[CH1]

The new improved version we have now is basically the same but now there are retail companies with no generating capacity at all. This means that investment in generation has to come from the state instead. So here we are sat on a goldmine of renewable energy resources and yet still beholden to Putin and the Saudis and every other cunt.

Didn't I just read somewhere that the Tories were opposed to an "interconnect" and buying electricity from Norway?
Maybe because it doesn't come from "nice clean coal"?

Anyway it's a bit academic right now - Norway are not selling electricity to other countries due to drought worries and the Ukraine situation.

UK braces for even higher bills as Norway threatens electricity export cut

Water levels in southern Norway so low domestic consumers may be prioritised over international customers

www.theguardian.com

 

[story]

Was thinking about the idea mentioned on urban about opening doors briefly on winter mornings to get some air flow. If I open my bedroom door upstairs and spare room door downstairs I'll get flow through pretty well all the doors but was wondering whether I should have the fan blowing air out of the upstairs or downstairs door. I presume because warm air rises better from upstairs.

Why are we encouraged to do this?
And would it work in a flat?

(Please don’t tell me to go back and read the whole thread. Or if you do, please give some indication or hint about where I might find the information. )

 

[two sheds]

My place is old and susceptible to damp so some kind poster suggested opening a couple of doors/windows for 10/15? minutes on winter mornings to clear the air through.

Another couple of videos were suggesting that it's better to put a fan 2ft back from a window to increase the air flow, but not to bother with a fan unless it's a morning with no wind. Would work in a flat too if it gets a bit musty from the damp.

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

I knew someone who worked for the council in Plymouth who swore blind that in properties with damp opening the windows for 20 minutes, when it wasn't raining or too windy, helped blow away the damp air. Then shut the windows. The drier air will heat up relatively quickly. The heat of the fabric of the house, walls, carpets, furniture etc won't have been affected at all. Never had to try this out, but sounds plausible.

 

[two sheds]

And before doing that I'll be treating the mould on a couple of affected walls with that superb foam type stuff as soon as it arrives I'm quite impressed that it's only two/three downstairs walls that need it.

 

[story]

My place is old and susceptible to damp so some kind poster suggested opening a couple of doors/windows for 10/15? minutes on winter mornings to clear the air through.

Another couple of videos were suggesting that it's better to put a fan 2ft back from a window to increase the air flow, but not to bother with a fan unless it's a morning with no wind. Would work in a flat too if it gets a bit musty from the damp.

Ah okay. It’s for the damp. I thought it was some kind of weird esoteric trick to stop the place losing heat during the day.
My place isn’t damp (thank god) except for right now cos the upstairs neighbours have had a leak in the bathroom.

Thank you for explaining two sheds .

 

[story]

Mind you, the reason it’s not damp is probably due to the fact that it leaks air like a sieve.

I’m intending to get it draught proofed before the winter but the bloke who was going to help me is in a band that’s suddenly getting loads of bookings.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I knew someone who worked for the council in Plymouth who swore blind that in properties with damp opening the windows for 20 minutes, when it wasn't raining or too windy, helped blow away the damp air. Then shut the windows. The drier air will heat up relatively quickly. The heat of the fabric of the house, walls, carpets, furniture etc won't have been affected at all. Never had to try this out, but sounds plausible.

You absolutely need some ventilation all year round. A lot of homes in this country are poorly designed from this perspective, with opening windows the only option and a lack of trickle vents etc. Example; the window in our bedroom has a trickle vent built in but the interior opening of it is flush with the window frame, so that no air can get through

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

You absolutely need some ventilation all year round. A lot of homes in this country are poorly designed from this perspective, with opening windows the only option and a lack of trickle vents etc. Example; the window in our bedroom has a trickle vent built in but the interior opening of it is flush with the window frame, so that no air can get through

Drier air is also warmer. That's why so many people buy dehumidifiers.

 

[story]

You absolutely need some ventilation all year round. A lot of homes in this country are poorly designed from this perspective, with opening windows the only option and a lack of trickle vents etc. Example; the window in our bedroom has a trickle vent built in but the interior opening of it is flush with the window frame, so that no air can get through

Setting aside the issue about leaking carbon and heat all winter and so forth, I’ve always liked living in leaky places. Whenever I’ve spent long time in hermetI ally sealed places I feel really crushed and claustrophobic.

I do need to get it sorted out though. Right now, I can see daylight through the gaps in the floorboards near where the air bricks are.

 

[two sheds]

Just see them as trickle vents

I've been cutting out draughts in my place but I can't see that causing problems, there have to be gaps some places in an old house.

 

[MickiQ]

Think of a number and double it

Energy bills forecast to hit over £4,200 a year

The average household could pay £355 a month, up from £164 currently, consultancy Cornwall Insight warns.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Cerv]

why do the press always quote annual figures?

most people pay monthly. surely that'd be more readily understandable?
the cap is going up every 3 months, so that annual limit is kind of meaningless. it's not an annual figure anyone is ever held to for real.

 

[MickiQ]

It does get mentioned in the report, the average figure at the moment is £164 pm but would be £355pm in Jan (bit more than double) so some very wet figure estimates for most people would be to just double what you're paying now.
£355pm is roughly what you'd pay on an £85K mortgage at current interest rates

 

[Karl Masks]

I know a magic trick, to make your money disappear