Massive Gas Bill in Sydney

Nomoneynohoneya on 13/10/2023 - 17:03

I currently live in a unit in Sydney. There are three people living in my house and we rarely cook. Most people shower once a day.

I pay my electricity and gas bill once every three months. The electricity bill is slightly over $200, while the gas bill is $450 to $500.

The gas bill was too expensive, so I asked my supplier to replace the meter, and I was still charged a similar rate after that. We do not use heating or heaters in our house even in winter.
We dont use dishwasher and laundry with hot water.

According to the bill, more than 95% of our home's gas usage is for hot water, which is 100 times the amount we use on the stove.
158MJ for the gas and 12770MJ for hot water.

There is no smell of gas leaking, and most showers are completed within 10 minutes.

I had previously raised the issue with the landlord, but no action was taken. And my supplier is Covau(I dont recommend)

You guys have any idea what is going on here? Thank you in advance

Home & Garden Gas Supply

Comments

  • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2023 - 17:11
    +6

    $200 for three people for three months is phenomenal for leccy. None of you ran any heaters in winter or what?

    • Nomoneynohoneya on 13/10/2023 - 17:11

      We haven't use heaters or any airconditioning as well.

      • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2023 - 17:14

        It's over $1000 here per quarter even with solar. The people the owner rented his own room to abuse the f out of the energy being included in their board. I've never seen anyone walk around in their underwear on the coldest day of the year, they've turned their room into a sauna I expect. Total (profanity).

        • Nomoneynohoneya on 13/10/2023 - 17:18

          Sorry for that :( 1000$ per 3mo is massive. My house mates agreed to not use heaters.

          • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2023 - 17:23

            @Nomoneynohoneya: These people don't give a f. I don't care, I don't need any drama in my life. Not like I was given any kind of discount for housesitting and cat sitting for this dude while he's off relaxing in his wife's house in Vietnam. Honestly wish they'd move back in, miss his wife's cooking. And miss not having to listen to constant arguing over chores and door slamming.

    • Ade99 on 14/10/2023 - 08:53
      -5

      $200 is not that much in the new Easy Sleazy world of renewables. On recent bills it costs more to supply the power than is actually used per day…..got to pay for all of those wind turbines and solar cells as well as virtue signaling committees telling us how well every one is doing.

  • hasher22 on 13/10/2023 - 17:13

    Dishwashers and washing machines use electricity, unless the washing machine is hooked up to the hot water line.

    The only thing I can think of why the gas is so high depends how your building supplies water to all units. Do you have an individual meter for gas for your unit or is it common hot water system?

    For example: If your building shares hot water, if you don't use alot but your neighbours do and they go crazy all day, everyday, then all units will get equal share of the gas bill. Unit 1 could use 5% while unit 2 could use 30% and you could use 0% but you will still get a bill.

    Check with your building manager or strata how the gas operates in your building.

    • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2023 - 17:15
      +1

      A dishwasher will use far less energy than hand washing, far less water too. Even a dishwasher only 1/4 full will use less energy than hand washing. I doubt many modern dishwashers or washing machines in Australia are connected to hot water, they tend to have heaters built in yeah?

      • hasher22 on 13/10/2023 - 17:19

        Yes, dishwashers are electric but washing machines can still hook up to the hot water line but most washing machines will connect to the cold water line.

        • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2023 - 17:24

          What about your dryer? If you're paying $200 per quarter including service charges, guessing you don't have a dryer?

          • hasher22 on 13/10/2023 - 17:31

            @AustriaBargain: Dryers are mostly electric, if it's a gas dryer then the dryer will have a gas line at the back. In saying that, I've never seen a gas dryer when buying a drying in Good guys or seen one installed in a new home.

            Anyone can correct me if I am wrong, but maybe the gas dryers is not really a thing in Australia, maybe overseas?

            I have a dryer, I don't use it, not even connected.

    • Nomoneynohoneya on 13/10/2023 - 17:15

      Thanks! But I have my unit gas meter under the sink. And when we use hotwater, I can see the meter is going up. So I think it is not connected with other unit.

      • hasher22 on 13/10/2023 - 17:17
        +5

        You still could be in a common hot water system building. I used to be in one and I had an individual meter myself in the hallway to check my usage on my unit for my information.

        Also, note down the number on the meter, then when the next bill comes, check the meter again to see if the numbers add up. If you are truly billed individually, if accurate, the numbers should match up.

        With my old unit, I thought I was billed individually when my gas supplier said I was in a common hot water system building cause my bills were high as well.

      • foxmulder on 13/10/2023 - 18:07
        +1

        First you need to see if that meter is your unit only,. Write down if you take a a shower, whether it stops when you finish shower and what's the number before and after. Do the same with others.

      • RockyRaccoon on 13/10/2023 - 22:01
        +1

        Excuse me, but how does the meter reader get access to your meter if its under your sink?

        Sounds really strange/ usually meters like that are outside your home/unit so they can be read easily

        Hasher22 (in post above) might have the answer. Check your meter number against the bills meter number which you dont need to wait til the new bill, it should be on your current bill already..

      • Stewardo on 13/10/2023 - 22:24

        Is it red?

  • Muzeeb on 13/10/2023 - 17:39
    +1

    Has your gas rate gone up? Your usage may be the same but the tarrif rate may have increased significantly.

    $70pm for electricity without solar is unbelievable to be honest.

    • Mechz on 13/10/2023 - 22:12

      Mines only around $100.

      • Muzeeb on 13/10/2023 - 22:14
        +2

        Mine is $120pm on average. It's $30pm just for service provision - so $40 of electricity seems super low.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 13/10/2023 - 17:54
    +3

    12770MJ for hot water

    Bulk hot water.

    Call your retailer and tell them to check the 'MIRN', you're probably paying for every units hot water.

  • randomusername2017 on 13/10/2023 - 18:11
    +2

    Can't win either way… less showers might save on gas bill.. still less honey

  • JimmyF on 13/10/2023 - 18:28
    +1

    According to the bill, more than 95% of our home's gas usage is for hot water, which is 100 times the amount we use on the stove.

    That would be correct, stoves are next to nothing, HWS is a gas pig.

  • chuneeperformance on 13/10/2023 - 18:29

    Natural gas burns more energy then lpg…

  • elgrande on 13/10/2023 - 20:54
    -1

    You might find that its your hot water. I lived in a unit with gas hot water where the total gas bill for the complex was propertioned based on the proportion of water usage. It was a large complex.

  • noob999 on 13/10/2023 - 22:41
    +2

    What HOT WATER system are you using… sounds like you may have an Instant Gas Hot water system (no tank).

    You say there is a GAS meter under your sink, there should be an on/off valve as well…. turn it off and listen for any neighbours complaining. this will confirm any common shared issues.

    I would change your provider and also switch to monthly payments so you have a more frequent indicator of usage.

    • avoidfullprice on 14/10/2023 - 07:40
      +1

      Also OP, if it Is instantaneous hot water, then after you turn off the gas valve, there will still be water coming out of your hot water tap (just bot heated)

      If you turn off the valve and there is no water coming out, then thats a water tap from centralised hot water system.

    • Stewardo on 14/10/2023 - 15:58

      OP has a hot water meter under the sink that is read remotely. There is an error somewhere and is getting a huge bill because of fault. Just needs to talk the energy supplier and building manager to straighten it out.

  • plmko on 13/10/2023 - 23:55

    This is dystopic. Sharing living spaces but still your daily essentials are keeping you down.

  • Davo1111 on 14/10/2023 - 02:27

    have you read the meter daily?

  • loropy9 on 14/10/2023 - 06:46

    Call EWON.

  • avoidfullprice on 14/10/2023 - 07:02
    +1

    Can you share your last gas bill, so we know which component contributes to your $$? The headings should be:

    • previous reading
    • current reading
    • heating value
    • conversion factor

    The meter under your sink i reckon is a Water Meter and measures Litres of hot water you use from Centralised Gas Hot Water system. You can test it out by writing the value of the meter, then fill up a litre of two hot water say to wash your dishes, then write down the value again. A gas meter records 1/1000 of m2 of gas, where as water meter typical records 1/10 of a litre

  • Hoju on 14/10/2023 - 07:11
    -2

    “Most showers completed less than 10 minutes”

    Seriously what are you doing in there?
    That’s your culprit, you’re using huge amounts of hot water in the shower.

    Family of 6 and if my kids aren’t out after 4-5 min they go in the cage for a while to think about what they’ve done.

    You could also consider a heat pump system for your hot water, rebates may apply

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 14/10/2023 - 08:51
      +1

      Dunno about your household, but when I hear the shower, I go in the ensuite, wolf whistle at the individual in the shower I met at Metro the night before, get nude in less than 7 seconds, jump in the shower (to save water) and an hour later hop out clean yet satisfied.

      • saltypete on 14/10/2023 - 09:42

        So…they hop out and leave you to it ….?

  • saltypete on 14/10/2023 - 09:40

    I am guessing you have checked for leaks on your side of the meter by noting the meter and checking that it hasn’t moved at a time when no gas use for a few hours. Apart from that - start at the HWS. Note the brand and model no and check manufacturers specs for it, google any reviews or known issues, check if sized for the number of users, spray a bit of soapy water over all connections.
    It may just be 3 people having 10 minute showers each day is using the gas, but it seems high…..

  • Waltervp on 14/10/2023 - 10:36
    +2

    I was sick of paying daily supply fees for both gas and electricity so took the <$10k plunge and converted everything to solar/electricity. Honestly saving $3kpa. Most of all i like the no bills, and the minimal change in mortgage time/principle is mostly unnoticeable.

    I am inTasmania and did change to 1stenergy instead of using Aurora so am getting 5c/kwhr more for feedin tariff. I got a 5kw system with West facing panels. I also got the heatpump hot water.

  • srhardy on 15/10/2023 - 11:04

    Gas hot water is always on demand, so replace it with a small hot water system maybe. Asians love long hot showers. My fix for the gf was to turn off the hot water and suddenly 30-50min showers were 2-3 tops! I could t reason with her so cold it was. By the way 3-5 minute showers should be the norm. 10 means >15+ in my book and sharers in the house LIE.

  • Webber000 on 15/10/2023 - 11:08
    +1

    How does your bill know that 95% of the use is for your hot water and 5% is for the stove?
    Your saying that you have separate meters so that they can measure it and know what your stove used - in which case you would also have 2 lots of standing/daily charges which would make that part of the bill double even before you use anything.

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