Double usage

[Scottie68]

Upon checking my gas bill from the previous quarter (Feb-May) it appears that my usage has gone from 0.5 to 1 per day for this quarter (May- Aug). I cannot understand why this would be as I have not used my gas heater (due to the cost) and hot water is the only way that I use gas. It cannot be explained by increased use of hot water …. My showers and use of washing machine have not doubled!! 
Last year I had an excessively high electricity bill… where my useage for one month had tripled!! And I wasn’t even home for three days during that four weeks. Dodgy! 
I read the meters regularly and none of my bills are estimates.

AGL have no explanation apart from offering energy saving advice. Seriously!

[Natalie-AGL]

Hi @Scottie68,

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. 

Receiving a higher-than-expected bill can be stressful, there may be a few different reasons that have caused an increase on your recent bill. We have further information on our website to help out understand the common reasons.

Kind Regards, 

Natalie 

[Scottie68]

The reasons given for increased usage are longer showers! (I do not do this!) Are you saying that because the mains water is colder at this time of year it takes more gas to heat water to acceptable temperatures? 
I think this is one for Mythbusters. 

[NeilC]

@Scottie68 

Now I don't have gas but what I can tell you is there is a formulae for calculating gas usage.

Total usage

Your total gas usage is calculated by multiplying your base usage by your area’s heating value and pressure factor.

base usage x heating value x  pressure factor =  MJ

Now the heating value and pressure factor are not constants.

On Origin bills these two values used to be specified, I see from the sample supplied on the AGL website they simply give you a number of units (ie just the result).

I would assume that a UNIT of AGL's would be a Mega Joule, so your usage has gone from 45MJ to 90MJ.....

A quick look at AGL gas rates for SA show that a MJ costs 5.13 cents including GST , for Vic 3.943 cents ,3.866 cents for NSW and 3.884 cents in Qld.

Did you notice the doubling of usage when reading your meter during the May to Aug?