Oil Boilers - moving from gas
batman1056
Posts: 11 Forumite
Hi - I am moving house soon to one which is fuled by Oil.. I have always had gas for the heating and water and have enjoyed instant hot water and somewhat cheap heat. Having read bits online I am a tad worried about the cost of running an oil system. Can you help.
1. Does the Oil Combi boiler act the same way as the gas one - e.g. instant hot water?
2. Is an oil combi more expensive than a normal oil boiler )or less) and how does this compaire to gas?
3. Does the Oil Combi use a lot of oil when on standby? (how the gas one works)
We have two log fires in the house so this will be used most of the time for heating rooms - just wondering also how much oil on average a house would use.?
1. Does the Oil Combi boiler act the same way as the gas one - e.g. instant hot water?
2. Is an oil combi more expensive than a normal oil boiler )or less) and how does this compaire to gas?
3. Does the Oil Combi use a lot of oil when on standby? (how the gas one works)
We have two log fires in the house so this will be used most of the time for heating rooms - just wondering also how much oil on average a house would use.?
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Comments
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Oil currently costs between 30p and 35p a litre. A litre 'contains' approx. 10kWh so between 3p/kWh to 3.5p/kWh.
This is more expensive than the very cheapest gas tariffs which are as cheap as 2.5pkWh, but perhaps 3p/kWh is an average figure. On the other hand you don't have to pay a Daily Standing Charge(DSC) with oil.
Oil prices have been pretty volatile over the past few years, it was not long ago that oil was costing over 60p/litre. Brexit will not help because Sterling has weakened against the US$ and oil is priced in US$.
An oil boiler shouldn't use any oil on standby, like most modern gas boilers which don't have a pilot light. An oil combi operates like a gas boiler, i.e. hot water on demand.
The other point is that the efficiency of any boiler(gas or electric) can vary a lot from, say, 50% to 90%.We have two log fires in the house so this will be used most of the time for heating rooms - just wondering also how much oil on average a house would use.?
That is an 'how long is a piece of string' question.0 -
Thanks
Most of the radiators need replacing - either damaged or very inefficeint models. (saying that I do like the look of the very old traditioanl type black radiators - not sure how efficient these are) - anyway - it makes sence to change the boiler when these get done and get rid of the huge tank think in the loft. I was looking a a Wosceter boiler Combi - which should be cheaper to run than a normal boiler.0 -
batman1056 wrote: »I was looking a a Wosceter boiler Combi - which should be cheaper to run than a normal boiler.
Why would it be cheaper?0 -
batman1056 wrote: »...I was looking a a Worcester boiler Combi - which should be cheaper to run than a normal boiler.
Not sure about the reputation of Worcester and oil, but Grant have been making them for ages.0 -
Log fires are inefficient.batman1056 wrote: »We have two log fires in the house so this will be used most of the time for heating rooms - just wondering also how much oil on average a house would use.?
Log or wood burners with doors that close can reach 80% efficiency, which is pretty efficient.
Which will you have?0 -
Don't forget to inspect the oil tank. If it needs replacing, get as large a tank as you can afford/accomodate - that way you can be more flexible over when to top it up. With a small tank, you have little option but to top up when it gets low - with a larger one, you can top up when it's half full if the price is right.
If it's a steel tank, get underneath and look for rust.0 -
smallblueplanet wrote: »Not sure about the reputation of Worcester and oil, but Grant have been making them for ages.
Worcester have been making oil boilers for over 50 years. They recently won the first Which Best Buy for oil boilers with the report stating ‘Simply the best oil boiler around according to owners and engineers’.0
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