Cheaper Oil for Fuel?

amtrakuk

Thanks.. I've just come across this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PROFESSIONAL-AIR-CONDITIONER-8500BTU-HEAT-PUMP-HEATER_W0QQitemZ170234530365QQihZ007QQcategoryZ20711QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

Is this what you use?

bobmedley

Mines a Toshiba model, this appears to have just a Toshiba compressor - however, that price looks a bargain.

You could have a go at installing yourself, but to do it properly involves vacuum pumps, nitrogen, refrigerant gas etc so you might want to get a quote. The worst issue is losing the gas & it simply stops working, but a refill is not a big deal.

See if you can get a full tech spec so you know how it performs at low temperatures.

amtrakuk

Ive got a week off in a couple of weeks so will get a quote.

nesssie1702

Heating oil here in the Hebrides is now over 70p a litre. We moved into our house about a year and a half ago and a litre of oil then was 34p. It's a combi boiler that we've got, so will need oil for the hot water if nothing else. Thankfully, we've got an electric shower, so don't need it for that.

I'm toying with getting halogen heaters for a couple of the rooms this winter, so that the central heating isn't on all the time. Can anyone advise or suggest other options?

poker_mad

One thing is for sure oil will only go up, Heat pumps are becoming more popular. Ground source heat pumps can save 70% of your heating bill, even the main house builders are installing them to sell new houses where mains gas is not available.

amtrakuk

nesssie1702 wrote: »

Heating oil here in the Hebrides is now over 70p a litre. We moved into our house about a year and a half ago and a litre of oil then was 34p. It's a combi boiler that we've got, so will need oil for the hot water if nothing else. Thankfully, we've got an electric shower, so don't need it for that.

I'm toying with getting halogen heaters for a couple of the rooms this winter, so that the central heating isn't on all the time. Can anyone advise or suggest other options?

Unless you want to sit infront of a halogen heater I'd look for something else, they heat objects rather than the air, hense they are used in pub gardens. Think of a halogen heater like a fan but instead of creating a breeze halogen heaters head objects.

Once you move away from infront of a halogen heater you stop feeling the benefit from them.

Oil filled radiators produce a nice "cozy" feel like your existing central heating but take time to heat up. Convector heaters produce instant heat.

zarazara

can you burn peat? what about installing wood burning stove?

amtrakuk

I dont think they are that much to install though are they, about 800.00. I would have gone for one but in a smoke free area an could only be able to burn smoke free fuel

nesssie1702

We have toyed with installing a multi-fuel stove. Would need to have a Building Warrant for the flue, as the house we're in doesn't have a chimney. We're not in a smoke-free area, so that's not a problem.

zarazara - we could burn peat, but we'd have to cut it first! There's been a lot more peat cut up in our neck of the woods this year because of the rise in oil prices.

amtrakuk

If alot of people are using peat, would there be a possibility of price rise - demand and supply. I was in Scotland on holiday earlier this year and in the firebox we burnt peat, they seemed to last as long as log and produced a lot of heat, are they a cheap alternative, we were sold a heat log of about 30 cm long for £1 each.

I was browsing on youtube and came across this about air heat pumps. apparently according to this bloke they aren't much cop at 4 degrees and under. Comments?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehlpJ0GZwBY&feature=related