Cheaper Oil for Fuel?

LittleVermin

The Office of Fair Trading Off-grid energy study report will be out next week - Tuesday 18th October: see here.

As well as heating oil OFT have looked into LPG and renewables.

Neither oil nor LPG come under ofgem 'regulation' (for what that's worth!), but many on MSE think there should be some regulation. There's a post asking MSE to support regulation of LPG prices - would you add your 'thanks', please? Even if you don't use LPG! Here's the link:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=39205254&postcount=477

Currently there are 95 thanks and it would be good to have 100+ by Tuesday. ML is using MSEers' ideas for his annual 'moneyfesto' - see here - due out soon. There were posts re heating oil (e.g. here) - but none were 'pushed' in this thread so none gathered much support.

Here's a quote from the OFT press release in March, when it started the study:

The OFT received over 300 submissions on the scope of the study, including from off-grid customers, consumer associations and industry. The high number of submissions reflects widespread concerns about the supply of off-grid energy, particularly with regards to heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with claims of high prices, a lack of transparency, misleading information and barriers to switching.

..

allisond

Hi all

Hope you don't mind me posting on here, but I have been reading this thread after calling around my local suppliers for a few quotes for heating oil.

We are moving into a place in a few weeks with oil heating and have never had oil heating before so we have no idea how much oil we are likely to need. It is for heating only.

The house also has a log burner in the lounge and it is mostly carpeted with a few wooden floors.

My husband works from home, so the place needs to be pretty warm most of the time. Some windows are a bit dodgy and need replacing so they will probably let some of the heat out until we can replace them!!

Can anyone please advise how many litres we are likely to need over the winter months based on your own consumption.

Many thanks.

Lotus-eater

allisond wrote: »

Hi all

Hope you don't mind me posting on here, but I have been reading this thread after calling around my local suppliers for a few quotes for heating oil.

We are moving into a place in a few weeks with oil heating and have never had oil heating before so we have no idea how much oil we are likely to need. It is for heating only.

The house also has a log burner in the lounge and it is mostly carpeted with a few wooden floors.

My husband works from home, so the place needs to be pretty warm most of the time. Some windows are a bit dodgy and need replacing so they will probably let some of the heat out until we can replace them!!

Can anyone please advise how many litres we are likely to need over the winter months based on your own consumption.

Many thanks.

If it's your house, or if you're staying a long time, then just fill up your tank and see what you use.
You're not going to use anything less than 1000 litres and probably nearer 2000, but it depends on so many variables.

allisond

Lotus-eater wrote: »

If it's your house, or if you're staying a long time, then just fill up your tank and see what you use.
You're not going to use anything less than 1000 litres and probably nearer 2000, but it depends on so many variables.

Hi Lotus-eater

Thanks for your reply. Yes it is our house, but we are considering getting rid of the oil heating for a wood burning boiler as the property has a 2.5acre woodland with it, but we won't be able to do this for about 8-12 months.

So we only need the oil to last us through the winter really, so we don't want to buy too much or have to buy more in the middle of winter when I suspect that the prices will have gone up quite a lot!!

Lotus-eater

How big is your tank first? If it's a 1000 litre, then the question is academic.

allisond

Lotus-eater wrote: »

How big is your tank first? If it's a 1000 litre, then the question is academic.

It can hold 2710 litres and is completely empty!

benood

Hi Allisond welcome to life off grid! Without knowing the size of your house it's difficult to guess but I'd agree with lotus eater - We have a detached late victorian house 4 bedrooms lots of single glazed sash windows and a bit of loft insulation - we get through about 3,000 litres a year I think. 2,000 of it over the winter months - the heating is on during the day.

I'd definitely start with 1,000 litres and then keep a close eye on consumption, you know your tank capacity very accuately is it new?

suki1964

I think the "average" consumption is 2000 litres a year ( or about that ) and mr and mrs average living in a 3 bedroom terrace working all day out of the home - so yes get at least a 1000 litres now and monitor your usage. If the tank is empty you prolly need the boiler bleeding and if you are really lucky the delivery fella will sort that for you ( they do here )

The hardest thing about buying oil the first few times in having to pay up front - and the cost compared to natural gas. This is my 7th winter on the oil and we have worked out timings and temps to best suit us and its not so dear. However we do use the stoves a lot - one is being used every evening already - both will be in use all day come middle of November

allisond

benood wrote: »

Hi Allisond welcome to life off grid! Without knowing the size of your house it's difficult to guess but I'd agree with lotus eater - We have a detached late victorian house 4 bedrooms lots of single glazed sash windows and a bit of loft insulation - we get through about 3,000 litres a year I think. 2,000 of it over the winter months - the heating is on during the day.

I'd definitely start with 1,000 litres and then keep a close eye on consumption, you know your tank capacity very accuately is it new?

Hi Benood - thanks for replying. The house is a 4 bedroomed 1930's property and we do need to add some more roof insulation.

3000 litres - wow that is a lot of oil!

I only know the tank capacity as I looked at the label on it, as we had no idea what they could hold. 1,000 litres seems to be the general starting point so that's what we'll go for. Thanks ever so much.

allisond

suki1964 wrote: »

I think the "average" consumption is 2000 litres a year ( or about that ) and mr and mrs average living in a 3 bedroom terrace working all day out of the home - so yes get at least a 1000 litres now and monitor your usage. If the tank is empty you prolly need the boiler bleeding and if you are really lucky the delivery fella will sort that for you ( they do here )

The hardest thing about buying oil the first few times in having to pay up front - and the cost compared to natural gas. This is my 7th winter on the oil and we have worked out timings and temps to best suit us and its not so dear. However we do use the stoves a lot - one is being used every evening already - both will be in use all day come middle of November

Thanks suki1964 i will certainly ask the delivery guy about the boiler bleeding, most appreciated.

I think we will also have the stove on all of the time to try and maintain some heat and save some oil!! It's so expensive!