Oil Tank refilling advice please?

FinnHann

I've lived with oil heating for quite a few years now, and I've found these things are the most important: top up as much as you can when you can, never let it go below 300 litres (you might use that much in a week or two if you get severe weather like we did the last couple of winters, and it could take that long for your next lot to get to you) and the real life-saver is this: buy a portable electric heater for each room to use as backup if the worst comes to the worst.

The first year I lived in a house with OFCH, I moved in in the summer and figured I had forever to fill the oil tank, but by the time September came round I still didn't have enough money to pay up front for the min 500 litre delivery. October came and went and I was still only half-way to the target amount in the bank. It wasn't until the middle of November that I could afford to buy just the minimum 500 litres, and if it hadn't been for the portable electric heaters we were donated by our friends and family we would have absolutely frozen!

You can get very economical plug-in heaters from places like Argos (or ebay etc) and to be honest I wonder why I even bother using the boiler at all since I find what the electric heaters add onto my electricity bill is only ever the same or less than the amount of oil I'd have used in that time. I guess it means no hot water, but there's the immersion heater for emergencies, the showers are electric and that only leaves washing the dishes, I've just got used to boiling the kettle for that!

sat_mad

Hi,

We're trying to fill our oil tank before winter, and due to the shape of the tank, finding it hard to work out how much to order.

If we order, say 750 litres, and only 700 fits in, would we be charged for just the 700 litres?

Thanks.

suki1964

You are only charged for what you buy.

The tanker has a gizmo on it like the petrol pump and it prints out a docket telling you how much oil you have been delivered


Here when I order I estimate how much I need and then say fill tank
The estimate is just so I can get a ppl. The more you buy the cheaper it is

Does your tank not have measures along the side ? I put in a garden cane and then use that to estimate or if there's someone here with me, I look in the tank whilst they run their finger down the outside till I see the shadow hit the top of the oil then it's easy read from the measures

sat_mad

Thanks for this - I'll get some ordered.

Our tank has a gauge on the outside (vertical clear tube type), but its shape is like a sausage with a hollow base which makes it hard to work out how the gauge relates overall.

I've been placing coloured tape on the gauge after partial fill-ups as a guide, but haven't had enough yet to work out a scale!

Lotus-eater

I know I've ordered a 1000 litres before and been given a price and it only needed about 700 litres to fill the tank, yet I was still given the 1000 litres price, so it may be better always overestimating how much you need.
ie always over a 1000 litres.

sat_mad

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I know I've ordered a 1000 litres before and been given a price and it only needed about 700 litres to fill the tank, yet I was still given the 1000 litres price, so it may be better always overestimating how much you need.
ie always over a 1000 litres.

Thanks for the tip! :cool:

bernithebiker

sat_mad wrote: »

Thanks for the tip! :cool:

I think Lotus-eater got lucky. I don't think all oil delivery people would be so generous. I know mine aren't!

Try to find a nearby neighbour also on oil. Oil resellers will often let you combine forces to make up to say 2000 litres.

Or try a company that takes a monthly payment, and tops you up as and when they see fit - they economize by delivering one area at a time.

Mayflower10cat

One little tip from a friend who works for an oil company locally; when you ring up to place an order, if you say it's an emergency and you need oil fast - they bump up the price. Also, there may well an existing oil buying cartel (very Dallas) in your neighbourhood - there is in our little village. Check your Parish Mag or similar. We filled up a few weeks ago, 500L costing us £370 which, fingers crossed and based on previous years, should get us through the winter. (2 bed semi Edwardian cottage.) Heat is not on all day, just morning & evening for a few hours, water on twice or three times. We also have emergency electric convector heaters, just in case of boiler breakdown or we have an oil theft. Prices have come down a bit recently so if you need some I'd suggest ordering it now.

suki1964

Just noticed the average price here for 500 litres is £300

sat_mad

suki1964 wrote: »

Just noticed the average price here for 500 litres is £300

I decided to go for a conservative, though maybe slightly too high, 800 litres which came out at just under £500. Certainly not cheap.

I've asked around our village, and sadly there doesn't appear to be any buying groups set up which is surprising given that it's 'off the grid'. I'll maybe set one up when my status changes from outsider - could take a while though.