HELP is this oil usage normal???

Pansy_Potter

Have just moved into my house on Nov 18th it was unoccupied previously, put 1100 litres into new central heating system beginning August and have only run heating properly since moving in, previously was ticking over on minimum settings. Noticed unbelievably last night "Watchman" control was flashing empty!! Is this rate of usage normal? Can anyone tell me what sort of usage is relatively normal as I wasn't expecting to have to fill up this soon... It is a brand new high efficiency condensing boiler. My "Watchman" didn't appear to go down it was looking ok then suddenly empty but doesn't seem any evidence of pilfering although I suppose it cannot be ruled out but would have thought unlikely.

macman

You don't give any indication of the system you are running off it. How large a property, how many rads, how many hours a day is it on, how much hot water...?

G_M

1) Fault with the Watchman. Open the tank. Does the tank have a dipstick? (or a sight guage?). If not use a bamboo pole or similar. It's just like checking the oil in your car. See if the oil level is really right at the bottom.
2) Leak. In the tank? In the feedline? At the boiler?
3) theft. Is tank locked? Any sign of forced entry? If not locked (and sounds like the property has been empty a while) someone may have simply syphoned off fuel.
4) boiler fault. Been serviced recently? Any signs of excessive smoke? smell? (ps have you got a CO2 alarm? If not, why not! £15 from B&Q))
5) Boiler has been running more than you thought. one of the thermostats (hot water cylinder stat? room stat? boiler stat?) set high and switching on boiler? Thermostat faulty?

There's some research for you!

Pansy_Potter

Property is quite large but not excessively so - 4 beds 3 baths 17 rads completely new high efficiency system brand new installation commissioned August. Unfortunately the watachman appears to be working, husband checked tank and confirmed it looks to be empty. The watchman didn't appear to go down gradually, last time I checked it seemed ok then suddenly the light was on, are these things accurate?

manda1205

Pansy_Potter wrote: »

Property is quite large but not excessively so - 4 beds 3 baths 17 rads completely new high efficiency system brand new installation commissioned August. Unfortunately the watachman appears to be working, husband checked tank and confirmed it looks to be empty. The watchman didn't appear to go down gradually, last time I checked it seemed ok then suddenly the light was on, are these things accurate?

To me that is quite a large property, in comparison to my 3 bed, 1 bath and 6 rads. We have used about 3 pips in the past month, by having heating on 23c about 8hrs a day and our hot water too. So your usage may be right, if you have heating high and use a lot of hot water. My watchman has been in 2 years and has been pretty acurate. It goes down gradually, although we do always dip to double check.

Pansy_Potter

Heating certainly hasn't been high max 20C, only 2 of us so water consumption shouldn't be too high. Well we have learned our lesson and will be keeping a closer check, just didn't expect to go through so much oil when heating has only run properly for 18 days! Just didn't see the watchman go down gradually.

manda1205

You may have a leak somewhere then. I wouldnt be very happy using that much oil with just 2 of you. Not sure how to go about finding out if theres a leak. Someone else may come on and give you some advice though.

G_M

I'd suspect a theft, but who knows.

If so, be cautious. You might get another one soon after you top up!

Personally I see little point in using locks on tanks - anyone geared up enough to pump out/syphon off oil will make short shrift of a padlock. And if defeated by the lock will simply cut through the tank causing huge damage as well as lost oil. Just my view though.

Cameras? Alarm on the tank? Lighting?

Is the tank visible from the road? (though often theives, I gather, actually follow delivery trucks and wait till they've topped up a tank.....)

justjohn

i cant help much, but seems high....i fill up aprox 3 times per year aprox 3000 litres....however we are burning wood so do not have idea of usage this year.We are in a 5 bed 2 living room house(edwardian).

If i have read correctly you reckon you have used 1000 litres in less than one month?
How often have you got heating on???

Cardew

The average gas consumption in a year is 16,500kWh. This is the equivalent of approx 1,650 litres.

So using 1100 litres during a mild November, with only two people and with a high efficiency boiler, is huge consumption - even allowing for an above average size house.

I would have thought that 2,000 litres pa for a house with good insulation would be normal.

bernithebiker

Fairly poor insulation, French chateau, 8 bedrooms, would use at least 5000 litres of fuel over winter (about 1000 litres per month). (boiler Wolf 2005, 93% eff.)

Fortunately, we now have a Guntamatic log boiler and fuel use is down to 200 litres per month.