Oil Central Heating and Septic Tank Costs

StevenMarks

So I'm interested in a house which has both oil fired central heating and a septic tank but I have experience with neither.

I know the cost of gas central heating but not oil and wondered if someone could give a rough indication of what it might cost on a 4/5 bedroom house?

And also the costs of running a septic tank rather than mains drainage?

Any information which can be provided will be gratefully received.

Fire_Fox

There is no such thing as a meaningful average for any form of heating, it varies massively depending on the insulation of the property and the residents habits: your preferred ambient temperature, how many hours a day you turn the heating on, whether you heat all the rooms. Run an advanced search re: the septic tank, it's definitely come up before.

Itismehonest

We have both but, when it comes to cost of oil c/h particularly, it's really not easy to generalise. It will very much depend on how many radiators, if you also have anything like an Aga or Rayburn, how often the heating will be on, how high the temperature you feel comfortable with & so on.

For the septic tank, we have one of the larger (30+ person) onions which cost around £170 to empty last summer.
Obviously, the cost depends on the size of the tank, how many people are using it & so how often it needs emptying.

StevenMarks

2-3 people would be using property which is 80s stone and slate build and has recently been refurbished.

Temperatures would be fairly low generally and nothing like an Aga, although I would probably be looking at putting multifuel stove into living room.

agrinnall

I have both, but as others have said the costs of oil heating are affected by a large number of variables, in addition to the ones already pointed out I'll also mention where you live (oil costs vary by location) and what time of year you buy your oil.

For the septic tank, if it's used responsibly and is left to look after itself you may be able to go years without emptying it - I have been here for 8 years and the tank serving 6 properties (4 occupied full time) has not needed to be emptied yet.

G_M

I have a 4 bed, poorly insulated house, and a 2500 litre oil tank. I fill it about once a year (2000 litres + or -). At current prices (60 ppl) 2000 litres = £1200 for a year.

You're sure it is a septic tank not a cesspool? If septic, it will be a lot cheaper than mains sewerage. To empty it costs around £120. How often this needs doing depends on how fast it fills up! Ours is emptied every 2 years, and is shared with the house next door, so £60 each (or £30 per year).

For more, check out the oil forum here.

princeofpounds

Don't worry about the septic tank if it is in good condition. It's not expensive to empty. I pay 150 once a year and probably don't really need to empty it that often.

Oil? More difficult. It will be more expensive than gas almost certainly. But how much more depends on your system and critically insulation. I pay almost double what I did I my gas- heated house. But then the building is far larger and more poorly insulated. That'll be at the high end of experience most likely. Visit the utilities sub-board and you'll see loads of threads on this issue with good guidance.

StevenMarks

Thanks for the responses. Didn't even realise there was an oil forum so thanks for the pointer.

I'm 95% sure it is a septic tank but will be confirming. I hadn't thought they would be so cheap to have so pleased I asked.

G_M

StevenMarks wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. Didn't even realise there was an oil forum so thanks for the pointer.

I'm 95% sure it is a septic tank but will be confirming. I hadn't thought they would be so cheap to have so pleased I asked.

The issue is that a cess pit needs regular empying (monthly?) as it has no exit flow, so whatever you flush, or wash away, soon fills the pit.

A septic tank stores the solids, and allows the liquid to overflow into a soak-away or field, leaving the solids to gradually break up bateriologically in the tank.

princeofpounds

They are cheap to run. Just not to replace. They can last for decades if properly constructed with a good soakaway.

david29dpo

Make sure the soakaway works. Lift the man hole cover PAST the tank to check the water is not backed up.