Using fuel in oil fuelled boiler - which setting uses less?

G_M

Basic question but.. I assume there is a thermostat on the hot water cylinder - what is it set at? If it is too low, the water will NEVER get hot however long the boiler runs!

kazzza38

Hi. i have an old oil boiler. I have it on constant all day everyday. When the summer months are here and my heating is turned off. I hardly use any oil what so ever with keeping my boiler on for just water. I did one yr try it on my immersion and turned the oil off all together. But my service engineer said its alot cheaper running hot water from the boiler than from immersion heater. So i filled my oil tank full and during the summer month while constantly heating my water, My oil gauge has never moved off full.. I do 4-5 clothes washes a day, I have 6 people living in my household with 3 bathrooms. so use a lot of hot water. so now i always use my oil instead of immersion heater.

Cardew

kazzza38 wrote: »

Hi. i have an old oil boiler. I have it on constant all day everyday. When the summer months are here and my heating is turned off. I hardly use any oil what so ever with keeping my boiler on for just water. I did one yr try it on my immersion and turned the oil off all together. But my service engineer said its alot cheaper running hot water from the boiler than from immersion heater. So i filled my oil tank full and during the summer month while constantly heating my water, My oil gauge has never moved off full.. I do 4-5 clothes washes a day, I have 6 people living in my household with 3 bathrooms. so use a lot of hot water. so now i always use my oil instead of immersion heater.

Welcome to the forum.

Oil costs around 6p/kWh(@ 60p a litre)

An old oil boiler might have an efficiency of, say, 65% - 70% so cost is around 9p/kWh

Electricity is around 11p to 12p/kWh.

However it is an option for some people to go on an Economy 7 tariff when water can be heated at around 5p/kWh to 6pkWh. Even though daytime(17 hours) prices of electricity are higher, it can still be cheaper for some people if the correct tariff is chosen.

In fact with an old inefficient gas boiler(especially if it has a pilot light) it can be cheaper to use Economy 7 in the summer and switch boiler off completely.