Annual domestic oil usage

TankMaster

Sisyphean_Task wrote: »

You people built my hopes up.... but to no avail

The oil level on the gauge is definitely correct because today I put a stick in the tank lowering it a bit at a time until it reached the oil. Made a mark on the stick and then compared it to the gauge on the front of the tank and the oil level was the same on both. I was hoping there would be several inches more oil in the tank.

What kind of tank is it i.e. make, model, capacity etc? I'll see if I have a calibration chart handy. It won't stop the level from falling - but hopefully should provide you with an indication of how much is 'disappearing'.

Regards

TM

andyinlondon

i am using around 3500 last year ........ will be less this year but we will be colder!

Sisyphean_Task

I don't know what make of tank it is because the white label on it is old and faded. I can read "Seapatrick Road" in the address.

Capacity 2600 litres
Diameter 1650 mm
Height 1390 mm

The gauge is 46" so I reckon 1 inch is about 56 litres.

It's a pity we can't post pictures as I have a very bleached area of grass to the right and downhill from the tank. Though that is also in front of a tree that might be taking a lot of moisture.

TankMaster

Okay, I'm pretty certain it is one of these:

http://www.tankdepot.co.uk/shop/12_57_1/single_skin_oil_tanks/talking_titan_single_skin_oil_tanks/titan_v2500tt_talking_single_skin_plastic_oil_tank/index.html

Manufactured by Kingspan Environmental Containers / Titan Environmental of Seapatrick Road in Banbridge. If you've got bleached grass downhill from the tank, then to my mind that suggests a leak from either the tank or the pipework... probably the latter given how relatively slowly the oil level is falling.

You may wish to call OFTEC on 0845 65 85 080 to see if they can advise what you should do next... as you rent the property, I'm none too sure myself.

Do bear in mind though that if you contact OFTEC, Kingspan companies effectively control OFTEC's Plastic Tank Manufacturing Committee and additionally the Chairman of OFTEC is a senior executive within Kingspan. However, I would hope and expect that shouldn't compromise OFTEC's integrity in the unlikely event that the tank should prove to be the source of this apparent problem.

Regards

TM

Sisyphean_Task

Thanks for the info. It looks like the tank in your link.

The strange thing is that since 28/7 the oil level has stop dropping.

I can only think of 2 explanations.

1) There is a leak just above the current level.

2) Someone has stopped stealing my oil.

malc_b

Wiltshire, 5 bed, detached, cavity wall insulated, double glazed. New oil boiler not condensing (not that oil condensing adds much). Annual usage year before 1700l, last year 1500l.

I reckon that 400l (year before) was for hot water so I adjust timer to optimise that. Warm it morning and mid afternoon only. Also in a few 15min burst so that the boiler runs solid then waits for tank to equalise. Stops the boiler short cycling. That accounts for some of the saving I think. Also last year ran the main stat a bit lower and boosted the lounge with electric, saves heating up empty rooms.

Thermostat is predictive type so has an aim temperature and time point. Turns on heating in the morning just in time to hit that (in theory). Radiators have been balanced too. All have thermostat valves.

Sisyphean_Task

I've been thinking about how our oil level dropped 3 inch during the summer when we weren't using it. There were no signs of a leak.

What if the previous tenant (I'm not going to say landlord) had topped up the oil with water?

This would evaporate more than oil.

Would the boiler still work with watered down oil?

andyinlondon

No, if you had that much water in the tank you would have big problems.

there is always a dribble of water in the bottom of the tank but if there is more than a cupfull then you would need to get it checked out.

water in the tank would ruin your filter and upset your burner and its pump so that is not the reason your level dropped.

was your tank locked?
were you using the boiler for hot water?

Sisyphean_Task

The tank wasn't locked and we weren't using it for hot water. The boiler wasn't on once between May & September yet the oil level dropped an inch a month. The landlord who lives nextdoor told us "evaporation is a fact of life".

Splott_Boy

Vale of Glamorgan – 1970’s house – 5 bed detached – heating and water – Trianco early 90’s oil boiler – house fairly exposed on 2 sides – about 100mm loft insulation – no cavity insulation until recently – upvc double glazing.

From March 2008 to Sept 2009 we used nearly 4200 litres (average cost per litre 45p, total spend nearly £2k, annualised 2800 litres per annum), but this of course includes two summer periods and only one winter. The boiler was on its last legs and (I assume) pretty inefficient. Due to reliability issues we were wary of cranking up the thermostat too far, so if anything consumption should probably have been higher to get the house comfortably warm at times.

If my sums are correct I reckon we used 7.7 litres per day over 539 days with a cost of £3.66 per day !!!!!

We switched to LPG in October – hopefully there are threads on here somewhere with people doing the same calcs for LPG ?!?

Hope this helps.......

(n.b. duplicate post also on a very similar thread - how do we combine the two ....?)