Oil to Gas conversion - Experiences

dsab

We have recently been informed that Natural Gas (Firmus, I believe) is now available in our local Area. We are living in a reasonably new house (8 years old) but unfortunately the Oil Burner is on it's way out and will require replacement soon. So this makes us seriously think about Gas conversion now. I like the idea of getting rid of the Oil Burner and Tank in the Garden and the wife loves the idea of being able to get Gas cooking.

Now I was wondering if anyone has got this done recently and can provide some thoughts on their experience? How did it work out in terms of running costs? It's the one thing I am wary off, as Oil heating has been quite cheap for us (less then £40 a month on average for a 4BR / 1750 sqf house) and wouldn't want to change only to get gigantic monthly Gas bills afterwards. So would appreciate any feedback on experiences, be it in relation to running costs, Install costs and amount of mess the conversion caused or anything else I need to be aware of.

Regards,

DSAB

P.S. I saw that there was an earlier NI Gas conversion thread, but that one goes back many years and the only recent interactions on it were in relation to recommendations for Installers.

ballyblack

8 year oil burner should not be on the way out. Mine is over 20 years and is fine.
You can repair/replace the oil burner element quite cheaply
I would not even consider gas as I service my own boiler. Gas boilers needs checked regularly by registered gas installers which means money

dsab

ballyblack said:

8 year oil burner should not be on the way out. Mine is over 20 years and is fine.
You can repair/replace the oil burner element quite cheaply
I would not even consider gas as I service my own boiler. Gas boilers needs checked regularly by registered gas installers which means money

Unfortunately it can't be repaired. It's leaking water due to rust, which is apparently a common Issue with the specific Burner I have. Unfortunately builders more often then not go for the cheapest option instead of quality.

ballyblack

So its the boiler not the burner. It will still be a lot cheaper to replace than to change the whole system to pricey gas

Coolhandluke

ballyblack said:

So its the boiler not the burner. It will still be a lot cheaper to replace than to change the whole system to pricey gas

Have to agree with Ballyblack. 
Look around and you may be able to pick up a 2nd hand boiler, like Ballyblack says they can last quite a while and easy to maintain yourself. 

macman

I'm not familiar with gas pricing in NI, but in England, mains gas is very much cheaper than either oil or LPG. If you are having to change the boiler anyway, it makes total sense to switch to gas. The potential deal-breaker may be the cost of getting the gas supply from the existing mains to your property. 
However, any capital cost will start to pay back in reduced annual running costs.
What are the comparative costs per kWh of oil and mains gas on your region?

Croasdaile

My experience has been very positive. Switching to natural gas enabled us to dispense with the cold water storage tank in the loft, the hot water cylinder in the hot press and the oil storage tank outside. We save approx. 25% on the cost of fuel for the oil system replaced and the house is more comfortable than ever. Also, the system heats up more quickly and is quieter. The annual boiler service comes in at £55. Overall very pleased.

Zola.

Gas has been great for us, but pricey enough to get done. We spent 4k doing ours, but we put in a fancy shower and changed 5 radiators as well... It's fantastic not worrying about running out of oil and sorting all that out.... the house heats up a lot quicker too.
Has to be said it's not any cheaper than oil though, just a hell of a lot more convenient.

Coolhandluke

I did look into it as I was thinking of replacing my oil boiler but Phoenix were looking £8000 to bring the gas mains in to the small cul-de-sac where I live. 
A distance of less than 50 mtrs. 

Zola.

That's ridiculous Luke! Gas is slowly being phased out anyway, they will soon be stopping it in new builds and opting for newer technology such as electric heat. 

macman

Gas will be around for decades to come, as it's installed in the vast majority of UK homes. The 2025 ban will only apply to new builds, so gas boilers will still be refitted in the majority of houses when replacement is due.
There is nowhere near enough generating capacity now or in the next 10 years to replace gas with 'electric heat', until such time as new nuclear capacity finally comes on stream.