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Anyone cutting back on the oil central heating usage?

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Comments

  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,597 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 19 April 2022 at 9:09PM
    Wastage level of 10% plus pipe losses seems a fair proportion in terms of cost at today’s prices. As you said at the start, turn the thing off. As hard core money savers, most people
    on here have probably doing that for years.
    If anyone is still running a non condensing boiler then they'd be wise to look at replacing it, but i dont know what percentage still would be.  Theres grants available, depending on age and income.  I helped my folks get theirs replaced a couple of years back and that was grant aided.  They also got a room thermostat installed, so no more "heat on, an hour later, oh its too hot.  Heat off, an hour later, oh its too cold". cycle which in hindsight was timely.  A couple of older family friends are changing theirs now too. 

    I dont even think the non-condensing boilers can be legally installed any more and i dont think they're made new so any worn out old type ones are being replaced with condensing boilers anyway.

    But yes over and above that, theres money to be saved in dropping the room temp by a couple of degrees, only heating the rooms needed, wearing a jumper, etc.  

    I definitely think this winter is going to be very tough and very expensive for most.  We as a country have had relatively cheap energy and low interest rates for a very long time now and have become used to it and complacent.
  • qwert_yuiop
    qwert_yuiop Posts: 3,617 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
     relatively cheap energy and low interest rates for a very long time now and have become used to it and complacent.
    Definitely. Enormous vehicles are everywhere these days, and it must be costing £200 and more to fill the tank.
    “What means that trump?” Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
  • qwert_yuiop
    qwert_yuiop Posts: 3,617 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts


    The Financial Times last week apparently had a tip on how to beat fuel price rises - invest in shell and bp shares. Fine advice if you’re not struggling and have loads of savings. 
    and since then, Shell is up around 20%. Some people are doing well from others’ misfortune.
    “What means that trump?” Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
  • kah22
    kah22 Posts: 1,863 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Yes I'm cutting back.  To be honest I can only see the price rising but I'm aiming to buy some in the middle of June as oil generally dips a little during hot weather. Though this year so far 🥶
  • kah22
    kah22 Posts: 1,863 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Ticked said:
    We fitted a Hive thermostat in the hall and thermostatic radiator valves in the rest of the rooms. Now that everything is set we just leave it alone and the system is doing a good job. Using circa 1000 litres annually, 3 bed detached in windy location. 
    How do you find Hive - worth the outlay ?
  • Ticked
    Ticked Posts: 518 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    kah22 said:
    Ticked said:
    We fitted a Hive thermostat in the hall and thermostatic radiator valves in the rest of the rooms. Now that everything is set we just leave it alone and the system is doing a good job. Using circa 1000 litres annually, 3 bed detached in windy location. 
    How do you find Hive - worth the outlay ?
    That’s a good question. From the handiness point of view, it’s very good. For some years I had a home brew system for turning the boiler on and off from my phone but that was all it did. The Hive app allows on/off, temperature and time adjust and setting. We experimented with various sitings of the Hive thermostat, eventually settled on 16C in the hallway. The rest of the house is controlled with individual thermostatic radiator valves.
    As we only have a two pipe system, we’re unable to use Hive to control the hot water. That benefit is wasted for us. 
    Overall, I like the Hive, yes it was expensive but I wouldn’t want to go back to the home made system!
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