How much heating oil do you use?

Baronessbathory

I filled my 500l tank just under a month ago, and now it’s empty again?! It’s never ran out this fast. Heating has been on a little more than usual as it’s been so cold but it has on other years too without it running out so fast. Surely this isn’t right? I can’t afford another £500

I have a 2 bedroom semi, heating comes on for a couple of hours in the morning and evening, water an hour in the morning and evening. I’ve been putting the heating on for maybe an hour or 2 during the day recently too as the temperature has been dropping to 15 degrees in the house and I have two young children who are cold.

I can’t see a leak anywhere (plastic tank on 2ft concrete base surrounded by my patio slabs).

Does this seem right to people or must there be something going on for it to run out so fast?

Apodemus

A lot will depend on how well insulated your 2-bedroom semi is.  When was it built? 

Also, where in the country are you?  Where I am, with my house on an exposed site in northern Scotland, I am sure I will use more oil than if my house was in a sheltered valley in Dorset.

I wouldn't be surprised about anyone using 500l in the last month.  

Meanwhile, I would make the observation that parents often feel the cold much more than children, who can more easily be wrapped up warm and sent to run around!

MorningcoffeeIV

Baronessbathory said:

I filled my 500l tank just under a month ago, and now it’s empty again?! 

Is that a question or a statement? (You seem to have opted for both.)

Is the tank physically empty? Or is the gauge reading low/empty, but you still have oil? Or have you not check the level and the boiler isn't working?

comeandgo

We go through 1200 litres in 3 months during winter and another fill does 9 months though we do have the heating on all the time via thermostat set at 18 and 10 during nights.  Could someone have stolen some?  There have been some thefts of oil reported in our area.

Baronessbathory

Hi, thanks for your response. I’m in a cul de sac in Worcestershire, not too exposed! House is fully insulated walls and loft, and was build in the late 60s. My children are both girls and prefer to sit and read / play with dolls and they’re really feeling the cold despite me dressing them in loads of layers. 

propertyrental

I use about tankful each year - that's 2,500 litrs. Boiler is off for most of the summer.

Baronessbathory

MorningcoffeeIV said: Is that a question or a statement? (You seem to have opted for both.)

Is the tank physically empty? Or is the gauge reading low/empty, but you still have oil? Or have you not check the level and the boiler isn't working?

It was to articulate my shock at the fact that it’s empty already. The tank is physically empty and my heating / hot water isn’t coming on.

Baronessbathory

comeandgo said:

We go through 1200 litres in 3 months during winter and another fill does 9 months though we do have the heating on all the time via thermostat set at 18 and 10 during nights.  Could someone have stolen some?  There have been some thefts of oil reported in our area.

I was worrying about theft, I’ve never got through so much so fast. I don’t have a thermostat unfortunately so most of the times it’s just off apart from a few hours a day!

dunstonh

I filled my 500l tank just under a month ago, and now it’s empty again?! It’s never ran out this fast. Heating has been on a little more than usual as it’s been so cold but it has on other years too without it running out so fast. Surely this isn’t right? I can’t afford another £500 

Everyone's use will be different.  However, we have gone through over 500l from 16th Dec to now.  That is less than normal as it's been generally milder (a few days colder than average but mostly warmer than average).  Plus, we have the heating on lower than past years with the woodburners taking a lot of the slack.

In previous years we filled up with 800 litres in Nov 2020 and 1000 litres on 19th Jan 2021.  Just two months later.  That was a colder period.  Whereas in 2019 we filled up with 700 litres on 20th Nov 19 and 800 litres on 8th Jan 2020.

lohr500

We've used an average of 16 litres per day through January. This is in a large old detached Yorkshire stone farmhouse with 5 bedrooms in an exposed location.  We have the heating on at 16.5C through the day, rising to 18.5C for 4 hours in the evenings. Water is heated overnight by off peak electricity, with a a hour oil fired boost around tea time.

So +/- 500 litres in January.

On the basis of your property description it sounds like your consumption is way too high compared to ours. 

Historically have you used so much?
Are you sure there isn't a leak somewhere underground?
How old is your boiler?
As mentioned above, could there have been a theft of your oil?

Apodemus

Baronessbathory said:

Hi, thanks for your response. I’m in a cul de sac in Worcestershire, not too exposed! House is fully insulated walls and loft, and was build in the late 60s. My children are both girls and prefer to sit and read / play with dolls and they’re really feeling the cold despite me dressing them in loads of layers. 

Ok, so a reasonably well-insulated house in the "deep south" (when viewed from my end of the telescope!), so I sympathise with your shock at the rate of use. 

I installed a room thermostat for the first time this year and it has really paid dividends in terms of controlling the boiler, so I would thoroughly recommend that you do this.  With the modern smart systems that are around, it will quite likely be an easy DIY installation, if you are even slightly "techy" or know someone who is.

We have our room thermostat set for 16C, which I suspect is lower than your kids might find acceptable and at this point in the winter, it is probably too late for you to harden them off, if they are already used to a warmer house.  Is there an igloo Barbie, to get them into the spirit?