Should I change to LPG from

KeithLancashure

Thank you 
no it is not a split system 
just one zone and just one thermostat  in the Dining room 

Veteransaver

KeithLancashure said:

Thank you 
no it is not a split system 
just one zone and just one thermostat  in the Dining room 

Ok, are the trvs and lock shield valves fully open on the cold downstairs radiators?

lohr500

I think if I was in your situation and the existing Firebird boiler can't be sorted, then I would replace it with another oil boiler.

You already have the oil tank in place so sticking with oil will significantly reduce the cost to change to LPG.

Have a look at the Grant Vortex Pro model oil boilers. For peace of mind and to avoid any expansive repair surprises, they come with a 10 year parts and labour guarantee (subject to installation and annual servicing by a Grant approved engineer). Ours is now five years old and it hasn't missed a beat.

Not wishing to insult or offend, but it sounds like your plans to downsize mean you won't be living in the current property for the next ten years. As far as i am aware the warranty is transferable which may help with the sale of the house.

A heat pump is worthy of consideration and there is a £9,500 grant towards the cost of installing one. But with it being a 4 bedroomed stone built rural property, I suspect you will need changes to some or all of the radiators to support the lower running temperatures of a heat pump. Also, if you have a combi boiler, I think you will need to have a hot water cylinder installed. But even with the extra work, it may still be cheaper to go down the heat pump route than replacing oil with oil. But you would have to factor in the cost of draining and removing the old oil tank. I would imagine anyone buying the house with a redundant oil tank in the garden would push for some discount to cover their cost of getting it removed. 

In terms of running costs, with today's oil prices, an a reasonably well set up condensing oil boiler will cost the same to run as a very finely tuned and well set up heat pump.


Although I have no direct experience, there appears to be lots of posts from unhappy heat pump owners saying their heating costs have increased significantly. Conversely, owners who seem happy with their heat pumps and report good savings,  tend to be those who really understand the fine settings and can adjust the parameters to ensure maximum efficiency. It strikes me that you need a really good heat pump engineer who understands how to get the most out of the system or take the time to learn about the fine detail yourself.
I have to stress the above is just my personal opinion from reading lots of posts about heat pumps and from dismissing one for our old stone built farmhouse a few years back after doing quite a bit of research. 

KeithLancashure

Thank you veteransaver  for your reply 

“Ok, are the trvs and lock shield valves fully open on the cold downstairs radiators?” 

I am sorry I am out of my depth with that - I presume

that the engineer who came out on Saturday will have checked that as he went to all radiators upstairs and downstairs 

KeithLancashure

Thank you lohr500 for your comprehensive post 

In my position I may well be better to stick with what I have ie. oil if I can find a good and reliable oil engineer and replace the existing boiler with a reliable oil boiler 

The change to any other system at my age (82) and my lack of knowledge may be too much of an upheaval 

In the immediate time I need to get the current engineering firm to come back and get me up and running 

I have been chasing them up 

lohr500

KeithLancashure said:

Thank you lohr500 for your comprehensive post 

In my position I may well be better to stick with what I have ie. oil if I can find a good and reliable oil engineer and replace the existing boiler with a reliable oil boiler 

The change to any other system at my age (82) and my lack of knowledge may be too much of an upheaval 

In the immediate time I need to get the current engineering firm to come back and get me up and running 

I have been chasing them up 

Not sure how far west you are in Lancashire, but a company called Aztec Gas in Colne installed and service our Grant oil boiler. They also replaced a leaking hot water immersion tank for us a couple of years ago.

They seem to really know their stuff and when installing the new boiler, they changed the system over from a gravity fed hot water system, to a valve controlled "S plan" system which has been a big improvement. 

I have no affiliation with them, other than being very pleased with the quality and professionalism of their work. And they were the lowest price out of three quotes I obtained for replacing the biler.

It might be worth you contacting them for a quote if they will travel to your area.

KeithLancashure

Hi lohr500
i am about 40 minutes away from Colne in  Billinge which is about 6 mikes west of Wigan 

KeithLancashure

i have just rung Aztec Gas 
unfortunately it is too far for them 

stripling

@KeithLancashure re
i have just rung Aztec Gas 
unfortunately it is too far for them  

@KeithLancashure  3 suggestions:
1) ring Aztec Gas back, explain you are elderly and stuck with broken heating and no help and ask them if they could please recommend another installer of the same systems. Tell them that you'd been recommended to try Aztec Gas and the Grant system and the valve controlled "S plan" hot water system so would appreciate if they could point you in the right direction. 
2) Age UK local branches often keep lists of recommended traders that have been vetted. I found roofers for my mum through them. It's worth ringing your nearest branch. 
3) Here is a link to the consumer organisation Which Trusted Traders page for Wigan - there's 2 vetted oil -fired heating companies. Definitely worth a try. 

Best of luck... 

KeithLancashure

Thanks Stripling 
I will pursue those avenues 
I am also chasing the RBS organisation and expressed my dissatisfaction that the Manchester engineer who came out on Saturday has not been back as promised