Price of heating oil

jess1974

Ooh you've got me worried, i usually use Goff aswell...

oysterman

Sunny2 wrote: »

Wish I'd struck a deal when I first started buying about 10 years ago.... it was 7p a litre then! Now I negotiate with everyone who delivers to this area and go back to my regular supplier who always either price matches or goes below - this can save us £10-£20. I think the earlier poster who mentioned additives in the oil / quality of oil is on the right track as to why we're all using so much more than usual. I seem to remember that the boilerman mentioned something about Shell being the only oil company that doesn't mix their oil with other producers and therefore is better quality. Still, I would really like to know what's changed recently to affect the increase in the amount of oil we're using.

Shell do not deliver domestic heating oil or have there own stocks, they just buy off the same people other oil companies buy off.:cool:

chiefengineer_2

There is a suggestion that fuel has changed and more fuel is being used. And you'd be correct in saying that. Because of various anti-polution acts enabled across the EU to reduce airborne particulates, especially sulphur in order to stop acid rain and other forms of eviromental damage, fuel has been adjusted. For instance the sulphur content of fuel has been reduced to 1.5% max across the EU in gasoil. In many cases the net effect is a slight one but often a change in combustion characteristics occurs. Sometimes the end result is an increase in fuel useage. Often combustion has to be set up again differently to the manufacturers set points in order to achieve good burning. I note that someone has said a larger build up of carbon has been noted in their AGA. Well, to be honest that is correctable and the service technician shoul be able to adjust the air/fuel ratio to do this. It sounds like the person involved is burning too much oil and creating carbon. The air/fuel ratio should be adjusted to lean the combustion flame up, which will have the effect of reducing fuel useage and getting better heat. As a quick check, have a look at the smoke coming from the boiler flue. if it's black or has too much visible dark smoke, then you are burning too much fuel compared to the air. And wasting money of course.