Currently have Oil CH - should we switch to Gas?

Tombliboo_2

Hi.

I am hoping that someone more knowledgeable than me can help.

We currently have an old Oil CH system which will need replacing in the very near future. Our water is heated by the immersion. The 2 have never been connected. Our Oil seems to go very quickly but that could just be because the boiler isn't very efficient.

Our property isn't connected to gas but we do have gas in our street so presumably it wouldn't take a lot to get connected. (We are in the process of getting a quote but need permission from neighbours over a shared driveway before they will take the quote any further).

My question is, would it be cheaper in the long run to have gas connected and install a gas CH system or should we stick to Oil?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Cardew

At current prices gas costs about 50% of the price of oil.

The trouble is that there is no certainty if that difference will remain the same in the future.

Gas will also be about a third of the price of the electricity you use for the Immersion heater.

You need to know the amount of oil you use for heating and electricity for HW to calculate savings and compare them with how much it will cost to get a gas boiler CH system against the cost to modify your Oil CH

You could get a horrible shock on the cost of running a gas pipe to your house, some people have quoted £thousands. If you do a search you will find the threads.

amtrakuk

Agree with cardew. Also the price of fitting a new boiler can be a few £k as well as well as the servicing and depreciation

Tombliboo_2

Cheers guys.

I guess I have a few calculations to work out!!

I am presuming (maybe wrongly?) that a new boiler would be a similar sort of layout for Oil or Gas. So, theoretically can erase that cost from the equation and I guess we need to hook it up to the hot water to save the cost there.

We have the ball rolling on a quotation from National Grid for the gas connection. So, fingers crossed it won't be too much. The main isn't very far and doesn't cross any highways (just a shared driveway from what I can see).

Why it is all so confusing .....

Cardew

Tombliboo wrote: »

I am presuming (maybe wrongly?) that a new boiler would be a similar sort of layout for Oil or Gas.

I would think that if anything a new gas boiler would be a little cheaper than a oil boiler. However the cost of the boiler itself is but a small item in replacement costs when you consider labour costs plus fluching system etc.

You might consider getting a combi boiler. That type of boiler can still be connected to a HW tank, or the tank removed.

Personally I prefer a HW tank as you have a plentiful supply of HW. The drawback of a combi is the lower flow - especially in winter - for filling a bath or a shower. Plus you normally have a nice warm airing cupboard.

The loss of heat from a well lagged HW tank is not that high - normally less than 1,000kWk pa(circa £30pa with gas) and in any case the heat is not 'lost' as it goes into the fabric of the house.

If you 'need' another reason to convince yourself(or wife) that gas is the best option, it will undoubtedly add value to your property.

amtrakuk

interested to know if you managed to get you're quotes though