Switching to Oil...

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H0Ls
H0Ls Posts: 8 Forumite
in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels
Hi All,

After years of trouble with LPG heating we have decided to switch to oil Central heating (we need a new boiler anyway...) .

As we will be new to oil in just wondering what size tank you would recommend and if any brands of tank are better than others?

To save costs we will be putting the tank in ourselves ( pouring a slab and siting it) just getting it all checked and connected by a plumber...

Also, is there anything that someone who is new to oil really needs to know?

We've been without heating for months now so really need to make some decisions so all input greatly received!

Thank you..
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  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,443 Forumite
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    I'd put in a quite large tank if I were you ..... ;)
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,877 Forumite
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    YUP - Big tank, or even two smaller tanks if you have the room

    Don't sign a contract with any oil supplier - The come-ons of them monitoring your tank and filling it when they like, will always cost you money in the price you pay per litre

    Use Yellow pages to seek out local suppliers and always phone at least 4 them for a price when you need oil
    The price is always cheaper in Summer, (July - August), so thats the time to fill your Tank/s to the brim
  • Rodders53
    Rodders53 Posts: 2,150 Forumite
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    https://www.gov.uk/oil-storage-regulations-and-safety/overview

    You will need Building Regs (via local Council) or a qualified installer who can certify and file with BR for you. http://www.oftec.org.uk/consumers/consumer-home-guides may be some help?

    Bunded tank is needed if >2500 litres, below that figure it may or may not need one (depending on the environmental risk assessment) and / or local requirements (via BR?).

    Size will (in part) depend on your heating needs... you should have some idea of the kW used in a year from your LPG use? That a litre of oil produces about 9.8 kW should allow calculation of size needed based on how often you would need to (part re-)fill tank? (LPG = 6.66 kW per litre approx).

    I'm just about to refill my nominal 1300 litre single-skin tank (last time was 1st November, with 750 l) and expect to put in between 750 and 850 litres this time. This is our first home with oil and I'm still learning about what the tank holds and how long it lasts.

    Also check if your village have a community oil club to get a favourable rate even with smaller fills that also reduce tanker miles? Our village does.
  • H0Ls
    H0Ls Posts: 8 Forumite
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    Thanks all for the information.

    Will definitely be getting the tank installed by someone who knows what they are doing so it will all be signed off...

    Do you think 750l since November is about average usage? We only had to have our gas tank filled annually, so hoping that oil wont be lots more expensive.I don't think we are a high usage household though as we try not to put the heating on too much!

    Thanks for the tip about the village oil club - I'll ask around!
  • Ebe_Scrooge
    Ebe_Scrooge Posts: 7,320 Forumite
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    I have to agree with the previous posters. Always phone half a dozen local suppliers every time you order - the cheapest company one time will often not be the cheapest next time. Definitely don't sign up to a direct debit scheme with one company - rather, put money aside each month into a separate account, then you'll have the cash available when the time comes to fill up.


    750 litres since November sounds reasonable ( obviously, depends on your usage, size of house, insulation, etc. etc. ). I find that 1000 litres lasts me roughly 7 months or so in the summer, but only 3 months in the winter.


    And, if you've got the luxury of starting from scratch, then definitely get the biggest tank - or tanks - that you can. Oil prices vary on a daily basis, and are obviously influenced by global oil prices. But it always tends to be cheaper in the summer ( supply and demand, I guess ? ). If you're able to buy enough in the summer to last you all year, then you'll make quite a saving over the long term.
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 9,986 Forumite
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    We don't have oil but I've read of people locally having their oil stolen. Make sure you think about security in terms of where you place your tank, the locks you put on it (put more than one of differing types), an alarm system and consider building a shed around it to conceal it from view.
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  • Rodders53
    Rodders53 Posts: 2,150 Forumite
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    H0Ls wrote: »
    Do you think 750l since November is about average usage?
    No idea.
    I'm going to be able to do an annual oil consumption check on my new home when that date comes round. (Previous owner said he used 3,100 per annum :eek:)
    We only had to have our gas tank filled annually, so hoping that oil wont be lots more expensive.
    So how many litres was that? Then you can estimate your oil use and therefore tank size required to do the same. :T

    LPG (and natural gas) is currently more expensive than Kerosene (heating oil) in the area covered by this site http://www.nottenergy.com/energy_cost_comparison

    Mind you the time to recover the oil tank and boiler install costs will vastly outweigh any fuel price variation, surely?
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    * get biggest tank you can afford/fit. That gives you flexbility to top up if you judge prices are low

    * comply with OFTEC guidance & use an OFTEC installer and make sure you get Building Regs certification

    * Always shop around for. See if there's a local buying club but don't assume that means it will be cheapest - still shop around. There are some national buying clubs too

    * oil theft has all but vanishes (since the price plummet) but as prices are rising, theft may riase too.Locks are pointless, indeed I'd avoid - if someone's gone to the trouble of targeting you, bringing lorry up etc, they'll just drill a hole in the tank and leave you with a) tank replacement and b) soil clean-up on top of the oil loss.

    Better to site the tank out of sight and away from the road. The further away, the more risk & trouble for the thieves. CCTV will deter too.

    * never sign up to a supplier's monitoring contract. They'll top you up a) when prices are high and b) when it's convenient for them, not for you

    * having an indoor electronic monitor is convenient. If installed properly they are a pretty good guide, but don't rely on them 100% esp when the tank is below 1/4 full. Either a visual site guage or a dipstick. Mine broke and I now use a long bamboo stick marked with 10ths. The bamboo doesn't seem to affect the oil!
  • Sycorax
    Sycorax Posts: 98 Forumite
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    edited 6 March 2018 at 5:09PM
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    I have just moved house going from LPG to Oil....and I'm planning on going back to LPG when my boiler needs replacing (seeing a Calor will supply and fit a tank for nothing, along with 20 metres of pipe).

    The reason being is that oil is working out to be at least 10p per litre more expensive, that's even being a member of my local oil club, using comparison sites like BoilerJuice and doing my own shopping around.

    You also have the faff of oil tanks not doing something sensible like telling you how much is in there, you have to rely on dipping the tank or using the electric monitor. Unlike LPG where the little gauge just tells you how full it is.

    Yes, you're not tied into a contract or have rental to pay on the tank, but that 10p difference per litre more than makes up for it.

    Also oil fired boilers are more expensive to buy and it's harder getting some kind of maintenance contract (whereas British Gas cover LPG).

    No chance of theft either.

    You also have to stipulate how much oil you want when ordering, you can't just say 'fill it up' like you can with LPG. If you can't order at least 1000 ltrs then you'll also end up paying more for your oil and there's a minimum order threshold of 500 ltrs.

    Get as big a tank as you can and a bunded (double skinned) tank. Depending on where you are in the country you have to get a bunded tank anyway.

    Anyway, having used both I would go back to LPG in a heartbeat. I haven't paid anything like the current oil prices for LPG ....ever (and of course the prices for oil fluctuate like mad, so if you need to fill up in winter you'll get horribly stung whereas your LPG contract will fix the price regardless of the time of year).

    I find the whole process of trying to guess how much oil is left and how much I can order a real nuisance.

    Oh and LPG is slightly more efficient and a helluva lot greener.

    Anyway a couple of links for you if you're sure it's oil you want:

    https://www.oil-club.co.uk/

    Just type in where you live and it'll let you know if there's already an oil club set up.

    https://www.boilerjuice.com

    (For info, I had a contract with Countrywide for my LPG at 30ppl fixed for the first year and guaranteed 33.5ppl in the second year. The cheapest oil I could get in Jan this year was 44ppl and of course the prices skyrocketed with the recent bad weather).
    'I think that God, in creating Man, somewhat overestimated his ability'..Oscar Wilde
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,443 Forumite
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    Sycorax wrote: »
    For info, I had a contract with Countrywide for my LPG at 30ppl fixed for the first year and guaranteed 33.5ppl in the second year. The cheapest oil I could get in Jan this year was 44ppl

    Best look here ....
    https://www.monikie.org.uk/fuel-calorific-values.htm
    A litre of LPG gives you 7Kw whereas a litre of oil gives you 10Kw

    Do your sums!
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