LPG

[V8Druid]

As a former garage owner I'm fully aware of our stupid law. Let me make you fully aware of what I think to it:

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Why do you think I live in the middle of no-where?

as I said elsewhere " were you invited onto my property? No? best leave whilst you are still able to "

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I wish you wouldn’t , I need an answer to my issue ! Which fuel is most cost effective when your heating a house from a buried garden tank ? Also roughly what percentage is one better than the other ? My options are I stick with LPG tank and 16 year old boiler or I renew boiler for a new kero boiler and locate the kero tank in a better location and reclaim the bit of garden the buried LPG tank is in . If the running costs are that close it would be likely not worth removing the LPG but if there is a significant saving using kero then it may be worth considering switching

Today- your 16 year old LPG boiler on bulk LPG will be roughly comparable to a new standard non modulating oil boiler with a bulk oil tank. In all of recent history you’d be better off on oil. I suspect that history will repeat itself. Given I’ve been a plumbing and heating engineer for a fair while now, I’ve got oil fired central heating and LPG cooking and fire in the lounge. Hedging my bets!
If I was you I would keep what you have and insulate everything possible as that’s the key - using LESS energy to keep warm.
When your 16 year old boiler snuffs it- see what the world is like then. Personally I’d rather own my own fuel tank. I find that Calor are useless twernts, and the only company that make them look good are Flogas who are even more s**t. At least with oil you have some decent choice.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Have a look at my numbers above (Page 1) - the difference in cost per unit energy is only 1.2%.
That means the practical difference will come down to the efficiency of the boiler you are using.

That’s today. Average over the last 20 years and oil is way cheaper.
As far as I’m aware they both come from the same place so once all the Russia/Brexit/covid bollocks settles then I daresay there will be a return to old price differences.

 

[GazCro]

Today- your 16 year old LPG boiler on bulk LPG will be roughly comparable to a new standard non modulating oil boiler with a bulk oil tank. In all of recent history you’d be better off on oil. I suspect that history will repeat itself. Given I’ve been a plumbing and heating engineer for a fair while now, I’ve got oil fired central heating and LPG cooking and fire in the lounge. Hedging my bets!
If I was you I would keep what you have and insulate everything possible as that’s the key - using LESS energy to keep warm.
When your 16 year old boiler snuffs it- see what the world is like then. Personally I’d rather own my own fuel tank. I find that Calor are useless twernts, and the only company that make them look good are Flogas who are even more s**t. At least with oil you have some decent choice.

His 16 year old lpg boiler could still be nigh on as efficient as you'll get (could still be condensing boiler with modulating burner)

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I’m facing this same conundrum - we are about to replace an old oil boiler (which works fine but does smell a bit) as we are extending the house and I’ve been told we might as well go bigger. This one is really old and needs moving anyway, and I’m considering switching to lpg and burying a tank in the garden (which is getting ripped up at the same time).
Would a modern gas boiler (conventional, not combi) be more efficient than a modern oil equivalent, seeing as we are spending the money one way or another anyway?

 

[Stroppymonkey]

His 16 year old lpg boiler could still be as efficient as you'll get (could still be condescending boiler with modulating burner)

I think thats what I implied? 2006 could be a WB greenstar CDI which was a great boiler , or some s**t Italian standard efficiency budget crap boiler from B&Q. The very fact it’s still going after 16 years makes me hope it’s the former.
Modulating oil boilers are in their infancy still.
If it was a customer and it’s still safe and serviceable then I’d be advising to leave it alone .

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I’m facing this same conundrum - we are about to replace an old oil boiler (which works fine but does smell a bit) as we are extending the house and I’ve been told we might as well go bigger. This one is really old and needs moving anyway, and I’m considering switching to lpg and burying a tank in the garden (which is getting ripped up at the same time).
Would a modern gas boiler (conventional, not combi) be more efficient than a modern oil equivalent, seeing as we are spending the money one way or another anyway?

In your situation I’d go oil TBH.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I’m facing this same conundrum - we are about to replace an old oil boiler (which works fine but does smell a bit) as we are extending the house and I’ve been told we might as well go bigger. This one is really old and needs moving anyway, and I’m considering switching to lpg and burying a tank in the garden (which is getting ripped up at the same time).
Would a modern gas boiler (conventional, not combi) be more efficient than a modern oil equivalent, seeing as we are spending the money one way or another anyway?

Although your existing boiler is probably massively oversized. Get a decent room x room heat loss calculation done before anyone tells you that you need a bigger boiler. If it smells it need’s attention. How old is it/what model?

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Although your existing boiler is probably massively oversized. Get a decent room x room heat loss calculation done before anyone tells you that you need a bigger boiler. If it smells it need’s attention. How old is it/what model?

Greenstar Camry 18/25 condensing, not sure of age but I’d guess at least 15-20 years old. It was leaking oil from the pump (which I’ve sorted) and I’ve fitted a new jet - the smell might be legacy from the leak though tbh. The base plate has pretty much rusted away (it sits lower than the tiled floor in a cupboard in a conservatory and ends up in a bit of a puddle when the floor is mopped).

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Greenstar Camry 18/25 condensing, not sure of age but I’d guess at least 15-20 years old. It was leaking oil from the pump (which I’ve sorted) and I’ve fitted a new jet - the smell might be legacy from the leak though tbh. The base plate has pretty much rusted away (it sits lower than the tiled floor in a cupboard in a conservatory and ends up in a bit of a puddle when the floor is mopped).

Closer to 15 than 20 I’d say. Oil pumps are a consumable item these days, nozzles an annual requirement. If it’s a modern ish house then decent set up and controls and roughly speaking that boiler will run a big house…. Brand new boiler won’t be any more efficient. Do you know what it is rated at currently?

 

[GazCro]

Greenstar Camry 18/25 condensing, not sure of age but I’d guess at least 15-20 years old. It was leaking oil from the pump (which I’ve sorted) and I’ve fitted a new jet - the smell might be legacy from the leak though tbh. The base plate has pretty much rusted away (it sits lower than the tiled floor in a cupboard in a conservatory and ends up in a bit of a puddle when the floor is mopped).

Smell of oil hangs about for ages

 

[pettsy]

You can date the gas greenstar worcesters from the serial number, not sure if oil is the same

 

[diggerjones]

Greenstar Camry 18/25 condensing, not sure of age but I’d guess at least 15-20 years old. It was leaking oil from the pump (which I’ve sorted) and I’ve fitted a new jet - the smell might be legacy from the leak though tbh. The base plate has pretty much rusted away (it sits lower than the tiled floor in a cupboard in a conservatory and ends up in a bit of a puddle when the floor is mopped).

I'd say oil aswell, having a gas tank means your into having a contract.
What about ground source heat pump, you've got the ground. I done a few. I put air source heating in the wifes studio at home.

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Closer to 15 than 20 I’d say. Oil pumps are a consumable item these days, nozzles an annual requirement. If it’s a modern ish house then decent set up and controls and roughly speaking that boiler will run a big house…. Brand new boiler won’t be any more efficient. Do you know what it is rated at currently?

The house or the boiler? No idea on either tbh!
The house is going to nearly double in floor space once extended. I’ve just looked at the boiler and it’s only ever been run at below half power on the dial (which I’ve never touched since we moved here).
Apart from me running it out of oil a couple of years ago it’s never given any trouble at all until the recent leak (I replaced an o-ring on a solenoid valve jobby and it’s fine now). I intended moving it into the new boiler location and carrying on with it but the plumber who came for a look suggested otherwise… (I am waiting for another opinion though!).

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I'd say oil aswell, having a gas tank means your into having a contract.
What about ground source heat pump, you've got the ground. I done a few. I put air source heating in the wifes studio at home.

Still cheaper to run oil ….With the install cost, Even the current £6k BUS grant it wouldn’t persuade me even if I had the space . Under the old RHI it was okay, one of my customers got 29K back over 7 years. Totally worth it then.
If no grants available then going renewable is only for emotional reasons not financial

 

[Stroppymonkey]

The house or the boiler? No idea on either tbh!
The house is going to nearly double in floor space once extended. I’ve just looked at the boiler and it’s only ever been run at below half power on the dial (which I’ve never touched since we moved here).
Apart from me running it out of oil a couple of years ago it’s never given any trouble at all until the recent leak (I replaced an o-ring on a solenoid valve jobby and it’s fine now). I intended moving it into the new boiler location and carrying on with it but the plumber who came for a look suggested otherwise… (I am waiting for another opinion though!).

If you’re moving it - then replace it.

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I'd say oil aswell, having a gas tank means your into having a contract.
What about ground source heat pump, you've got the ground. I done a few. I put air source heating in the wifes studio at home.

I priced up groundsource with me doing all the digging and it was mental money tbh - not being a man of your means I can’t afford to go down that route!

 

[Monkeybusiness]

If you’re moving it - then replace it.

What should I be looking for if buying a new oil boiler? Make/type etc? You mentioned modulating oil boilers being in their infancy earlier - is oil boiler tech about to improve?

 

[GazCro]

Your biggest savings won't come from the fuel you burn but the design of the heating system. That will largely be governed by how much you are prepared to go altering the rest of the house when you extend it though.

 

[GazCro]

I priced up groundsource with me doing all the digging and it was mental money tbh - not being a man of your means I can’t afford to go down that route!

It's green so it's had the cost of it hiked through the roof