OK – so if a property isn't on the gas mains network is that a done deal or is the gas network being expanded still?

If it's the latter anyone know if there's any online guides etc that might detail where the network is being expanded to? Have tried a few links off the internet but not sure I'm looking in the right places. TIA as always…

iirc, the utilities companies will have copies for their own use. However you might be able to buy a copy off them.

You can buy them from the Utils companies in your area.

If its a property you bought it should be on your searches shouldnt it?

Thanks for suggestions.

If its a property you bought it should be on your searches shouldnt it?

Possibly, nothing bought yet just wondering whether oil (or in some cases LPG) central heating would be "forever" or not…

Ah right. Well if you are buying the solicitor will do the searches for you I should think.

However, first port of call would be the main utility company of the area.

This looks promising

http://www.linesearch.org/

I think the OP was wanting to know if gas would be coming to the area in future? The utilities will have copies of the locations that the pipes are in the ground – more for when people are digging in an area. This should be available on request.

I think the OP was wanting to know if gas would be coming to the area in future?

Yeah, pretty much. As I say, many of the places we've looked at are either oil or LPG and it's just worrying how much more they both seem to cost over mains gas s'all. Still researching it all really… cheers all though.

I am a network engineer for Phoenix Natural Gas in Northern Ireland, we will go to places where sufficient demand exists to make laying the mains economically viable.

Not sure how this will work on the mainland, you'd probably want to check with whoever owns the distribution network in your area and log an interest. Transco (maybe now under the National Grid umbrella) may be the place to start.

National grid or transco as it used to be called, run all the gas pipelines and also the electric distribution cables.

LPG is considerably more than natural gas, oil not so and often comparable. For a long while oil was cheaper than gas.

Can you look at air source heat pumps?

Can you look at air source heat pumps?

No idea what they are! Feel free to enlighten me 😀

Air source heat pump take heat out of the air, and put it into water for rads etc. No gas or oil, but do take electricty to run.

Heat pumps are the future. They're around 300% efficient at the moment and improving.
What that means is that for every 1kw of energy you put into in, 3kw comes out to your radiators.
This makes then almost comparable to gas for central heating. In the next few years as gas continues to get more expensive, they could well be signifiantly cheaper to run.
At the moment tho, they are still a bit dearer that gas, but way cheaper tho LPG or oil

I worked for Transco (as was) a few years back. You will have to get in touch with the distribution company for your area (whereabouts are you?) that'll be National grid, Northern Gas Networks/UU Scottish and Southern, and a couple of others that I don't recall. You're looking to deal with "connections" or meter installation. Do any or your neighbours have mains gas? Is there a small, strange gassy smelling, brick building within a mile or so of your house? Are there mains replacement scars in the tarmac outside? If not you're probably out of luck.

Providing a connection to a low pressure distribution line is easy, most of the mains are PE plastic now and a Tee is welded onto the live line and run up your garden. This can be done on medium pressure lines too in some cases, but is more expensive IIRC.

How does a heat pump work when it's cold?

When it's cold heat pumps freeze up so you go to B+Q and buy electric oil filled radiators

Heat pumps work when it's cold. They use them in Sweden where it gets a bit cold in the winter. The hot water you get out of a heat pump is a bit cooler than a boiler so ideally you'd fit bigger(?) rads to compensate.
Also, if you have a big garden ground sourced heat pumps would be the way to do it, but you would have to dig up the lawn.

I think that andyl46 is correct [/quote]we will go to places where sufficient demand exists to make laying the mains economically viable

If you don't have mains gas at the moment (and none of your neighbours do) the chances are that attaching you to the national grid will not be economical viable.

If everyone else has mains gas then it could be viable, if not have a look on a map for the nearest town village with mains gas then measure the distancing to your house/village I guess that the cost of laying a gas main is £50-100 per meter

If you don't have mains gas at the moment (and none of your neighbours do) the chances are that attaching you to the national grid will not be economical viable.

Yep, suspect that will be the case since it's pretty rural but no harm in wondering!

re heat pumps – that is is just the pump bit – they can be linked to air source – i.e. take air in, or ground source take heat from ground.

ground source provides a more stable temperature source, but more infrastructure required

also re to find where pipes are we use Groundwise at work.

http://www.groundwise.com