I don't necessarily think gas boilers are always over-speced to the heating load as such, more that most are combis doing the hot water, and you need 28kW or more for decent hot water flow. Then of course, most gas boilers modulate the burner down to 50%, 30% or even less. Throw in clever flow temperature control (e.g. weather compensation), a gas boiler ticking over a min modulation and <50C flow is very efficient. 97% ?
Anyway, oil and wood here. Although the thread did make me think that in serveral years when the boiler is end of life, what to do? I'd always struggled with where to physically locate a ASHP, without hideous pipe work (current heating install was DIY, and artistry in copper IMHO, even the pro plumber commissioning the boiler was impressed). The solution hit me the other day, using the existing RSJ across the kitchen to route pipework towards the rear of the house, down inside (hidden behind kitchen units), and then underground to cross the walkway to the "bins and utility" area. There's too many ASHP installs with external pipe runs up the roof space, on the front of the house. Ugly!
Heating oil prices have rocketed. 2 weeks ago roughly 55p/ltr now 85p/ltr +
That is a huge amount of extra cash for someone to find, and prices will only keep going up for now
Really was a bad decision
Really was a bad decision
Well yes and no.
Prices have gone up but you don't pay the new price until you need more oil. IF I had a full tank I wouldn't need to buy more oil for about 18 months - as it is I've got enough for about 6-8 weeks (depending on the weather) and I ordered more on Monday morning but I don't know what the price is yet.
Gas price has doubled and electricity prices are not immune long term.
I still have more trust in my 30 year old oil boiler than I would in an ASHP at the moment.
As sharkbait says, unless you need oil this instant you're effectively hedged against the rising prices better than someone who needs pure gas or electricity to heat their home. Even at 88p/litre and a heat pump at perfect efficiency, without being able to buy at off-peak rates you're only paying fractionally more.
The take-away from this is that our electricity generation is so badly regulated that in many circumstances it's still cheaper to deliver pressure-cooked dinosaurs to your home and set fire to them than it is to use a heat pump.
Prices have gone up but you don't pay the new price until you need more oil.
My point is low income households would have struggled to pay for the minimum order value previously let alone now.
So they would be more likely to run out more often than someone who can afford to fill 2,000ltrs at a time
My point is low income households would have struggled to pay for the minimum order value previously let alone now.
I get that, but if you've got 500L of oil now that should last a small property [like in the OP] an easy 6 months - so it's not completely clear cut.
So they would be more likely to run out more often than someone who can afford to fill 2,000ltrs at a time
[Quite possibly true]
I wish I could 😫
MIL paid £1.20 a litre this morning, no price given unless you confirmed the order first ....
MIL paid £1.20 a litre this morning, no price given unless you confirmed the order first ....
Ouch!
When I placed the order on Monday morning they said thy couldn't give a def price until delivery which is in the next few days - if it's that much I'll cancel.
Edit: just called and the price is whatever they are being charged on the day of delivery so by Friday it may well have gone up from todays price (80-something) to over £1. I'm not paying that so I've cancelled.
get that, but if you've got 500L of oil now that should last a small property [like in the OP] an easy 6 months - so it's not completely clear cut.
Fair point hopefully that a smaller well insulated house would do better.
We filled 1,000ltrs mid December and had to refill just before this all kicked off
We use Boilerjuice and luckily they placed an order for me mid Feb at 61p/l, it was due to be delivered Monday. Didn't expect it to turn up, but it did, so hopefully we now have enough to last us a while - they milder weather will help as well.
We filled 1,000ltrs mid December and had to refill just before this all kicked off
Wow. You'll be loving your leccy bill when you get a heat pump then
1400l filled up last may and still have a half tank.
Wow. You'll be loving your leccy bill when you get a heat pump then
It’s our fault buying a house built by a built by a builder ie built his own house. There’s naff all insulation in it even though the house was built in the 2010’s
1400l filled up last may and still have a half tank.
The average house uses 11,000 kWh of energy for heating alone. You could have a wood burner but you still have to pay for logs, in general, in exchange for polluting the local environment.
You're claiming to use just under half the average, so what you're actually saying is that you like to keep your house like a fridge.
i guess thats the problem with averages isnt it .
i guess thats the problem with averages isnt it .
Indeed, but it's no reason to be sanctimonious about other people's heating bills.
That's a big word. Will it change how much energy output he requires to achieve the same heat.
