Fieldsporthunter 1,864 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 I use about 2000/2500 litres a year for a 3 bedroom house for heating and hot water cost me around £2/2.50 a day, don't think that's bad? And the boiler is never off 24/7. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nik_B 3,790 Posted January 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 I use about 2000/2500 litres a year for a 3 bedroom house for heating and hot water cost me around £2/2.50 a day, don't think that's bad? And the boiler is never off 24/7. We moved in in the middle of October and have used 1400 litres so far and I've got another 800 coming tomorrow. This time I am going to put marks on the tube for measuring so I can work out a rough % we use. Since we've had it serviced and we know it was running bad before maybe we'll get better efficiency. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waz 4,261 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Has anyone seen the wood pellet stoves ? They are getting popular in europe, at the moment the pellets are reasonably priced, cleaner as you dont have to keep opening the door to load wood as you load the pellets into a hopper and its worm driven to the fire. Means you dont have to mind it also. Got a while before i need to make my mind up on my new place but electric gas and oil are far down thf list. Edited January 31, 2017 by Waz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 Oil prices fluctuate across the year but you always have to shop around. Some companies will let you pre-order for delivery later in the year. I have a 1500 litre tank but usually only put about 500 litres in. I am near a main (country) road so there is always a theft risk, so losing 500 is better than losing 1000. My boiler was replaced in 2000 and feeds eight radiators of various sizes, 10 foot in the lounge, towel radiator in the bathroom. The water is heated at the same time in a traditional copper tank but I have an immersion heater for when the heat is off. The advantage of oil is it is cheaper than LPG and Gas or Calor Gas. The gas pipe supply stops 1 mile from my house. Every few years we get a letter from British Gas saying we can be connected if all households pay a percentage. The connection cost has been going down, the other year it was only £1500 per household. The main disadvantage is the construction of the houses. Mine is like an old barn. I now have all the windows double glazed but the only insulation is in the loft. No cavity walls with 300 year old stone buildings. I do have a stove and go cutting trees down and have a substantial wood store. But a wood sourced heater only works if you can feed it. So no coming home to a warm house. Nik_B I would say you have a fault with your system. And you are heading towards getting it fixed with professional advice. To everyone, get your boiler serviced regularly and preferably in the Summer so you have time to plan in case there is a fault. Oil isn't cheap and you are subject to political (taxation) and foreign influences (warring Arabs and US/Arab trade ) but it is the only real option for those of us in the sticks (desirable place to live) Pesky 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nans pat 2,575 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 Has anyone seen the wood pellet stoves ? They are getting popular in europe, at the moment the pellets are reasonably priced, cleaner as you dont have to keep opening the door to load wood as you load the pellets into a hopper and its worm driven to the fire. Means you dont have to minc it also. Got a while before i need to make my mind up on my new place but electric gas and oil are far down thf list. dont mention them over here ffs...they made a balls up n were paying £1.60 out for every $1 you spent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 Has anyone seen the wood pellet stoves ? They are getting popular in europe, at the moment the pellets are reasonably priced, cleaner as you dont have to keep opening the door to load wood as you load the pellets into a hopper and its worm driven to the fire. Means you dont have to minc it also. Got a while before i need to make my mind up on my new place but electric gas and oil are far down thf list. My concern about wood pellets is that they are a processed fuel source. They are subsidised at present, but like solar, we have seen what happens. They are also mostly imported. Ok, so is oil but oil is used for all sorts. Isn't heating oil kerosene which is also aviation fuel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nans pat 2,575 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 get the gas in..loads here have it chipped Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fieldsporthunter 1,864 Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 Has anyone seen the wood pellet stoves ? They are getting popular in europe, at the moment the pellets are reasonably priced, cleaner as you dont have to keep opening the door to load wood as you load the pellets into a hopper and its worm driven to the fire. Means you dont have to mind it also. Got a while before i need to make my mind up on my new place but electric gas and oil are far down thf list. We had one on farm for a couple year now, works well but don't know loads about it as it me old mans department. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fieldsporthunter 1,864 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 I use about 2000/2500 litres a year for a 3 bedroom house for heating and hot water cost me around £2/2.50 a day, don't think that's bad? And the boiler is never off 24/7. We moved in in the middle of October and have used 1400 litres so far and I've got another 800 coming tomorrow. This time I am going to put marks on the tube for measuring so I can work out a rough % we use. Since we've had it serviced and we know it was running bad before maybe we'll get better efficiency. I don't think that's bad, I noticed we only use approx 500 litres through the summer and the rest in the colder months, so it adverages out.Do you have a room thermostat or is thermostat build into boiler. We where using a lot more oil until we had a room thermostat fitted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nik_B 3,790 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 I use about 2000/2500 litres a year for a 3 bedroom house for heating and hot water cost me around £2/2.50 a day, don't think that's bad? And the boiler is never off 24/7. We moved in in the middle of October and have used 1400 litres so far and I've got another 800 coming tomorrow. This time I am going to put marks on the tube for measuring so I can work out a rough % we use. Since we've had it serviced and we know it was running bad before maybe we'll get better efficiency. I don't think that's bad, I noticed we only use approx 500 litres through the summer and the rest in the colder months.Do you have a room thermostat or is thermostat build into boiler. We where using a lot more oil until we had a room thermostat fitted. Yeh it's one of those older ones, grey in colour with a wheel, I'm forever messing with it. I do work at night so I am sitting here till 4 or 5am and so I want the heating on at night. We used to have mains gas and our bills were about 110 per month, I assume oil is more expensive and I expected that but was just shocked at how fast this has gone down and a rough calculation would be closer to 200 a month in winter....after what Pesky just said I am going to check the garden for footprints lol maybe someones pinching it. The constant lock out is very suspicious, it's not as bad after we had someone look at it but it still happens. It's an old boiler and we are going to do the kitchen at some point so when we do I think an external on and new oil pipes would be a good idea. Our pipes are under concrete, I don't know how old there are, they could be corroded for all I know....in fact now I think about it concrete will corrode metal wont it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 Oil is cheaper to run than gas. My bills are way smaller than they were in London. £50 week is outrageous If the pipes are under concrete i'd imagine they are in plastic piping and they are probably copper anyway. To use that amount of oil, i'd put money on a leak somewhere though. Check the tank itself. Sunlight perishes them Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 28,417 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 I've just had to order another 800 litres of Kerosene. We've used the last 700 up in 6 weeks, that's over £300! Are they all very expensive to run? We had a problem where it went in to lock out many times a day and had it looked at. It was producing very high CO2 levels and if I understand correctly was running rich so maybe that is contributing? What is everyone else using because we're only in a large bungalow so it sounds a bit extreme to me. Cheers Have you any access to timber or turf mate?...........I disconnected my oil burner totally and everyone thought I was mental, i am lucky enough however to own 2 bits of bog and a wood so I am totally self sufficient in heating. Spent some money on a modern little range that will heat upto 20 radiators and now my only utility bill is electric. If you can get the timber cheap enough then getting off the oil or gas is the way forward mate I'd love to do that, because we had a combi I couldn't have the woodburner tied in to the heating system at the time. Not sure how practical it would be but something to look in to. woodburners are great if you can get free wood but there is not a lot of trees on ynys mon my woodburner has burnt all winter on wood from skips,no need for trees, it's just about keeping your eyes open when your running round, pick up a bit here and a bit there, cut it in two foot lengths on a drop saw and stack it in dumpy bags, easy,tidy and free, if your a bin rat like me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TOMO 26,120 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 we live in an old 3 bed detached farm cottage,,,,we do have cavity wall ,and loft insulation,,as well as double glazing.....we use 500 littre every 8 weeks,,,first load was at beging of nov,,,secon load 3rd of jan,,,but we had ran out,,,ours is on from 7.30 am till me and the mrs go to bed,,,,as theres always somone here to look after the baby.... ours is off though from may till october,,november,,just use emersion for water...this winter i think we will get away with one more load of 500 at the end of feb,,,wich will take us to the end of april,,,first load in nov,,was £200 ,,,second in jan £240..,,,,we use boiler juice as suplier now there the cheapest heres some tips or advise,,,learn how to bleed it,,cos you can be sure it will run out whilst the thing is running,,,and it will drag air in,,,,and our landlords will charge if an engineer comes out just to bleed.... also best not to do this,,,, dont lift one end of the tank off the ground and prop it up with bricks,,so the oil runs down to the pipe when it got low,,,,yes you will get another week of heating,,but it will drag in all sorts of shit ,,and worse water,,that will f**k up the fillter, pump and the jets... far cheaper to put on a jumper ,,and get the electric heater out.. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WILF 46,786 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 Listening to all this, I bloody glad I did have the oil disconnected now ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bradus1 497 Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 Mines on all day 3 bed house 500 litre in October and ready to be filled again but combi must be more efficient Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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