Oil, coal, turf, briquettes and firewood, where to get?

Thargor

Crappy house in Wellpark Grove, semi detached, no major insulation apart from what it was built with, dont know anything about the burner, its locked in a shed out the back, it might be 20 years old, same as the house.

kippy

Thargor wrote: »

Crappy house in Wellpark Grove, semi detached, no major insulation apart from what it was built with, dont know anything about the burner, its locked in a shed out the back, it might be 20 years old, same as the house.

Are you renting?

Thargor

Yep.

LawnMower Man

Think those houses in Wellpark were built using some sort of hollow brick, they are meant to be difficult to keep warm.

Thargor

They're fecking freezing, Im sick of cold feet.

kippy

Thargor wrote: »

They're fecking freezing, Im sick of cold feet.

I would probably suggest best thing to do is move to be honest. Plenty decent houses out there at the minute.

Thargor

Ah its only for a couple of weeks, I like paying €50 for a big room, big garden and peace and quite, cant stand listening to noisy people at night like Ive had to do in every house Ive lived in before.

snubbleste

kippy wrote: »

While down at relatives in Claremorris over the weekend I found that the price for Kero there from one supplier was around 61 cent. I've got to ask myself why the prices are so different between regions and are we getting shafted in Galway.

There 'used' to be a cartel amongst a good number of heating oil suppliers. Prices were set above a certain point.
Today there are a number of oil companies operating under the same umbrella giving an illusion of a high number of multiple players in the market.
Don't ask me to name them, search for galway oil cartel

sh1tstirrer

I intend pulling out the oil cooker and putting in a stove with a boiler before next winter as the price of oil heating is a joke in this country.

LawnMower Man

Any Update on prices in Galway City?

Thargor

Its still for sale I believe.

Dempo1

Thargor wrote: »

Its still for sale I believe.

LOL:D a bit cheeky,

Seriously the days of cheap oil have now passed, I am shocked at the massive increases in prices over the past month. Here in the midlands 500lt has gone from €340/50 to €400 average in the past couple of days.

To those considering drums of oil at depo's or garages, its a very expensive way to get oil, averaging around €0.80 / €0.90 in some locations. I Appreciate its perhaps a necessary way to get oil your paying through the nose with this method!

Thargor

Its crazy, petrols not much better even though the price of a barrel of oil is fairly stable, someones doing some shafting somewhere along the line.

My fecking flatmates dont seem to understand the thermostat at all either, we're tearing through oil

Padkir

snubbleste wrote: »

There 'used' to be a cartel amongst a good number of heating oil suppliers. Prices were set above a certain point.
Today there are a number of oil companies operating under the same umbrella giving an illusion of a high number of multiple players in the market.
Don't ask me to name them, search for galway oil cartel

That's just not true. I drive for my Dad at weekends and holidays, he owns a small oil distribution company about 45mins from Galway.

Margins have decreased considerably in the last few months. The price increases aren't because oil companies have decided they wanted more profits, it's because the price is increasing in general.

If anything, higher prices lead to lower margins and profits because oil companies try to keep the price reasonable.

snubbleste

Padkir wrote: »

That's just not true. I drive for my Dad at weekends and holidays, he owns a small oil distribution company about 45mins from Galway.
Margins have decreased considerably in the last few months. The price increases aren't because oil companies have decided they wanted more profits, it's because the price is increasing in general.
If anything, higher prices lead to lower margins and profits because oil companies try to keep the price reasonable.

We all know that oil is rising on the world markets, but that does'nt justify why galway prices seem to be higher than other parts of Ireland.
You should check out this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055453146

Padkir

snubbleste wrote: »

We all know that oil is rising on the world markets, but that does'nt justify why galway prices seem to be higher than other parts of Ireland.
You should check out this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055453146

Well my opinion is that it's dearer in the city than out the country because of travel times. If traffic is busy and drivers are being paid to sit in traffic, it only makes sense that they might need to be getting a higher margin.

I would doubt that there is still a cartel as such, and by that I mean no formal arrangement, but look at it this way. If someone rang me and asked me for the price of 1000 litres, and I said it was €700, and you said, oh thats great I rang around and the best I could get was €715, the next person who rings me, guess what price I'm going to charge??? Similarly, if they said, oh I can get it for €680, that's what you'd have to quote, it's simple business.

In the last few years, prices have gone from changing once or twice a month to changing at least twice a week, so it depends on stocks companies have too. If it went up 2c per litre on a Wednesday, some companies may have it up by Friday or Saturday, others would leave it until Monday.

Dempo1

Padkir wrote: »

That's just not true. I drive for my Dad at weekends and holidays, he owns a small oil distribution company about 45mins from Galway.

Margins have decreased considerably in the last few months. The price increases aren't because oil companies have decided they wanted more profits, it's because the price is increasing in general.

If anything, higher prices lead to lower margins and profits because oil companies try to keep the price reasonable.

Sorry to differ but someone is riding consumers and i am sure it is not distributors like your dad. A barrel of oil is currently over half the price it was two to three years ago, around $80/$85 per barrel, around three years ago it reached staggering prices over $150 per barrel. In the mean time costs per barrel have plummeted and petrol prices have gone through the roof. Notwithstanding petrol prices home heating oil as also risen substantially, i can verify 500lt this time last year cost me €275, last week the same amount was €395. Its a complete disgrace but i accept that shower in the green party have not help with a carbon tax on home heating oil.

The petrol situation is outrageous, prior to the budget garages went from €1.29/30 per Litre. A fews before the budget these ****ers put up the price to €1.35/6 thinking no one would notice. Along comes the budget and now the price is €1.40 per Litre, equating to an almost €0.10cent per Litre in less than a week, €0.04cent which can be blamed on the budget.

Garages have been profiteering and i hope consumers use their heads and shop around, absolutely disgraceful carry on.

An before some bleeding heart expert gets on to lecture about rising refining prices, i say BOLLOX, nothing justifies what has being going on.

Padkir

Dempo1 wrote: »

Sorry to differ but someone is riding consumers and i am sure it is not distributors like your dad. A barrel of oil is currently over half the price it was two to three years ago, around $80/$85 per barrel, around three years ago it reached staggering prices over $150 per barrel. In the mean time costs per barrel have plummeted and petrol prices have gone through the roof. Notwithstanding petrol prices home heating oil as also risen substantially, i can verify 500lt this time last year cost me €275, last week the same amount was €395. Its a complete disgrace but i accept that shower in the green party have not help with a carbon tax on home heating oil.

The petrol situation is outrageous, prior to the budget garages went from €1.29/30 per Litre. A fews before the budget these ****ers put up the price to €1.35/6 thinking no one would notice. Along comes the budget and now the price is €1.40 per Litre, equating to an almost €0.10cent per Litre in less than a week, €0.04cent which can be blamed on the budget.

Garages have been profiteering and i hope consumers use their heads and shop around, absolutely disgraceful carry on.

An before some bleeding heart expert gets on to lecture about rising refining prices, i say BOLLOX, nothing justifies what has being going on.

To be fair, I would agree that filling stations in the city are a ridiculously high price, considering that it's so much cheaper outside of the city.

As for the other point, to be honest all you here from everyone along the line is that they're on a tight margin, etc. but it's not the distributor who brings you your heating oil that's making the money. Trust me, the price has been raised to a ridiculous degree long before they get it to you. It's the head offices of the larger companies, worldwide, who are putting up the price, and the worrying thing is that there seems to be very little scope to stop them...

Dempo1

Padkir wrote: »

To be fair, I would agree that filling stations in the city are a ridiculously high price, considering that it's so much cheaper outside of the city.

As for the other point, to be honest all you here from everyone along the line is that they're on a tight margin, etc. but it's not the distributor who brings you your heating oil that's making the money. Trust me, the price has been raised to a ridiculous degree long before they get it to you. It's the head offices of the larger companies, worldwide, who are putting up the price, and the worrying thing is that there seems to be very little scope to stop them...

Yes indeed, i was careful to mention it is not the distributors at the start of my post! However i do believe Garage owners have acted disgracefully!

Padkir

Dempo1 wrote: »

Yes indeed, i was careful to mention it is not the distributors at the start of my post! However i do believe Garage owners have acted disgracefully!

Definitely! When garages half an hour out of galway can sell it for 6c+ cheaper, you know something's up! More at times, last weekend when I went home there was a 9c difference in petrol between Galway city and Ballindine.

996tt

Padkir wrote: »

Definitely! When garages half an hour out of galway can sell it for 6c+ cheaper, you know something's up! More at times, last weekend when I went home there was a 9c difference in petrol between Galway city and Ballindine.

Tesco is your answer, they sell petrol at cost price, add in the fact that they buy very cheap of topaz due to bulk. They have no interest in making money from petrol only to bring people into the shop

Padkir

996tt wrote: »

Tesco is your answer, they sell petrol at cost price, add in the fact that they buy very cheap of topaz due to bulk. They have no interest in making money from petrol only to bring people into the shop

You're dead right! Although there are some filling stations in smaller towns and villages that do the same, but yes, definitely, Tesco is the way to go if you have one close!

Dempo1

Padkir wrote: »

You're dead right! Although there are some filling stations in smaller towns and villages that do the same, but yes, definitely, Tesco is the way to go if you have one close!

Ufortunately not the case here in tullamore, Tesco's arrived a few years ago and essentially set the price in town and surrounds, infact they actually drove up prices and all the local garages followed their lead. One garage "Sweeny oil" did keep prices a few cents cheaper but unfortunately they too are now matching tescos. I know of many people who travelled to Birr for a fill up as prices there were a couple of cent per litre cheaper, unfortunately i noticed yesterday they are now on par with tullamore!

stiffler123

We got Corrib oil last week, can't get it working though. Am I right in saying the oil tank locks if you havn't had oil in a while? And if so how does one unlock it? Cheers.

Dempo1

stiffler123 wrote: »

We got Corrib oil last week, can't get it working though. Am I right in saying the oil tank locks if you havn't had oil in a while? And if so how does one unlock it? Cheers.

Sounds like you have an air lock?

stiffler123

Dempo1 wrote: »

Sounds like you have an air lock?

Ya I think that's probably the case. Any idea how to fix it? Oil company or can you DIY it?

Dempo1

stiffler123 wrote: »

Ya I think that's probably the case. Any idea how to fix it? Oil company or can you DIY it?

It really depends on the type of boiler you have. Its easy enough if you can access the valve. I have enough exprience of my own boiler but would recommend you get a Plumber if your unsure to be honest!

magentas

Dempo1 wrote: »

Ufortunately not the case here in tullamore, Tesco's arrived a few years ago and essentially set the price in town and surrounds, infact they actually drove up prices and all the local garages followed their lead. One garage "Sweeny oil" did keep prices a few cents cheaper but unfortunately they too are now matching tescos. I know of many people who travelled to Birr for a fill up as prices there were a couple of cent per litre cheaper, unfortunately i noticed yesterday they are now on par with tullamore!

yeah that's true! fuel was cheap in tesco tullamore when they first opened but now it's rediculous. I used to wait til I got to tullamore to top up on cheap petrol, now it's the other way around and if I'm going down there I make sure I fill the tank in Galway so I have enough for a return journey and I don't get ripped off down home!!:D

amiable

stiffler123 wrote: »

Ya I think that's probably the case. Any idea how to fix it? Oil company or can you DIY it?

A handy man will fix it in 5/10 minutes. Do you know anyone?
Its not difficult but in saying that everything is easy if you know how.

Padkir

stiffler123 wrote: »

Ya I think that's probably the case. Any idea how to fix it? Oil company or can you DIY it?

Is it a firebird boiler you have? They're not too complicated. Don't think I'd be able to explain it in writing though, sorry!

You should just open it and try pressing the red button though with the power on, it will run for about 10 seconds, some will keep going and fire up due to having a tiger loop on them, if it just cuts out, you have an airlock, and theres a nut you need to open to let the air out. I wouldn't say anymore here though, because if you open the wrong one you could change settings for the level of oil coming in, etc. which could cause a lot of problems!