Oil to Gas Conversion?

Grant Stevens

I'm looking to get opinions on whether it's a good idea or not to convert from oil to gas in a 4 bedroom, detached property? I'd like to hear some thoughts as to whether this is a good or a bad idea...Oil won't stay low forever but gas is pricey and installation can be expensive too. What are any other factors to consider.

Also, has anyone got any idea of how much this would cost to complete.....ballpark? Any recommendations for installers/ companies to carry out the job?

TIA

Trick of the Tail

I went with Calor gas last year, from oil.

It was a package in which they put in a new combi-boiler, rejigged the heating system to split it into two zones and install thermo valves and generally modernised it.

Gas is much nicer to use than oil - faster, more efficient, and no chance of it being nicked.

I think it cost about 3k, payable in instalments.

Was a good experience.

wellboytoo

Oil is still the cheapest of all fuels to heat a house, but spend money on insulation before anything else would be my advice, it's money you only spend once but the benefits last forever.

BadCharlie

Would stick with what you have, and spend the money that it would have cost you by installing the new gas system and upgrade your insulation "walls/Attic and even windows and doors if required". Very much what wellboytoo says above.

Chemical Byrne

You'd be off your rocker to change from oil to LPG, its way more expensive.

There's nothing stopping you from installing an oil fired combi boiler, they are available. Also you can upgrade the control of the system and insulate. It would be better value for money.

fricatus

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

You'd be off your rocker to change from oil to LPG, its way more expensive.

Was the OP talking about LPG? I assumed natural gas (seeing as this was posted in the Waterford city forum).

Grant Stevens

Thank you for the advice & pointers folks. Just to clarify it would be mains gas supply and not LPG. One thing I was keen on was the ability to heat water instantly as well as use the gas for general heating purposes. In this way a combiboiler is very appealing but I didn't realise you can get combi's for oil boilers too! We want to cook with gas also and would prefer to have this supplied by mains rather than replacing gas bottles every so often.

With the cost of having to upgrade the oil burner & have better controls installed, I think gas conversion would be the better option for us in this case given the reasons above. However, I've just been informed that gas is not available in the estate (despite being available in neighbouring estates) and I doubt that it seems wise to launch a campaign in the middle of a recession and try to gather momentum from at least 20% of residents to push for gas. Maybe sometime down the road!

As a matter of interest, some of you had mentioned that it may be better to upgrade existing wall insulation. Doesn't this cost thousands? I've read that external insulation fitting is optimum over cavity wall pump but the house is not that old so (circa 1999) I doubt the walls could take the pumped-in upgrade. Has anyone had the external insulation fitted? If so, who did you go with and would you recommend having it done?

Tom44

Stephen Grant ( the owner ) makes good oil boilers.
In Birr. Co. Offaly
Grant oil boilers.

www.grantengineering.ie

Are u taking the pee?