Convert from Mains Gas to Oil

GowlBag

We are getting a new kitchen put in very soon. The one we have is a piece of crap that was fired into the house when it was being built (house in a housing estate built in 2003). We are going to be moving it to another position within the room. One existing kitchen unit houses our gas boiler. When the kitchen is moved we would be left with an ugly gas boiler hanging off the wall in the middle of nowhere. We could get another unit built around it but it'll still be in the middle of nowhere.

So we are hoping to take it out and changing over to oil. This means we'll have to get an oil tank and were hoping to get an oil burner that will sit outside.

Just wondering if there are any technical issues with going in this direction?

We very recently changed from ESB to Airtricity to get the discounts. Does anyone know if they will try and penalise us for ending our contract on the gas side of things?

Thanks!

K.Flyer

How old is your Gas Boiler and why can you not have it moved to a more suitable position?

Dtp1979

GowlBag wrote: »

We are getting a new kitchen put in very soon. The one we have is a piece of crap that was fired into the house when it was being built (house in a housing estate built in 2003). We are going to be moving it to another position within the room. One existing kitchen unit houses our gas boiler. When the kitchen is moved we would be left with an ugly gas boiler hanging off the wall in the middle of nowhere. We could get another unit built around it but it'll still be in the middle of nowhere.

So we are hoping to take it out and changing over to oil. This means we'll have to get an oil tank and were hoping to get an oil burner that will sit outside.

Just wondering if there are any technical issues with going in this direction?

We very recently changed from ESB to Airtricity to get the discounts. Does anyone know if they will try and penalise us for ending our contract on the gas side of things?

Thanks!

Why on earth would you change from gas to oil?

GowlBag

K.Flyer, the boiler would be approximately the same ages as the house so 12-13 years old. The layout of the room is not great and the boiler would be taking up valuable space in a kitchen unit. So I figured an oil burner outside would be the best option.

Dtp1979, why on earth wouldn't I? That's precisely why I asked the questions. Feel free to tell me why it's a ludicrous idea.

Dtp1979

GowlBag wrote: »

K.Flyer, the boiler would be approximately the same ages as the house so 12-13 years old. The layout of the room is not great and the boiler would be taking up valuable space in a kitchen unit. So I figured an oil burner outside would be the best option.

Dtp1979, why on earth wouldn't I? That's precisely why I asked the questions. Feel free to tell me why it's a ludicrous idea.

Oil is dirtier,
More expensive to run
Can be stolen from you
With modern gas boilers, you can do so much with them control wise. They automatically turn their own output down when there's less heating demand.
You get a bill every 2 months as opposed to forking out several hundred on oil which could be stolen just as quick.

GowlBag

Is it still more expensive than gas now that oil has gone way down in price? I'm not convinced that the price of gas will come down even though wholesale energy prices are down?

That's one of my issues. I have the feeling my gas boiler is anything but modern. It wasn't put in properly in that it wasn't hooked up to the thermostat in the hotpress so I can't heat water without heating the rads.

Get this too: The builders of these houses FORGOT to put in the gas mains to the back of the houses before they put the footpaths down. They then chased a hole along the sides of the houses fired the gas main in right underneath the paths and the job was OXO! I had a little trouble one day when I was doing a bit of digging to put down a path in the back garden. I was hacking away with the pickaxe and heard a hissing sound and then got the smell just as quick. I tore out and turned off the gas at the meter. The mains was about 3 inches down right underneath the existing footpath.

Another time we were rudely awakened one morning around 2 a.m. by a savage hammering. It sounded like someone was trying to break down the walls! It turned out to be Bord Gas working down the side of a neighbours house who had a fire in their gas main.

Thanks for the help lads. We'll be getting a plumber out to take a look soon anyway. Just wanted to have an idea of what was possible.

Tom44

Both gas & oil have their + / -
Oil "at the moment" per kw is cheaper.
Personally I'd move gas boiler.
€3,200 + to fit oil boiler & tank.
Gas pipe was protected with 3" of concrete. But SHOULD have been deeper

Even these prices are old, kero is now €0.43 ltr
Domestic Fuels 01 Jan, 2016
Comparison of Energy Costs Notes:
1. All prices are inclusive of 13.5% VAT. Unit of Average Gross Delivered Percentage Percentage
2. Estimated average price to consumers countrywide. Fuel Form Supply Price per Calorific Energy Cost change since Change since
3. Prices include delivery for bulk purchase Unit (€)1 Value cent/kWh 1 October, 2015 1 January, 2015
4. Prices include those from a selection of suppliers that publish their (kWh/unit)
prices online.
5. Oil prices assuming 1000L delivered. Peat2 Briquettes, Baled Bale 4.75 67.0 7.09 +3% +3.3%
6. Prices represent scheduled prices, exclusive of any discounts that may
be available. Coal3 Nuggets (Lignite) Tonne 399.00 5763.5 6.92 +1% +0.8%
7. Prices include those from a selection of suppliers that publish their Premium Coal, bulk Tonne 442.00 8267.2 5.35 +1% +0.7%
prices online. Prices vary depending on delivery location. Premium Coal, bag4 40 kg Bag 18.30 330.7 5.53 n/a n/a
8. Price per unit does not include standing charge. Standard Coal, bulk Tonne 422.00 7900.0 5.34 - +0.7%
9. Gas prices are VAT Incl prices from the EU Price Directive Survey Standard Coal, bag4 40 kg Bag 17.80 316.0 5.63 n/a n/a
& represent prices for 01/01/2015 to 30/06/2015. (Prices updated every 6 mths) Standard Anthracite Tonne 509.00 8735.2 5.83 +1% +0.6%
For methodology and more details please see the following : Grade A Anthracite Tonne 549.00 8960.0 6.13 - -
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/ Ovoids (Low Smoke), bulk Tonne 484.00 8850.0 5.47 +1% +0.5%
Electricity_and_Gas_Prices/ Ovoids (Low Smoke), bag4 40 kg Bag 21.01 354.0 5.93 n/a n/a
10. Electricity prices are VAT Incl prices from the EU Price Directive Survey,
& represent prices for 01/01/2015 to 30/06/2015. Oil5 Gas Oil (schedule)6 Litre 0.67 10.55 6.31 -14% -15.5%
(Prices updated every 6 mths) Gas Oil (typical discounted price)7 Litre 0.56 10.55 5.28 n/a n/a
For methodology and more details please see the following report : Kerosene (schedule)6 Litre 0.64 10.18 6.33 -11% -16.1%
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/ Kerosene (typical discounted price)7 Litre 0.50 10.18 4.96 n/a n/a
Electricity_and_Gas_Prices/
11. From 1/10/2015 the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy was decreased L.P.G. Bulk L.P.G.8 Litre 0.66 7.09 9.32 -6.2% -17.4%
from €5.36 to €5.01 per customer per month. See www.cer.ie for details Bottled Butane 11.35 kg Cylinder 29.88 155.7 19.19 - -10.5%
12. To avail of lower night rate electricity a second meter is required. Bottled Propane 34 kg Cylinder 79.50 471.0 16.88 - -12.2%
The rate quoted is estimated for unit consumption costs only. Bottled Propane 47 kg Cylinder 108.16 651.0 16.61 - -12.3%
Actual costs may be higher due to higher standing charges for
night rate electricity. Natural Gas 9 Band D1: <5,556 kWh per annum kWh 0.075 1.0 7.48 - -16.9%
13. Wood fuel prices may vary from the average, given the Band D2: >=5,556 <55,556 kWh per annum kWh 0.067 1.0 6.73 - -9.7%
fragmented supplier network at present. Band D3: >=55,556 kWh per annum kWh 0.063 1.0 6.33 - -6.0%
14. Firewood prices provided by certified members of the Wood Fuel
Quality Assurance Scheme. See http://www.wfqa.org/ Electricity 10, 11 Band DA: <1,000 kWh per annum kWh 0.70 1.0 69.70 - +4.8%
15. Minimum delivery conditions may apply. Discounts may Band DB: >=1,000 <2,500 kWh per annum kWh 0.31 1.0 30.98 - -3.5%
apply for larger quantities. Band DC: >=2,500 <5,000 kWh per annum kWh 0.24 1.0 24.26 - -4.4%
Band DD: >=5,000 <15,000 kWh per annum kWh 0.20 1.0 20.40 - -6.5%
Band DE: >=15,000 kWh per annum kWh 0.17 1.0 17.38 - -4.7%
Night rate12 kWh 0.09 1.0 9.45
Wood 13, 14 Pellets Bulk Delivery 15 kg 0.29 4.8 6.03 - +0.7%
Pellets Bagged kg 0.36 4.8 7.43 -0.7% +4.0%
DISCLAIMER: Briquettes kg 0.38 4.8 7.84 - -2.2%
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of
these statistical publications and/or reports, they are subject to Hardwood, Small Bag, 20% moisture, Collected kg 0.50 4.16 12.10 n/a n/a
revisions and changes from time to time. The Sustainable Energy Softwood, Small Bag, 25% moisture, Collected kg 0.34 3.86 8.75 n/a n/a
Authority of Ireland is not liable for losses suffered, whether direct or Hardwood, Full Pallet, 20% moisture, Delivered kg 0.41 4.16 9.79 n/a n/a
consequential, arising out of any reliance on these data. It is Softwood, Full Pallet, 25% moisture, Delivered kg 0.29 3.86 7.62 n/a n/a
the responsibility of each individual or entity to independently verify Softwood, Bulk (loose), 25% moisture, Delivered kg 0.20 3.86 5.11 n/a n/a
such information if the intention is to use such information in any
form for personal or commercial purposes. The Sustainable Energy
Authority of Ireland reserves the right to change the methodology in Special Notes:
collecting, presenting and publishing these statistics and/or report. Carbon Tax was introduced for Oil, L.P.G and Natural Gas on 1st May 2010. The Carbon Tax was extended to Coal and Peat on 1 May 2013. See www.revenue.ie for more details.
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SuperVegan

I'm thinking of going the other way at this very moment. Oil to mains gas, but am I making a mistake?
Is Gas not coming down at all?

ted1

Why use fossil fuel, if your changing from one yo another why not look at a heat pump ?

Here is the cost comparison .
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Fuel_Cost_Comparison/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparisons.pdf

SuperVegan

ted1 wrote: »

Why use fossil fuel, if your changing from one yo another why not look at a heat pump ?

Ted1
Do you mean Geothermal or Solar? I thought Solar could only heat water in your cylinder and Geothermal requires like an acre of land for the pipes? Is there another option?

SuperVegan

ted1 wrote: »

Why use fossil fuel, if your changing from one yo another why not look at a heat pump ?

Ted1
Do you mean Geothermal or Solar? I thought Solar could only heat water in your cylinder and Geothermal requires like an acre of land for the pipes? Is there another option?

Your link shows Kerosene as the cheapest fuel source.

ted1

SuperVegan wrote: »

Ted1
Do you mean Geothermal or Solar? I thought Solar could only heat water in your cylinder and Geothermal requires like an acre of land for the pipes? Is there another option?

Your link shows Kerosene as the cheapest fuel source.

An air source water heat pump: as detailed here,
http://www.unipipe.ie/air-to-water-heat-pumps/

You don't need to use land.

MicktheMan

ted1 wrote: »

Why use fossil fuel, if your changing from one yo another why not look at a heat pump ?

And electricity is generated by burning what exactly?

ted1

MicktheMan wrote: »

And electricity is generated by burning what exactly?

Less fossil each day. And for every 1kwh of Elec you use you'll get an 2-3 kWh from the air.
So it uses far less fossil than you are suggesting

MicktheMan

ted1 wrote: »

Less fossil each day. And for every 1kwh of Elec you use you'll get an 2-3 kWh from the air.
So it uses far less fossil than you are suggesting

But when you calc it back to primary energy consumed to supply that 1 kW in the first place, that multiplier pretty much disappears especially when it gets very cold.

ted1

MicktheMan wrote: »

But when you calc it back to primary energy consumed to supply that 1 kW in the first place, that multiplier pretty much disappears especially when it gets very cold.

As a whole on an annual basis it's uses much less fossil fuel. As we move towards our target of 40% renewables it'll get even better