Switching OFCH to Bulk Gas - is it worth it?

..Brian..

Couldn't find anything recent hence new thread.

I live in a 1600 sq ft bungalow in the country. We currently have oil fired central heating. Calorgas keep sending me brochures offering me a free boiler if I switch to bulk gas.

From 20/02/17 to 20/02/18 we bought 2686 litres oil at an average of 63c per litre. Annual total €1,905.

How can I compare like for like?

Wearb

https://www.seai.ie/resources/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

Look at delivered KW price column.

..Brian..

Thanks for that, it's very helpful. So looking at the table and knowing how much him paying for oil, I can surmise that oil is costing me 6.65c per kWh vs 10.75c per kWh for bulk LPG so no savings. I always thought gas was cheaper than oil.

If I recall correctly oil burns more efficiently than gas, generating more BTUs per comparable unit. So not only would it cost more per unit to have gas, I'd burn more of it to maintain my current usage? Is that right?

Wearb

Thanks for that, it's very helpful. So looking at the table and knowing how much him paying for oil, I can surmise that oil is costing me 6.65c per kWh vs 10.75c per kWh for bulk LPG so no savings. I always thought gas was cheaper than oil.

Natural (piped mains) gas used to be cheaper than oil, but (without getting too pedantic about it) they are more or less neck and neck now. LPG was always more expensive and price is tied into usage aswell.

If I recall correctly oil burns more efficiently than gas, generating more BTUs per comparable unit.

Gas for the most part burns more efficiently than oil, but a litre of oil contains much more energy than a litre of gas. So you see there is a difference between burn efficiency and released energy.

So not only would it cost more per unit to have gas, I'd burn more of it to maintain my current usage? Is that right?

For LPG yes that correct.

..Brian..

Ah, thanks, makes sense! I'll stay as I am so!

agusta

..Brian.. wrote: »

Couldn't find anything recent hence new thread.

I live in a 1600 sq ft bungalow in the country. We currently have oil fired central heating. Calorgas keep sending me brochures offering me a free boiler if I switch to bulk gas.

From 20/02/17 to 20/02/18 we bought 2686 litres oil at an average of 63c per litre. Annual total €1,905.

How can I compare like for like?[/QUOT
If you dont have a high efficiency oil boiler,upgrading to one could potentially bring the figure down to 1550 euros for the same amount of heat. Add Zones it will bring it down even more

..Brian..

..Brian.. wrote: »

Ah, thanks, makes sense! I'll stay as I am so!

I'd only consider changing if the boiler packed up

agusta

For someone burning 2000 euros worth of oil in a year.upgrading to a high efficiency boiler will pay for itself fully in 6 years..This is where the real saving is and not changing to gas

So after it's paid for itself (first 6 years of "savings" ) what sort of actual savings will be made in years 7,8,9 and 10.

€450 x 4 = €1800

As I said, worth considering the gas if the current boiler packs in as you don't have to shell out for a new boiler.

agusta

Id say about 1500,if you had an old cast iron boiler it would be more

agusta

Gas boiler also have a shorter life span than oil boilers

0lddog

Wearb wrote: »

https://www.seai.ie/resources/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

Look at delivered KW price column.

Is the LPG tank usually bought or rented from the supplier ?

Wearb

0lddog wrote: »

Is the LPG tank usually bought or rented from the supplier ?

Rented afaik

0lddog

Wearb wrote: »

Rented afaik

Any idea of € pa ?

..Brian..

The boiler is a Grant 50-90 Euro flame which according to their website is 95% efficient. However we're only here a year and a half so I don't know how old it is or if it was serviced regularly.

Edit: we looked at zoned heating when we're were insulating and upgrading the heat controls but it's a 40 year old house and the plumbing isn't there for it. It's a simple loop embedded in the slab.

agusta

..Brian.. wrote: »

The boiler is a Grant 50-90 Euro flame which according to they're website is 95% efficient. However we're only here a year and a half so I don't know how old it is or if it was serviced regularly.

Edit: we looked at zoned heating when we're were insulating and upgrading the heat controls but it's a 40 year old house and the plumbing isn't there for it. It's a simple loop embedded in the slab.

The older euroflame is standard efficiency.the new ones are high efficiency.The one in the website is a high efficiency.if you posted a picture i could tell you which one you have

..Brian..

Can't see any other serial numbers or anything on it

emeldc

Question:
LPG at the pumps is around 65 - 70c per litre. Anyone know how much it works out at when bulk buying for home heat.

emeldc

jodaw wrote: »

Not priced per liter with Calor. It is priced per unit and then that needs to be converted to Kwhr. Basically the most confusing way to <MOD snip> you. I know many people previously using calor gas and have there whole system removed.

Some using electric heaters and infrared. Basically anything but LPG.

Anyone with oil that thinks a switch to LPG would help things is badly mistaken

MOD NOTE: Please be careful with your wording.

Yea, I didn’t think they’d make it easy for the consumer to work it out. If i buy a 34kg bottle of LPG in my local hardware it costs €78. I have a device that allows me to fill it myself at the pumps for €37 !! Let’s call it extracting money from the customer <MOD SNIP>:)

MOD NOTE Lets not call it any such thing.

agusta

..Brian.. wrote: »

Can't see any other serial numbers or anything on it

Your boiler is not a same boiler as you saw on the grant engineering website.You have a standard efficiency grant euroflame.Slightly less than 80 percent efficient.It is a nice boiler.However its in dire need of a service.You have a flue gas leak at the flange gasket/burner head.The flexible oil hose has to be changed asap.its a rubber hose which perishes.if the hose cracks it will empty the oil tank beside the oil boiler.
If you get a competent service technician to service the boiler it should last for many more years.you should get a flue gas analysis printout after the service.the service will pay for itself,by making the boiler run efficient and use less oil

..Brian..

Thanks for the advice, I'll get on it as soon as the weather picks up. I've since found out the boiler is about 15 years old the burner was replaced a few years ago. So I suppose once it's serviced it will be OK until it packs in, no point upgrading before hand.

Tom44

Wise saying,

"There's nothing Free in life "



Somebody pays for the boiler.