CURRENT RUNNING COMPARISON OF OIL V GAS

blackvalley

Hi.
We have oil fired central heating in our four bedroom house plus attic conversion. Approximately fifteen rads. The boiler is indoor kerosene fired.
The boiler is about thirty years old and although we have replaced some parts over the years it has served us well but it’s probably time to replace.
Now my main question is do we go with oil or gas ? . We have a gas connection to our house ( took the opportunity of getting it in when driveway was being done )

I presume that the installation costs would be similar but the running costs are difficult to calculate.
Over the last couple of years as oil prices have increased our annual bill for oil is approximately €1000.
We also have a small multi fuel inset stove which is brilliant .
So what do you think ! Oil or gas.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Lenar3556

A new oil or gas boiler will have similar efficiency performances, the gas boiler may be slightly ahead.

Kerosene has a gross energy density of about 10.1KW/h per litre. So if kerosene is about €0.93 per litre currently , then it’s approx 9.3c per KW/h of heat produced.

Google tells me that natural gas costs between 9c - 11c per unit currently, and there will be an additional standing charges of perhaps €150.00 per year.

All in all they are quite similar from a cost perspective I would say.

Dtp1979

I’d go with gas and upgrading your heating. If you’re only heating a small zone the a gas boiler will modulate down and meet the demand. Oil boilers cannot do this.

blackvalley

Thanks for your advice.

Just another question. I know that all new boilers fitted today have to be “ condensing “ boilers but is it possible to replace the burner in an existing boiler with a standard burner ?.

Idbatterim

Absolutely natural gas...

Gas much cleaner, more space efficient, no stink, no tank...

Lenar3556

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123961478#Comment_123961478

Condensing is a feature of the boiler, not the burner.

Lenar3556

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123961494#Comment_123961494

Sure, you will have no tank with natural gas. And where this is available, most will choose it over oil.

But a new oil boiler should be equally clean, and no stinkier than a gas boiler. You may get a slight whiff from either for a few seconds after ignition.

Oil boilers are a little bulkier, and you don’t typically have a wall mounted option. You do have an outdoor module option through which suits well in many cases.

Tom44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123961478#Comment_123961478

You can replace burner, but that won't improve efficiency.

Modern oil boilers are 98% efficient and can also use HVO Bio Fuel which is up to 90% less emissions than fossil fuel.

I'd go oil due to high efficiency and long life.

blackbox

Personally I would go for oil.

I feel it is safer - no risk of a gas explosion and while the fumes from both are harmful, you won't get gassed by oil. I don't have statistics to back this up, so don't bother to ask.

With oil, you have some control over when you purchase it - e.g. if there is a price drop you can stock up.

With an oil boiler you can fault find and repair it yourself if you're handy. It is illegal to work on (mains) gas equipment.

Citroen2cv

Does anyone have a rough cost of installing an oil boiler and tank? Lots of variables, I know..

Have emailed a few plumbers, none got back to me yet.

Lenar3556

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123985490#Comment_123985490

Average ballpark of €5k

omicron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123971452#Comment_123971452

There are 720000 natural gas grid connections in Ireland, when was the last time you heard of an explosion from a grid gas connection?

Hardly more dangerous than storing 1000l of flammable liquid on site?