Anyone here use oil fired boile for heating and hot water

[Deletedmember130310]

I would like to understand typical usage rate of oil

We moved last summer to a house with an oil fired boiler and we seem to be getting through oil at an alarming rate.

We have the thermostats set to c18c and the boiler runs 7-9 am then 12-2pm and then 5-9 pm a total of 8 hours a dsy.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

We've had an oil fired boiler ( heating & water - no immersion heater) since we built the house 20 years ago , 4bed det approx 2000 sg ft , average annual oil consumption is about 2500 litres. Heating is on from 7.30am - 11.30pm regulated by a room thermostat and TRVs on radiators.

 

[Deletedmember130310]

Thats the level of usage we were expecting but we are alot higher - time to get the boiler checked over amd maybe replaced.

 

[Edd1968]

We use a out 1000 litres per annum (we are in the Highlands) We're a 2 bedroom large lounge, kitchen, bathroom, hall and utility room cottage. Must be around 200sq. Metres.
I stupidly let it run out last week. I must have drunk a pint of kerosene sucking it through trying to bleed the dam thing. (not much fall from tank to boiler) was thinking of a.new business idea - circus fire breather!!!

 

[brucemillar]

Thats the level of usage we were expecting but we are alot higher - time to get the boiler checked over amd maybe replaced.

I have oil fired central heating including hot water. I just came out a dreadful time with my system. There is a large thread on here somewhere about it.

* Check your tank for leaks or weeping. Either of these will cause havoc with consumption and that just the start of the problem. If you have either then you will probably / possibly require a new tank.

* Check the oil feed pipe and boiler for leaks or weeping.

* Have the boiler and flu serviced, cleaned and correctly set up. This can make a significant difference to you consumption.

* Try reducing your heating on Windows by an hour or so.

Not much I can add to this. But my tank was weeping and had to be replaced. This opens a whole world of regulations that all lead to a new tank. Do not try and short cut this. If it dumps all your oil into the ground it’s a massive fine and that’s just the start of your issues. So best just to get a good heating/boiler company to advise you first.

I got great help on here.

I will see if I can find that thread again.

Try this: Oil central heating tank weeping?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scooby_Doo]

We use a out 1000 litres per annum (we are in the Highlands) We're a 2 bedroom large lounge, kitchen, bathroom, hall and utility room cottage. Must be around 200sq. Metres.

I think you might be slightly out with 200 sq m, unless you've got BIG rooms.

 

[Smart320]

Mine about same as Scooby_doo. House nearly 200 yrs old but newly renovated and insulated and new boiler , rads, tvr'etc

 

[Deletedmember130310]

I have oil fired central heating including hot water. I just came out a dreadful time with my system. There is a large thread on here somewhere about it.

* Check your tank for leaks or weeping. Either of these will cause havoc with consumption and that just the start of the problem. If you have either then you will probably / possibly require a new tank.

* Check the oil feed pipe and boiler for leaks or weeping.

* Have the boiler and flu serviced, cleaned and correctly set up. This can make a significant difference to you consumption.

* Try reducing your heating on Windows by an hour or so.

Not much I can add to this. But my tank was weeping and had to be replaced. This opens a whole world of regulations that all lead to a new tank. Do not try and short cut this. If it dumps all your oil into the ground it’s a massive fine and that’s just the start of your issues. So best just to get a good heating/boiler company to advise you first.

I got great help on here.

I will see if I can find that thread again.

Try this: Oil central heating tank weeping?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks - the oil tank is new last october but some research suggests the boiler is much older than we were led to believe by the vendor.

Also, we had the central heating refilled, after draining to repair a leaky pipe, so it maybe the system doesnt have enough water or is sludged up. Certainly not all the radiators are the same temp...

 

[219]

I would like to understand typical usage rate of oil

We moved last summer to a house with an oil fired boiler and we seem to be getting through oil at an alarming rate.

We have the thermostats set to c18c and the boiler runs 7-9 am then 12-2pm and then 5-9 pm a total of 8 hours a dsy.

Yep , we can go through a tank ( 1200L ) inside a month this time of year when the heating is on all weekend and all evening through the week ; when it gets to summer and the weather picks up , the heating is hardly on at all and a tank of oil can last us from around May till around November when it starts to get cold again ,

 

[Swotty]

We are in France and have been running an oil-fired boiler for the past 12 years, since we bought the house. Radiators, underfloor heating and hot water via a 33kw Viessmann. House/barn is 440m2. I have kept detailed records of usage over this time.

It was very expensive at first, as we strolled round in shirtsleeves during the winter, until we adapted to not living UK style. Then the price of heating oil doubled, so we installed a couple of woodburners. Up to that point we got through 3500 litres in each of the first 2 years. Consumption ranged from 1-4 litres a day in summer (hot water only) to 16 litres a day in winter. With everything on during a very cold snap, it was 22 litres a day. Fuel is 85c/litre at the moment ... about 74p/litre ... dunno what it is in the UK.

I can only offer some pointers for you. I should say that winters here are either very mild or very cold. We had -12C for a fortnight, 5 years ago.

Check whether your boiler needs ordinary or superior fuel (perhaps called premium or some such in the UK?).

Get a copy of the operating manual, if you don't already have one.

Have the boiler serviced annually by a qualified and experienced person and have the filter cleaned. We have our jet changed every year, so suggest you have yours checked. There are various boiler heating profiles and perhaps yours needs to be reset to match your needs/lifestyle.

Have a read up on the benefits of leaving your system on continuously, or for longer periods. ..... when in harness, our Property Services Manager produced stats to show that leaving the offices' heating on low at weekends was cheaper than turning off (to frost setting) Friday evening and rebooting on the Monday morning. That was gas heating. Apparently it can make a big difference.

Also check that the water level in the boiler is in the green zone on the gauge ... may be a different colour on yours ... ask the technician.

As others have said, check for obvious things such as oil seepage ... and also water leaks ... if your boiler has a leak, this again will make a huge difference.

It's a big learning curve when you move from gas to oil-fired heating. Good luck!

 

[Edd1968]

I think you might be slightly out with 200 sq m, unless you've got BIG rooms.

Yeah you're probably right, I was thinking fast while typing. Probably about 150 ish. Our cottage footprint is about 10mx15m

 

[l5foye]

Oil fired boilers will use more oil during start-ups from cold. You have 3 cold starts on any given day. You may well find putting the boiler on at 7am and letting it stay on until 9pm to be more economical. If on from 7am to 9pm, you may be able to reduce the temperature.

 

[Codger49]

Just to back up some of the numbers given above.

House (and boiler) is around 23 years old, 4 bed detached approx 2400 sq ft. Hot water (immersion never used) and heating are on from 07:30 to 22.30 24x7 and for the past 7 years have consumed between 2500 and 2600 litres each year.

Good point about servicing the boiler annually, ours is and always has a new burner jet fitted.

PS French heating oil seems a tad pricey, our is just around 48-50p per litre presently.

 

[WDB124066]

Are you allowed to use waste oil in the burner, looking on line for one of these here and I see they are quoting for the smaller units 4 litres per hour - waste motor oil, and one at 2 l/h, for a really small unit.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I stupidly let it run out last week.

Install an air source heat pump - and you'll never "run out" ever again..!

 

[WDB124066]

Compared to waste oil heaters what would be typical running costs Lee...?

 

[alzieboy]

I have recently done a check on oil usage, 200 ltrs. Used in approx 3 months , from November to January Heating and HWS.
Four Bedroom detached house, heating on Timer 7am to 9am, 5.30 pm to 9pm . Sometimes timer override in afternoons if house is cold .
HWS is 24/7 via a thermal store.
Oil last week was 45ppl, this weekend 47.50 ppl through village oil syndicate.
Boiler serviced yearly with new nozzle, flues cleaned etc.
When we first moved into the house in 2004 Kerosine heating oil was 16ppl.
I have an elderly neighbour who can remember oil at 16ppl.

 

[Steveml63]

Hi,
Our house in the UK has an oil fired boiler - even after servicing it, we can easily consume 1000 litres per month in a bad winter.
Once we move back to the UK we will replace it with either a pellet system, air or ground source heat pump.
Each of these have advantages and disadvantages - air source heat pump is certainly the easiest to install and we luckily have underfloor heating - so the lower water temperatures that this requires suits heat pumps better than radiators.
Having worked in energy, water and renewable energy sector for many years - I still have plenty of contacts to ensure I get the best possible system at the best installed cost!
Cheers
Steve

 

[alzieboy]

My above oil usage should of read 500 ltrs and not 200 ltrs.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Compared to waste oil heaters what would be typical running costs Lee...?

Difference in cost to run between ASHP & oil, depending on how well insulated the property is, is approximately 25% cheaper to run an ASHP, ground source even better.

Plus there’s the government incentive (RHI) of up to £12,200 plus inflation over 7 years paid to the homeowner that has the heat pump installed, which is actually intended to pay to run the kit so in theory it’s free to run for that period.

Install costs on a 4 bed 150sqm detached, including all new radiators, would be in the region of £11-14,000.