Home Heating Oil - Beware!!!

[comethekingdom]

Are those condensing boilers good yokes? My existing one is over 20 yrs old and is a rent on fuel - just wondering is it worth replacing with a condenser unit?

Yes and no!!

An oil condensing is a good idea but if you go and spend say a grand on a condenser and then run it through a 30 yr old central heating system it wont give you the payback you might expect.
You'd want to get roomstats, TRV's and brand new radiators.

It's an oldie but goodie ...the first place to make savings is insulation.
A brand new build house has more insulation than you'd believe.

I fitted a load of insulation last year and whilst the house is much more comfortable now - we still burn a right go of kero. Trv's wouldnt probably be much good as they'd be opened fully all the time. Room stats wouldnt be much good either as the system is one complete zone. Maybe the radiator replacement option would be a good idea?

[lawnseed]

the new type rads hold alot less water so it follows it should take less oil to warm them..

[Abble]

i'm hearing that a little bit of red diesel mixed in with the home heating oil can improve things all round...
ie. flow in the pipes, heat and also makes it last a bit longer

any truth in this from anyone in the know ?

[mournerambler]

i'm hearing that a little bit of red diesel mixed in with the home heating oil can improve things all round...
ie. flow in the pipes, heat and also makes it last a bit longer
any truth in this from anyone in the know ?

Bullshit of the highest order, the oil in your tank does not go into the pipes that are connected to the radiators, the oil goes into the burner to create a source of heat when the burner fires, so many people for some reason think that the oil goes into the rads which isn't the case, the other point on the red diesel making it last longer isn't true either imo as gas oil has a higher viscosity than kerosene & would therefore block the nozzle which is designed to burn kerosene.

[The Iceman]

i'm hearing that a little bit of red diesel mixed in with the home heating oil can improve things all round...
ie. flow in the pipes, heat and also makes it last a bit longer
any truth in this from anyone in the know ?

Bullshit of the highest order, the oil in your tank does not go into the pipes that are connected to the radiators, the oil goes into the burner to create a source of heat when the burner fires, so many people for some reason think that the oil goes into the rads which isn't the case, the other point on the red diesel making it last longer isn't true either imo as gas oil has a higher viscosity than kerosene & would therefore block the nozzle which is designed to burn kerosene.

correcto

[DirtyDozen12]

Where is the cheapest place to order oil for delivery in belfast?

[wavesofTORRES]

Belfast!

[Newbridge Exile]

Dunno about Belfast but I got 900litres delivered on Tuesday for £460 , reasonable from what I hear is being quoted in other places

[DirtyDozen12]

Dunno about Belfast but I got 900litres delivered on Tuesday for £460 , reasonable from what I hear is being quoted in other places

That's good, what company did you order from?

[ONeill]

http://www.cheapestoil.co.uk/Heating-Oil-NI.aspx

[Armaghtothebone]

Are those condensing boilers good yokes? My existing one is over 20 yrs old and is a rent on fuel - just wondering is it worth replacing with a condenser unit?

Yes and no!!

An oil condensing is a good idea but if you go and spend say a grand on a condenser and then run it through a 30 yr old central heating system it wont give you the payback you might expect.
You'd want to get roomstats, TRV's and brand new radiators.

It's an oldie but goodie ...the first place to make savings is insulation.
A brand new build house has more insulation than you'd believe.

I fitted a load of insulation last year and whilst the house is much more comfortable now - we still burn a right go of kero. Trv's wouldnt probably be much good as they'd be opened fully all the time. Room stats wouldnt be much good either as the system is one complete zone. Maybe the radiator replacement option would be a good idea?

The one I forgot to mention is make sure the central heating pump is up to the job.Too small a pump or one that is past its sell by date will not push the water through the system quickly enough, thus the return water will be freezing and the boiler will have to work overtime to reheat the return using more "fuel" in the process. Off the top of my head (any plumbers out there to confirm) the return should drop by 7c maximum.

[Armaghtothebone]

i'm hearing that a little bit of red diesel mixed in with the home heating oil can improve things all round...
ie. flow in the pipes, heat and also makes it last a bit longer

any truth in this from anyone in the know ?

Jesus No No No NO

The burner will be set for fuel A . The air/fuel mixture is critical and the jet size on the burner will be set accordingly.The wrong fuel through the right jet( sorry cant think of a better way to put it) will produce the wrong products of combustion.
In a properly working burner/boiler the gas produced is CO2 but use the wrong fuel and you are very very likely to get CO (carbon monoxide). This is a very very dangerous gas.You cant see it/smell it/taste it but it will KILL you.

[Newbridge Exile]

Dunno about Belfast but I got 900litres delivered on Tuesday for £460 , reasonable from what I hear is being quoted in other places

That's good, what company did you order from?

Deighan fuels in Limavady

[Bensars]

Im considering changing my boiler to a more efficient one.

Anyone have any experience of chaning from the older standard type oil boilers to the new condensing boilers?
Is there noticable difference in efficiency?
Whats the best makes etc?   Cost?   

Or alternatively are there other  options i should consider looking at ?

[thebigfella]

Im considering changing my boiler to a more efficient one.

Anyone have any experience of chaning from the older standard type oil boilers to the new condensing boilers?Is there noticable difference in efficiency?
Whats the best makes etc?   Cost?   

Or alternatively are there other  options i should consider looking at ?

Gas? If so think very carefully about it, ask everyone who's boiler blew up over the cold snap and I bet the most where condensing boilers.