LPG or OIL ???

[ollie989898]

Buy a Grant Boiler, you won't regret it.

Ours is still going strong and the plumber who looks after it recommends them for all new installs.

 

[Lazy Sod]

Ours has been in for 12 years and never missed a beat. Serviced annually of course.

 

[Wisconsonian]

Being in the USA, I don't know your situation with service, suppliers, tanks, pricing etc. We have a fewer and fewer oil servicemen every year, nearly everything is LP. But then boilers are rare also, nearly everything is forced air. Forced air gas furnaces will run for decades if somebody will change the air filter every year or so, and most problems are easy to fix if they do shut down. Trying to get service for a boiler or oil burner is much harder.

Propane can leak and make the house go poof, if you're home that's not your problem anymore! Oil leaks and makes a big mess or clean up cost. Comparing the cost per BTU or KW, you have to take into account the efficiency also. Gas is almost always condensing, and stays that way. A tuned up oil burner is close in efficiency, but it might not be in a few years if it's not checked every year.

If you have oil working, and just need a new tank, then I'd stick with oil from the sounds of it. Different if you're going all new.

 

[ollie989898]

Being in the USA, I don't know your situation with service, suppliers, tanks, pricing etc. We have a fewer and fewer oil servicemen every year, nearly everything is LP. But then boilers are rare also, nearly everything is forced air. Forced air gas furnaces will run for decades if somebody will change the air filter every year or so, and most problems are easy to fix if they do shut down. Trying to get service for a boiler or oil burner is much harder.

Propane can leak and make the house go poof, if you're home that's not your problem anymore! Oil leaks and makes a big mess or clean up cost. Comparing the cost per BTU or KW, you have to take into account the efficiency also. Gas is almost always condensing, and stays that way. A tuned up oil burner is close in efficiency, but it might not be in a few years if it's not checked every year.

If you have oil working, and just need a new tank, then I'd stick with oil from the sounds of it. Different if you're going all new.

Here basically all plumbers will be trained and able to fit, service/install LPG, natural gas or oil boilers. We did have an issue where a moderately sized ape fitted the gas boiler in our rental property but neglected to set it for LPG use, preferring instead to use the natural gas configuration which resulted in carbon monoxide levels you wouldn't believe.

 

[neilo]

Can you fit a header tank and let the pump feed from that so you have good flow for long enough to fill a bath or have a shower?

That’s what we have here, as the mains feeds 4 properties and the farm through a 15mm meter. There’s 1000 litres of header tanks in the loft and a pump giving high pressure hot & cold water.

 

[Old Tup]

Essential not to enter into a system where the Gas supplier owns the tank...
Nothing more than a racket...
Oil gives you flexibility....your own Gas tank will go somewhere to providing similar flexibility.

 

[Courier]

Any oil boiler needs to be accessed only from without the dwelling area - Can’t think of many things worse than a lingering kerosene aroma.

 

[HatsOff]

Between the two... +1 for outdoor oil boiler and a big tank to fill in the middle of summer.

Personally I went with ASHP but I have solar and good insulation and its paid for with RHI.

 

[ollie989898]

Any oil boiler needs to be accessed only from without the dwelling area - Can’t think of many things worse than a lingering kerosene aroma.

Agreed, there are oil boilers that live outside of houses and plumb straight through the wall these days but if you have an indoor one it is better in an outhouse or outbuilding.

 

[br jones]

Essential not to enter into a system where the Gas supplier owns the tank...
Nothing more than a racket...
Oil gives you flexibility....your own Gas tank will go somewhere to providing similar flexibility.

1 year contract ? Thats all ,

 

[Hampton]

Could you let me know the model number/any details of the boiler when you get time please?

Worcester greenstar danesmoor 25/32
Kingspan Albion ultra steel 180L cylinders x 2
Zilmet expansion vessel (1 for each cylinder)

 

[scottrac]

just called calor
they only do 2 year deals
£75 a year rental for tank
.55p per litre for year one then variable for year 2
£850 installation with me doing ground works
Think I'll be staying with kero

 

[designanddetail]

yep agreed,but it will be 49p mid winter nexr year and oil willbe a quid a litre again

How are you getting 49p?

What standing charge?
Are you getting charged a 'price fluctuation fee' ?

Last lot off FLogas here was 75p p l, standing charge is now 47p per day and there was a £75 price fluctuation fee. Contract is out now so lookign to renew before the next top-up

 

[dod1e]

There are specialists
I have this;

DAB 500Lt Water Storage Tank

The e.sytank and E.sybox provides a modular 500 litre water storage tank and pump system. Fully packaged solution with integrated e.sydock station.

www.anglianpumping.com

We have dab esy box, think its the mini version, plus 1200 litre buffer tank, all housed in nearest shed where water treatment system was fitted anyway, so installation was straightforward.

Feeds cold water supply and external oil fired combi boiler, as well as garden hose and anything else originally connected to house supply pipe.

Good pressure all the time, only time there is an issue is if kids leave tap running etc, or I start using it to water livestock when the pipes all freeze in winter

but then just switch the pump off for 10 mins and let it self prime. You do need to be careful letting the air out of the pipes tho.......

 

[Jerry]

This is what I’ve put into the farmhouse holiday let as crap pressure and flow.

Tank is pumped a effectively all the system is now pressurised and can run all 4 showers at same time and they are like power showers. There’s a big storage tank upstairs for hot water.

pump kicks in on demand. Pressure vessel is 2 thirds full of water.

 

[SilliamWhale]

We have dab esy box, think its the mini version, plus 1200 litre buffer tank, all housed in nearest shed where water treatment system was fitted anyway, so installation was straightforward.

Feeds cold water supply and external oil fired combi boiler, as well as garden hose and anything else originally connected to house supply pipe.

Good pressure all the time, only time there is an issue is if kids leave tap running etc, or I start using it to water livestock when the pipes all freeze in winter

but then just switch the pump off for 10 mins and let it self prime. You do need to be careful letting the air out of the pipes tho.......

Ah you might the man I need to speak to! I need to install sprinklers in a new build and don't have the pressure, I also want my existing 25mm pipe to serve three properties and have an inbetween potable buffer tank. I was thinking of getting a dab esy box to do it?

(i know strictly speaking you need separate feeds for each property but Welsh Water have done me over so i'm not paying twice)

 

[dod1e]

Ah you might the man I need to speak to! I need to install sprinklers in a new build and don't have the pressure, I also want my existing 25mm pipe to serve three properties and have an inbetween potable buffer tank. I was thinking of getting a dab esy box to do it?

(i know strictly speaking you need separate feeds for each property but Welsh Water have done me over so i'm not paying twice)

Ours is the mini, dont remember there being a huge drop in capacity over the full size one, but ours definitely wouldn't serve 3 separate properties if you want to do without header tank and use it to pressurise the taps / shower etc. Well it would, if you can be sure they aren't all going to want to go for a shower at the same time.

We can have more than one outlet going with noticeable max flow reduction, and toilet can be filling or tap running without noticeably affecting the shower (which has manual thermostatic valve). Maybe with the full size one you might be ok, but I do think you will compromise on the service available to the properties simultaneously.

Single buffer tank and a pump for each property would work well as long as you have enough buffer capacity.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Ours is the mini, dont remember there being a huge drop in capacity over the full size one, but ours definitely wouldn't serve 3 separate properties if you want to do without header tank and use it to pressurise the taps / shower etc. Well it would, if you can be sure they aren't all going to want to go for a shower at the same time.

We can have more than one outlet going with noticeable max flow reduction, and toilet can be filling or tap running without noticeably affecting the shower (which has manual thermostatic valve). Maybe with the full size one you might be ok, but I do think you will compromise on the service available to the properties simultaneously.

Single buffer tank and a pump for each property would work well as long as you have enough buffer capacity.

Was thinking of a potable 600 litre tank feeding from the main and then ez box taking a feed off that and feeding three combis

 

[dod1e]

Was thinking of a potable 600 litre tank feeding from the main and then ez box taking a feed off that and feeding three combis

Think you could be pushing it, but depending on your layout you could go for it and see how it goes and add the extra pumps later if required?

 

[Old Tup]

1 year contract ? Thats all ,

Just try getting them to take the old tank away….when you want to change supplier when you rent the tank..