| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| nettie |
Storage heating or oil fired central heating?OK folks the first of many questions on the subject of renovation!Should we stick with the existing electric storage heating or have oil fired central heating installed? No idea of the pros and cons of each. We'll have a woodburning stove in the lounge as well in case of power cut and chilly evenings anyhow. |
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| tahir |
If you're going to invest in central heating you should definitely get a cylinder with a solar coil, then you can add a solar panel quite easily, you might find that you can get away without the oil for quite a lot of the time. | ||||
| Marionb |
Definitely oil central heating!!! We had storage heaters when we lived in a brand new bungalow (already installed) and whilst it was lovely and warm in the mornings, by late evening when you really needed it, the heat was gone and the house was decidedly chilly. Admittedly it was about 12 years ago, and maybe now they are slightly more flexible, but we found then we had very little control over them. With oil CH you can choose whether you have it on or not and you can also choose the temperature of the radiators. No contest really 
ps. Forgot to say... where we live now originally had gas CH (tank in garden)... cost a fortune to run. We changed over to oil about 5 years ago and it was the best thing we ever did... I wouldnt have anything else now (unless mains gas was available which isnt likely around here...) |
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| nettie |
How much does the oil cost, Marion? | ||||
| tahir |
I reckon that size of house with a decent new boiler should be less than £500 | ||||
| sean |
You can fit a back-boiler to your woodburner and run CH and HW off that. Then you'd just have to run an immersion heater for top ups above and beyond the supply from your solar HW in the summer. | ||||
| Marionb |
The price varies.... we have a 1300 litre tank, and we filled it up in October last year... I think it was around 28p per litre then but I would have to check the invoice to be sure. |
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| dougal |
Insulate to the maximum!
That'll reduce the need for heating. Of whatever sort! And it therefore reduces the size (and therefore cost) of the heating installation you need - as well as its running costs.
Which is the reason for Economy10 as opposed to Economy7 tariffs - although they aren't available in all areas. E10 provides a late afternoon boost. Storage rads are probably best suited to houses/flats that are constantly occupied, rather than those that are empty during the day. I'd agree with Tahir about avoiding a combi, so that you do have a hot tank (and make it a biggy and super insulated), and installing a 'twin-coil' (solar-ready) tank - even if you aren't going to install solar thermal panels immediately. Unless you are installing underfloor heating, I would not suggest that you considered a heatpump. With underfloor, in a slab, it can be distinctly cheaper {EDIT: cheaper to run} than oil. If you go with oil, make sure you get a condensing boiler - they use less oil for the same amount of useful heat! The cost of oil. It varies! From place to place (delivery charges), with the world oil price (of course) and seasonally (expected to be cheaper in summer than winter). And one thing to get your head around, is the idea of paying for your heating (the oil) in a big lump sum when the tank is filled, possibly six months before you use the heat, rather than either retrospectively (essentially on credit), or in predictable direct debit standing order payments for an electricity bill. And having to make the decision when (and so at what price) to 'stock up'... |
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| nettie |
Well it looks like a no no for the storage heating then! Hopefully we'll get the rads, tank, boiler etc installed in the summer. If not we won't freeze though. Thanks for all the advice.
My mum loves her storage heating (but she's usually nodded off by 9.30 so misses the coldest bit!) |
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| Nanny |
i agree that oil is better than storage radiators with a backup of a woodburner or fireplace, you should be quite snug
for best prices of oil, join www.boilerjuice.com if more than one person in a post code orders oil, it become cheaper we tried it and they were very prompt, a penny or so per litre cheaper.... |
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| VSS |
I would go for an oil fired Rayburn or Aga. These will heat your water, run radiators, and you can cook on them. I wouldn't be without mine.
Combined with a wood burner we have no other heating or cooking facilities and on the whole the house is warm, and we never go hungry. It also precludes the need for an elecric kettle, immersion heater, electric coker etc, helping to reduce the amount of electricity consumed. www.viableselfsufficiency.co.uk |
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| Nanny |
when i discussed the oil burning rayburn, i was talekd out of it because i was told that oil fired rayburns are only 80% as efficient as the boiler we already had
it was suggested we keep the boiler and go for a bottled gas rangemaster ....this suits me as i prefer gas cooking but i was half upset that the rayburn was discounted as an option i miss my rayburn to be sure but decided i can't have evrything in life so talk me back into rayburn mode....... |
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| dougal |
Quite possible. Modern 'condensing' boilers are designed to run with the exhaust at about 50C. Warm rather than properly hot. Non-condensing boilers (and ranges) have an exhaust that is *intended* to be at hot oven temperatures (above 150C). The extra heat that goes up the chimney means less heat left for you out of each and every litre of oil. CAT *link* about condensers and fuel efficiency One doesn't choose a range (AFAIK any range) for its fuel efficiency as a boiler. |
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| nettie |
That would be lovely but if we had one there'd only be space for half a kitchen unit and the washing machine would be in the garden 
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| Nanny |
well tht sorts it then really (sigh) |
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| dougal |
But y'know, fuel efficiency isn't the only thing.
Which is why the Honda Insight didn't sell very well... |