Summary: Oil central heating systems guide, advantages of oil central heating and disadvantages of oil central heating.
Oil is an alternative fuel used in boilers to heat water. Often the reasons for using oil instead of gas is that some more rural areas of the UK are not connected to a mains gas supply. When this is the case, oil can be delivered by a company and stored in a tank on the premises.
Working in the same way as a gas central heating system; the oil version heats water in a boiler, which is distributed to radiators and taps throughout the building via a pipe system. Thermostats can be used to control the output of the heat within your home or workplace.
Advantages:
- All new oil fuelled boilers are required to be made with a condensing boiler. This makes the rate of return on every unit of energy used very high, meaning it is a very efficient fuel. The new boilers are required to be at least 86% efficient.
- Replacing and updating an old oil boiler with a new condensed one is a fairly straightforward job. It is not particularly costly, so you can have a much more fuel efficient heating system with little effort.
Disadvantages:
- Due to the growing demand for oil, prices have risen and are likely to stay high. Although this is the same for gas.
- Due to the oil being delivered by road vehicle, there may be delays in restoring your oil, or you may run out while waiting for your delivery. It is possible to be connected to a system that allows the delivery company to know when you are running out and in need to re-supply.
- Oil central heating systems are complex and expensive to fit from scratch. Having a large oil tank on the property is unsightly unless you opt to install it underground.
- The boilers in an oil heating system need servicing annually.
- The flow of hot water can be limited and may become reduced in temperature as you use more.
- Oil is not an environmentally friendly fuel as it is a fossil fuel that produces carbon dioxide when burnt.
Related projects
- Ground source heat pumps
- Air source heat pumps
- Gas central heating systems
- Electric central heating systems
Related cost guides
- Average air heat pump cost
- Average asbestos removal costs
- Average barn conversion costs
- Average basement cost
- Average boiler cost
- Average cavity wall insulation cost
- Average underfloor heating cost
- Average central heating cost
- Average chimney repair costs
- Average cost of a greenhouse
- Average cost of a hot tub