One for Oilman?

[AdamW]

I have never seen an oil-fired system in my life. However, whilst watching "The Good Life" a few weeks back, where Tom was trying to syphon heating oil out of a big tank in a back garden, I got to wondering:

1) How much oil does one go through in the course of a year?
2) How big is a typical tank?
3) Does it have to be a big gravity fed tank in the garden, or can you get "petrol station" type affairs, with an underground tank?
4) Does oil offer any cost advantages over a gas system for installation, maintenance and running?
5) How much does it cost to get a bloke with an oil tanker to come and fill it up?

 

[oilman]

1) How much oil does one go through in the course of a year?

Depends on how big your house is and how hot you have it. Give us a clue.

2) How big is a typical tank?

Domestics are usually 1200, 1800, 2500 litres (approx)

3) Does it have to be a big gravity fed tank in the garden, or can you get "petrol station" type affairs, with an underground tank?

If you're rich enough, yes.

4) Does oil offer any cost advantages over a gas system for installation, maintenance and running?

(This'll stir someone up, and it has some disadvantages but I won't go into that.) Oil boilers are more expensive than gas boilers, but they are VERY substantially built, and it's not unusual to see oil boilers 30 years old and still going strong. You can do all the installation yourself. They don't have complex control systems, and are inherently more fuel efficient than gas. A good gas condenser is only about as good as a standard oil boiler.

5) How much does it cost to get a bloke with an oil tanker to come and fill it up?

Current price about 20p/litre.

 

[MANDATE]

My oil tank is not underground but sits in a recess and gravity does not come into it. The pump is capable of pulling to a depth of about 9ft.
All parts are easy to replace and its easier to identify the cause of most problems compared to gas. You can even prove the functioning of each sub section seperately. ie Function of motor. function of motor coupled to pump. Pressure produced by pump. Function of transformer and eletrodes producing spark. Function of control box. And you don't need a corgi man either.

 

[ChrisR]

Don't you have to service them, though? Let's be honest, most gas boilers are never touched!

 

[AdamW]

1) How much oil does one go through in the course of a year?

Depends on how big your house is and how hot you have it. Give us a clue.

OK, say for example a large 4 bed house, 4 power showers per day, in the south, kept at ooh, 18 degrees celsius?

Would this be one 1800 litre tank per year or what? I am guessing that the tanks are sized to last about a year?

Of course, I live in a 1 bed flat so it isn't really relevant to me just yet, but it interests me. And if I look at a house with oil-fired heating I won't be scared by it!