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In the UK, the majority of houses are linked to the national grid, with gas feeding them on tap, when and where it is needed. Some houses, however – often those in rural locations – are not attached to the national grid. Their heating is generated through heating oil, which is stored in a heating oil tank that is situated on the premises and filled at regular intervals.
If you have or are looking to buy a property that is heated using your own oil as opposed to mains gas, it is important to remember that it is perfectly safe but does require a certain degree of upkeep – ensuring that your heating oil tank is properly looked after and filled regularly, for example.
Is Heating Oil Expensive
The cost of oil is expensive. But in a world of rising gas and energy costs, having a property that is heated using heating oil, the cost is often cheaper than using gas from the mains. It is estimated that using oil heating can save you up to about 5% on your energy bill – although this amount changes according to region, of course.
By buying your oil in bulk, which can also last for a while, you can also plan to buy your oil when the prices are best. This way, you can reduce the effect of – and take advantage of – fluctuations in the market and ensure that you are heating your property at the lowest price that is possible.
It can also be easy to spend money on gas when you do not see it going down. This is another problem with receiving mains gas. When you are storing your oil in a tank on your property, organising the re-filling of the tank, and seeing the oil level go down, you are more aware of the amount of oil that is being used. This, again, can mean that you are more careful about how much of it you are using.
Finally, oil heating systems are very durable and will commonly last for about 30 years before they need to be replaced. This is a long time compared to other heating systems, which will normally be replaced after 10 – 15 years, saving you money in the long run.
Benefits of Oil Heating
When it comes to using heating oil for the heating of your property as opposed to mains gas central heating, there are plenty of benefits. Some of these include:
- The price benefits – it can often be less expensive than mains gas for the reasons that were outlined above.
- The environment – oil heating burns very cleanly since the introduction of new technology. It produces almost no debris or smoke when it is burned, and the EPA has stated that it is one of the cleanest ways to heat a home.
- Storing heating oil in a single-skin or bunded heating oil tank is very safe and not detrimental to your health.
Home Heating Oil Types
When your home uses oil for its central heating system, it involves the use of radiators, baseboards, or vents. When the thermostat within the house drops below the set temperature, it triggers the heater to begin the home-warming process.
During this process, the oil moves from the oil tank into the burner, where it creates a flame in the combustion chamber.
After this, what happens depends on the type of heating system that you have:
- Some people use the boiler system. During this process, the burner heats water that is then pumped around the house and sent through the system. Once the water cools down, it is reheated and then re-sent around the house over and over again.
- Other properties use the furnace system. In this process, the air is heated by the burning oil, which is then pumped through the house, heating it up.
Oil Tank Sizes for Home Heating Oil
Oil tanks for home heating oil are available in plastic and steel, and in single-skin and bunded forms. They are also available in a range of different sizes, from 350 litres in volume to 20,000 litres, as well as above-ground and underground heating oil tanks.
It is important to get the right heating oil tank size for your property. The size of the tank depends on several factors such as the size of the property, how many people are living on the property, how much oil you would use – and how much physical space you have to store your oil tank. Domestic oil tanks normally range from about 500 litres capacity to 10,000 litres.
