Anyone here using LPG for central heating?

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ligloo · #16 Post by **ligloo** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:08 pm

Haven't read the previous posts but we've lived in the middle of nowhere for 7 years now. We live on oil fired heating for heat and electric for cooking wise. We have had the option of LPG but too much like hard work and expense for us! Seriously not the most economical choice x

MartDude · #17 Post by **MartDude** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:02 pm

Still undecided. Sticking with solid fuel is definitely cheaper - installation and running. But LPG offers greater convenience & controllability, & less mess, but at a price.

This table I was sent is educative

Why does sh*t like this always happen at this time of year?

BikerGran · #18 Post by **BikerGran** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:51 pm

Erm - because this time of year is when you're using it?

D-Rider · #19 Post by **D-Rider** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:40 pm

MartDude wrote:
Why does sh*t like this always happen at this time of year?

Dunno what you mean ..... we've now had heat for the last 5 days .... more than all the total number of days that the heating worked up till that point since the summer.
We even had a new boiler fitted which worked for one evening before it stopped. All seems good now .... which is nice as it was bloomin cold beforehand.

On the other hand, I am now an energy generator .... my new solar panels are doing a great job. It's very comforting to watch the electricity meter running backwards during the day .... as well as looking forward to a nice income from the electricity they produce.

flatlander · #20 Post by **flatlander** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:54 pm

is that the rebate that they have justr decided to cut?

D-Rider · #21 Post by **D-Rider** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:58 pm

flatlander wrote:is that the rebate that they have justr decided to cut?

Not a rebate but a payment for every kWhr you produce - even if you use it yourself.
I got in there a couple of weeks before they slashed the rate for new producers so I've got the better rate, index linked for the next 25yrs.

I'm hoping these winds we have tonight still leave me with a roof full of panels come the morning!

MartDude · #22 Post by **MartDude** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:34 pm

Many thanks to all of you who've contributed to this; it's been very helpful.

We've decided to stick with solid fuel (logs/wood briquettes/smokeless). Cheaper to install, with our present set-up, and cheaper to run. We're looking at installing an oil or LPG combi boiler just for hot water, to run in tandem with the solid fuel, in the summer, when there's less of a panic. The briquettes & large pellets seem quite reasonably priced, and the price isn't as vulnerable to international political & economic uncertainties, and OPEC/Russian strangleholds, as oil and gas.

A good friend here, a solid fuel installer (BTW, his business is called Falco Heating, after the bike he had when he set it up), is fitting the new stove shortly after New Year. In the meantime, I've bodged the old boiler (stove, not Gill) - given it another dose of Fernox L4 sealant, & fire-cemented a plate over the hole - seems to be holding, so far. If it fails again & is beyond bodging, we'll just get a few more convector heaters or similar and get by with those.

Again, thanks for your inputs - we're very grateful for your help.

#23 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:06 pm

What stove are you going for, Mart? I've been reading up on Burley stoves and they are (apparently) incredibly efficient. If they did a boiler stove, I'd have one in a heartbeat for France. Have you looked at boiler stoves? They can provide all of your hot water needs in winter, plus some can run radiators as well.

MartDude · #24 Post by **MartDude** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 1:25 am

mangocrazy wrote:What stove are you going for, Mart? I've been reading up on Burley stoves and they are (apparently) incredibly efficient. If they did a boiler stove, I'd have one in a heartbeat for France. Have you looked at boiler stoves? They can provide all of your hot water needs in winter, plus some can run radiators as well.

It'll be an inset boiler stove; a Charnwood LA45iB. My Falco Heating mate, who's supplying & installing it, recommended this one - he does the maintenance for the local housing association, who've fitted a lot of Charnwoods, and reckons they're good value and very durable - he's worked on ones over 20 years old. Also, this one will fit in with minimal changes to the pipe work - the pipe centres are the same as on the old one.

They do free-standing ones in that range

http://www.charnwood.com/files/document ... 011pdf.pdf

There are more stylish, 'contemporary' ones, but frankly, we don't give a damn.

We're paying considerably less than the list price at, e.g., Plumb Centre. If you're interested, I'll ask Gary if he could do you one at a good price. PM me if interested. And it would give him a chance to reminisce about his Falco.

Samray · #25 Post by **Samray** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 2:12 am

Fitted a Charnwood as part of a major refurb job in the 80's. It is still giving good service today. Quality gear.
The customer was an antique dealer with a tree felling sideline ... so it's tasty and seen plenty of service.

#26 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 12:46 pm

Hi Mart, I'm currently at the 'thinking seriously and getting anal about specifications' stage. It's for the gaff in the south of France, which is still very much in the 'ongoing project' phase, to provide winter heating and hot water (solar thermal for the hot water during other 3 seasons). Heating not required April to October

It's something I really have to get stuck into this year and get done. The Charnwood stove you've specified looks ideal for our purposes, as well, with the right balance of room heat and heat to hot water. I was originally thinking of a pure wood-burner, but I guess a multifuel stove is more versatile especially if you run out of wood and need some heat quick. My only concern is whether they're less efficient than one optimised purely for wood.

It would be a supply only deal, as I'd either need to fit it myself or get a French heating engineer to do it. I'd prefer to do it myself if possible, especially as I'm hacking the house about at the moment and it's the ideal time to put in pipework.

I'd be interested to know if your mate would regard them as suitable for installation by an amateur (albeit one who knows the front end of a soldering torch from the back). I've installed two central heating systems, and just left commissioning of the boiler and final connection to the professionals.

MartDude · #27 Post by **MartDude** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 1:45 pm

As far as installation goes I installed the old one myself, with the help of a plumber friend. Main thing, apart from connecting the pipework correctly of course, is connecting the stove flue to your flue liner. Ideally, a stainless steel flue liner - a flexible liner makes it easier. You'll probably need a collar thingy to connect the two (stove outlet & liner - please forgive my poor grasp of the correct terminology here). Plenty of fire cement, to ensure a good leak-proof connection. If this isn't done correctly, you increase the chances of a chimney fire - ask me how I know!!

ligloo · #28 Post by **ligloo** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:12 am

With the plan for the new house, we're doing the geothermal route! Aside from that it has to be a multi fuel stove! Wood isn't going to be enough, it needs more lol......,.

lazarus · #29 Post by **lazarus** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:12 pm

snapdragon wrote:
Willopotomas wrote:Am now wondering what the difference in price would be between LPG and piped-in supply. If it's a significant reduction, I may seek to convert to LPG. Hmm..
Not sure if it's cheaper than piped gas Willo - it's about £1.20 a litre ish depending on area

edit
£1.17 per litre delivered and fitted, I just did the sum properly

Are you sure? My car is LPG and even with fuel duty the price is 67.9 pence / litre. With less tax for domestic heating I would expect an even lower figure. Heating oil is about 56p/litre and gas has maybe 10% less calorific value so £1.20 /litre would be more than double the cost of oil. You would get your money back on an oil system in under a year at that lpg cost.

ligloo · #30 Post by **ligloo** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:27 am

I've just had an extra £1600 bill outside of my oil deliveries, FFS stay clear of oil if you can right now! SAMMM??? What's yours like? Lol