If your home runs on heating oil and your boiler is coming to the end of its life, or you need a new heating oil tank, it may be a good time to think about changing to an alternative fuel source instead.
The UK government is currently championing heat pumps as the alternative option to traditional domestic heating oil for off-grid homes. However, sales of heat pumps are not taking off. The BBC reported earlier this week that, according to the spending watchdog, the government will need to increase the sales of heat pumps drastically if it is to achieve its annual targets. The government has set a target to install 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028, but the BBC reported that only 55,000 heat pumps were sold in 2022.
So why is the uptake so low? Well, it could be because heat pumps are not suitable for every property - and then there's the cost! The National Audit Office (NAO) has stated that one of the main reasons for the low uptake is the high costs of installing a heat pump and the additional measures such as improved insulation and new, larger radiators that need to be installed to obtain the equivalent heat when compared to a gas boiler.
So, whilst domestic heating oil has long been the popular choice for off-grid homeowners, in this blog we’re going to take a look at liquid petroleum gas as another alternative to heating oil, and the pros and cons of switching over to LPG for your home heating.
What is LPG and how does it compare to heating oil?
Both heating oil and LPG function in the same way and supply a flame in your boiler which is used to heat water which is then circulated throughout your central heating system to supply radiators and provide hot water. Both fuels are delivered to your home by a wagon.
Heating oil, however, is a form of kerosene. It’s petroleum-based, and produced through the refining of crude oil. Whereas LPG is a colourless hydrocarbon gas, extracted from natural gas streams or petroleum, and usually collected as a byproduct of the crude oil refinery process. Heating oil is stored in liquid form, whereas LPG, whilst also stored as a liquid, turns into gas when released.
The environmental impact
Whilst both fuels produce carbon dioxide when burned which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, this is where LPG has the edge!
LPG is cleaner burning than other fossil fuels such as domestic heating oil, giving off fewer harmful emissions when it burns – emissions such as Sox, NOx, and particulate matter, all of which contribute to polluting the environment in which we live and the air we all breathe.
It also produces 12% less carbon dioxide (CO2), and whilst both LPG and heating oil do release carbon dioxide when burned, LPG gives off almost no black carbon, which is a major contributor to global warming.
Being non-toxic, LPG has no impact on water or soil whereas a spill of oil can be costly to resolve from a monetary perspective in terms of lost fuel, but also can be very expensive and often difficult to clear up. Any leak of oil has the potential to cause substantial damage to the environment, especially if it gets into water courses and contaminates streams, ponds or lakes.
The difference between LPG and heating oil storage
In short, there’s little difference, although LPG is stored in pressurised bulk LPG tanks. A bulk LPG tank must be sited on your property in accordance with LPG tank installation regulations whereas different rules apply to heating oil and are governed by OFTEC.
Like heating oil tanks, LPG tanks come in a range of sizes, and there’s a choice of an above-ground tank, or alternatively a below-ground tank that would be buried underground, as the name suggests, so hidden from sight - often the preferred choice for residential use although more expensive to install.
Oil or LPG – which boiler’s best?
An oil-fired central heating combi boiler is likely to be more expensive to purchase than an LPG boiler, although prices vary significantly depending on the manufacturer and model. And an LPG combi boiler is usually much easier and cheaper to install than a heating oil boiler.
LPG boilers are more compact than oil boilers, and don’t take up much space. They produce less residue as LPG burns much cleaner than heating oil and often run more quietly than heating oil boilers.
However, oil boilers are very efficient and convert over 90% of the fuel into energy, generating around 10kW of energy per litre compared to LPG which produce about 7kW.
Heating oil is a smellier fuel than LPG. In fact, it can be quite strong smelling - oil has a distinct pungent smell which can be unpleasant. However, if your heating oil boiler is well-maintained and burning efficiently, the smell shouldn’t be overly strong. This compares with LPG which is naturally odourless, although an additive is added so that it can be detected. It’s often described as a rotten-egg smell or like rotting cabbage. But don’t worry - you’ll only smell it when there’s a leak.
Safety and versatility
Both domestic heating oil and LPG are perfectly safe when handled with care. Starting with heating oil, it’s not flammable. If you dropped a lit match into it, the flame would go out. It’s not explosive and modern heating oil tanks automatically shut off your boiler if the system breaks down. LPG is also a very safe product, and it‘s important with both types of fuel to carry out regular maintenance to ensure your system runs efficiently and safely and to avoid exposure to carbon monoxide.
LPG not only fuels heating systems but is a versatile gas that provides a ready flame for cooking so can fuel your oven and/or hob. Whereas heating oil is more restricted to heating unless you have a range cooker.
Then there’s the issue of theft – whilst heating oil theft is rare, it does happen although the chance of this is fairly low, and there are steps you can take to try and prevent the theft of your oil. However, LPG is virtually impossible to steal.
Both home heating oil and LPG are tried and tested, effective heating solutions that perform efficiently, and the good news is that both fuels have greener versions coming soon.
HVO or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is a biofuel made from natural waste such as processed vegetable oils or animal fats and is one of the cleanest fuel alternatives as it cuts CO2 emissions by up to 90%. Whilst it is the ideal greener choice for homes that currently use traditional heating oil, we are not yet in a position to supply HVO to homes, although we are looking to do so as soon as possible. However, we are able to offer HVO to businesses that currently use diesel.
For LPG users, renewable gases are coming soon. Seen by many as the future off-grid fuels, both BioLPG and rDME are low carbon renewable alternatives that we’re looking to supply in the not-too-distant future.
With the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) estimating that air source heat pumps cost £10,000 more than a gas boiler on average, LPG could well be the ideal off-grid choice. In addition, when compared to heating oil, LPG is far more affordable, costs less to install, and has additional environmental benefits.
If you’re considering making the switch, read our beginners guide to LPG for more information, or alternatively give us a call on 01423 772 789 and have a chat with our friendly and experienced team.