Whether you are building a new home, renovating an old one or reviewing an existing heating system, it’s important to understand all of your options. Different home heating systems are available to you depending on the location of your property and your preference.
Heating oil
- Domestic heating oil (kerosene) is available to properties that don’t have access to the mains gas grid, more often than not the houses are located in rural parts of the country.
- The oil is purchased through a supplier and delivered via road and delivered into a tank which is located on the property.
Advantages of using oil:
- You have the option of when to order your fuel delivery. Typically, the price of oil is cheaper in the summer and more expensive in the winter, depending on demand. Therefore oil users could choose to fill their tank in the summer when the price is at its lowest. However, this is not always the case.
- Some suppliers offer a top up scheme, where they will schedule your deliveries for you to ensure you never run out.
- The tank does not need to be bought or rented from the supplier.
Disadvantages of using oil:
- Can be expensive- The price fluctuates from day to day depending on global demand.
- As a fossil fuel, Kerosene cannot be classed as a ‘green’ form of energy. Oil emits around 4-5 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year from the average UK household.
LPG
- LPG (liquid petroleum gas) is also available to households that are not connected to the mains gas grid. It is delivered in the same way as oil but the tank in which it is stored can be underground or above.
Advantage of using LPG
- LPG is a clean burning fuel, although isn’t ‘green’ it produced less carbon emissions than other home heating systems. It produced 33% less carbon dioxide than coal and 15% less than oil.
- In the event of a spill LPG won’t cause contamination to water or the environment.
- The tank can be stored underground so it is hidden from sight.
Disadvantages of using LPG
- The tank has to be rented off your supplier
- The LPG tank and all appliances need to be serviced annually by a gas safe engineer
- The cost of gas can be expensive
Gas central heating
- Most households in the UK have access mains gas. It is delivered to households across the UK via underground pipes.
Advantage of gas central heating
- It’s convenient
- Cost effective
- Easily controlled with a thermostat
Disadvantages of gas central heating
- Installing a gas central heating system from scratch is expensive and disruptive.
- It isn’t a ‘green’ source of energy as it produces carbon dioxide when burned.
Electric central heating
- Electric heating is another option for those who can’t access mains gas.
Advantages of electric heating
- Cheap to install
- Convenient
- They don’t require pipework and are cheap to repair
- Available nationwide
Disadvantages of electric heating
- Expensive compared to other home heating options. Electric costs approximately three times the price of gas per kWh.
Renewable energy
- Renewable energy is fast becoming a popular choice for home heating. With energy prices on the rise and the government putting pressure on businesses especially to cut down on their carbon emissions, more and more people are opting for green sources of energy.
- Renewable energy includes the use of solar panels, heat pumps and biomass boilers.
Advantages of renewable energy
- Good for the environment- produces no carbon emissions
- It’s a completely independent source of energy
- Price will not be subject to global demand
Disadvantages of renewable energy
- Not the most reliable of energy sources
- Difficult to predict how much energy will be generated, especially with solar panels.
- Installation costs can be expensive