Steel v plastic domestic oil tank

[Gone fishing]

I’d never get a grant for a heat pump without a lot of work, but the old tank move is giving me such a headache I’m contemplating going all electric. I’ve a hunch that after I’ve dropped £2k on a new tank, our 25+ year old Rayburn will go pop and that’s another eye watering sum. Our radiators are not in the best of health so no great loss to replace them, but running costs and wiring are unknowns

[ATG]

Gone fishing said:

I’d never get a grant for a heat pump without a lot of work, but the old tank move is giving me such a headache I’m contemplating going all electric. I’ve a hunch that after I’ve dropped £2k on a new tank, our 25+ year old Rayburn will go pop and that’s another eye watering sum. Our radiators are not in the best of health so no great loss to replace them, but running costs and wiring are unknowns

Are you thinking of going electric, but not using a heat pump? That would be ruinously expensive to run.

[clockworks]

Gone fishing said:

I’d never get a grant for a heat pump without a lot of work, but the old tank move is giving me such a headache I’m contemplating going all electric. I’ve a hunch that after I’ve dropped £2k on a new tank, our 25+ year old Rayburn will go pop and that’s another eye watering sum. Our radiators are not in the best of health so no great loss to replace them, but running costs and wiring are unknowns

I'm hopefully nt going to need too much work to qualify for the heat pump grant. Already got cavity insulation and dg windows. 2 layers of insulation in the loft areas that are readily visible.

I did some research on ASHP running costs, and it shouldn't come out that much more than oil at current prices. Luckily, here in West Cornwall, it rarely drops below zero during the day, and maybe 4 or 5 days a year overnight. Most days it stays above 5 degrees, so a heat pump still gives out more than you put in.

At around 2.5:1 efficiency, it's break-even. That should be attainable for most of the year I think?

[Gone fishing]

ATG said:

Gone fishing said:

I’d never get a grant for a heat pump without a lot of work, but the old tank move is giving me such a headache I’m contemplating going all electric. I’ve a hunch that after I’ve dropped £2k on a new tank, our 25+ year old Rayburn will go pop and that’s another eye watering sum. Our radiators are not in the best of health so no great loss to replace them, but running costs and wiring are unknowns

Are you thinking of going electric, but not using a heat pump? That would be ruinously expensive to run.

That’s what I’m trying to work out. Oils not cheap, Rayburn is serviced every year, £150 + parts and it’s becoming more like triggers broom, it’s also not very efficient, we get through 2500l a year plus wood burning stoves, all in we probably pay £2k in heating a year including servicing. We zone heating heavily but we’ve a long L shaped barn with solid walls. Our plumber who also does heat pumps took a look and said they’re a nice idea but retrofit would be very expensive. Solar is more likely to be an option combined with cheap rate over night, I’m wondering if we can get close.

[clockworks]

Gone fishing said:

That’s what I’m trying to work out. Oils not cheap, Rayburn is serviced every year, £150 + parts and it’s becoming more like triggers broom, it’s also not very efficient, we get through 2500l a year plus wood burning stoves, all in we probably pay £2k in heating a year including servicing. We zone heating heavily but we’ve a long L shaped barn with solid walls. Our plumber who also does heat pumps took a look and said they’re a nice idea but retrofit would be very expensive. Solar is more likely to be an option combined with cheap rate over night, I’m wondering if we can get close.

Straight electric heating, on a standard tariff, is around 3 times the price of oil.

A litre of oil has the potential to give close to 10 kwh at 100% efficiency, so somewhere between 8 and 9 kwh in an older boiler. That's around 8p per kwh into your radiators.

Straight electric boiler, an a standard tariff, is around 23p per kwh - 3 times the price.

I really wouldn't consider straight electric in anything other than a tiny apartment.

ASHP comes close to oil, in favourable conditions, because you can get more out than you put in.


We get through about 900 litres a year ( 1960's detached 4 bed dormer bungalow), and I would stick with oil if it wasn't for the cost and hassle of replacing the tank, and needing a new boiler in a few years.
Looks like we'll all be "forced" to go electric eventually, so it probably makes sense for us to do it now.

If I was having to use 2500 litres a year, I'd be wary of switching without doing the sums very carefully

[Gone fishing]

clockworks said:

Straight electric heating, on a standard tariff, is around 3 times the price of oil.

A litre of oil has the potential to give close to 10 kwh at 100% efficiency, so somewhere between 8 and 9 kwh in an older boiler. That's around 8p per kwh into your radiators.

Straight electric boiler, an a standard tariff, is around 23p per kwh - 3 times the price.

I really wouldn't consider straight electric in anything other than a tiny apartment.

ASHP comes close to oil, in favourable conditions, because you can get more out than you put in.


We get through about 900 litres a year ( 1960's detached 4 bed dormer bungalow), and I would stick with oil if it wasn't for the cost and hassle of replacing the tank, and needing a new boiler in a few years.
Looks like we'll all be "forced" to go electric eventually, so it probably makes sense for us to do it now.

If I was having to use 2500 litres a year, I'd be wary of switching without doing the sums very carefully

Thanks, that’s the type of maths I need.

[Actual]

We moved here last year and I wanted to get the oil tank checked out but it is difficult to find someone who will advise if they don't have a purchase order for a new installation.

My bunded oil tank is next to the boundary fence to a farm track but if I reinstate the cement board fire barrier then I am told it will be compliant. The barrier was removed when a new fence was installed.

Fire Rated oil tanks can be installed as close as 300mm from structures including: Buildings and structures including windows, doors, eaves, a garage or shed.

The plastic tank is bunded but I should think that the most vulnerable part is the outlet pipe with a stop tap which could easily be bashed by something in the garden.

If I ever went ASHP using electric then I think I would keep the oil boiler and the log burner for as long as possible as backup.

[chrismoose91]

Gone fishing said:

I’d never get a grant for a heat pump without a lot of work, but the old tank move is giving me such a headache I’m contemplating going all electric. I’ve a hunch that after I’ve dropped £2k on a new tank, our 25+ year old Rayburn will go pop and that’s another eye watering sum. Our radiators are not in the best of health so no great loss to replace them, but running costs and wiring are unknowns

OP, you'd be seriously surprised as to what they can do. Plenty of people have gone from oil to ashp. And given octopus will likely upgrade every radiator anyway, it's a no brainer. If you pay the £500 deposit they will come out and survey, ask them questions etc. they'll let you know where things can go and if it's feasible. If it's not, get your deposit back, even up to the day before of the install date they give you.