Costs to Consider With an LPG Gas Boiler
When you think that on average, the cost of providing hot water and heating your home accounts for 62% of your annual energy bills, it’s understandable that cost is going to be the deciding factor in your boiler choice. While the unit cost of LPG is more expensive than oil, it is a far more efficient fuel, so you are likely to find that your heating bills actually reduce, more-so if you replace an older, less efficient boiler with an A grade condensing model.
There isn’t much of a saving on the installation cost itself, as all of our engineers still need to be gas safe registered engineers to fit LPG - we are Gas Safe and LPG qualified to install, service and maintain LPG boilers. As with a regular boiler, you’ll also need to have your LPG boiler serviced annually by us for £72 to ensure it’s safe and efficient which we can help you with too.
Back to that good news we mentioned though... the LPG boilers are considerably cheaper to buy than oil boilers - for example you could save around £900 when purchasing an LPG combination boiler for a four bedroom detached house in comparison to an oil equivalent. If you let us know your budget we can look at which model will be the best fit for your needs.
Ongoing Running Costs - This is where there is a less distinct advantage to either of your choices. If you are looking at energy costs alone, with gas unit costs versus electricity units, gas is cheaper but obviously, the various boilers don’t use identical numbers of units. If you use your electricity well, you can sometimes take advantage of the off-peak tariffs or even P.V solar panels too so the overall energy usage of the two boiler types works out different for each household. However, once you’ve added in the additional annual costs such as your gas certificate and boiler servicing etc, the electric combi is still more economical. On an average tariff the electric boiler runs at about £3 per hour to run flat out, but bear in mind the gas valves on these units are designed to lower the gas consumption when you select a lower running temperature.
Do I need much Space outside for my LPG tank?
Whilst you’ll need to give some thought to the internal factors such as boiler location and storage tanks, your biggest factor is the storage of the gas outside. It is worth us quickly pointing out here though that LPG combination boilers are often smaller in size in comparison to oil boilers so this may help if internal space is at a premium. If buying your LPG tank is going to stretch your budget a little too far, some gas suppliers will rent storage tanks out. This works out less cost effective on a long term basis but it may be worth exploring if you need that initial help financially. Currently Calor gas will supply the L.P.G bottles free of charge!
Here to Help - in More Ways Than One We hope this information has helped you see that an electric combi boiler could be a highly efficient option for your heating system and hot water provision in your home. Electric combi boilers tend to be slightly more expensive than the gas boilers but have lower running costs overall. We always have the latest and most efficient models here for you. If you need any help with your boiler purchase it’s not just a quote we offer, we like to offer our expert advise to make sure you are making the correct decision for your new boiler.
As LPG is a denser liquid than gas, you can keep a substantial quantity in a relatively small space but you’ll still need a storage tank in which to keep your gas supply. These can be above ground or below so if you need the tank out of the way, you may opt for an underground one. Water or electricity cables can’t pass through this area and if you are prone to floods or have soil which is high in clay or water you won’t be able to have your tank located underground. As it is a generally cleaner fuel, if spilt, LPG will not contaminate water or alter the environment like gas or oil would and is virtually odourless so this is a little more reassuring when you know you have a supply of it hiding underground in your garden!
If your tank will be above ground you’ll need a concrete base and a trench leading from the tank to your property for the pipework. There are quite a few regulations in place you’ll need to comply with which dictate where you can install a tank in your garden. Distance from your house, clearance areas from foliage and ventilation space are a few examples but feel free to give us a call and we’ll happily go through these with you as the tank isn’t very easy to move once it’s in place and full! If you need any help on deciding which LPG Boiler would be most suitable for your family home, simply get in touch and we’ll use our 45 years of expertise to guide you through your options.
And one last thing… you’ll also need to bear in mind that LPG needs to be transported by road so you’ll need to ensure you keep an eye on your stock as you won’t want to run out in the middle of a cold spell!
