We are no strangers to a bitter winter in the UK and Ireland, which is why our home heating systems have evolved to use the best available fuel sources available. While new technologies such as solar thermal boilers and air-sourced heat pumps are starting to appear in homes across the islands, most of our heating systems are still powered by three types of fossil fuel: natural gas, propane and oil.
Each fuel has its own benefits and drawbacks – and it is useful for installers to have knowledge of all three. When armed with this information, you are in a better position to provide the best possible advice to your customers about the right boiler for their homes and the benefits or disadvantages of the fuel that powers it.
Mains character energy
In most towns and cities, mains gas or natural gas is readily available, making it the obvious option. Gas is, comparatively, cheaper to install with no fuel storage costs and modern gas boilers, mainly combi boilers, are also very efficient. For example, a condensing combi boiler captures heat that would otherwise escape through the flue, using it to help heat water and the home, helping to reduce energy bills while also cutting carbon emissions.
Gas boilers can also offer a lot more flexibility as they have a high flow rate and adjusting the temperature of your home heating system is easy – especially if paired with a smart controller. Furthermore, a ‘plug n play’ installation is relatively straightforward, particularly if you choose a boiler from a manufacturer who factors easy installation into the design of their products.
Oil alternative
For those who live in a region without access to mains gas, then oil has been the traditional alternative – particularly in more rural areas. However, this doesn’t mean these customers have to sacrifice energy efficiency or performance – in fact, oil boilers are typically A-rated or even A+ with additional controls. The reason for this is that heating oil burns at a higher temperature, producing the same amount of heat needed to warm up a home much quicker.
Despite these benefits, there are also a few drawbacks. Unfortunately, in this instance, higher efficiency does not mean lower emissions, as burning oil often creates more carbon emissions than burning gas – highlighting the importance of the industry’s Future Ready Fuel campaign.
Some systems – such as Navien’s range of oil-powered boilers – can burn hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which is a recycled product, made from waste, that contributes to a significant reduction in carbon emissions. Although it is a low carbon solution, the cost of HVO is significantly higher than the price of traditional fuel and is, currently, less readily available. There are calls for the Government to reduce the cost of HVO so that it can achieve parity with kerosene as a fuel for domestic heating and encourage a rapid adoption of this alternative solution.
In addition, the picture is not as clear when it comes to cost due to a number of variables, such as the cost of burning oil compared to natural gas – which is a key consideration for customers when presented with both as an option. Studies show that, over the last 4 years, the average cost of oil and gas in domestic heating are comparable, with oil slightly cheaper, but the oil price is prone to greater fluctuation and unpredictability.
However, because oil-fired boilers are so popular in rural areas, oil suppliers must provide a competitive service, so advise your customers to regularly shop around for the best deals. This can be tempered by big fluctuations in the price of oil – unsurprisingly, it has, traditionally, been more expensive during the colder months. But, if the homeowner plans ahead and refills their tank towards the end of summer, they could potentially enjoy significant savings.
Another consideration for homeowners is the added cost required to store the oil and, if an oil-powered boiler is the right option for the property and there’s no storage tank in place, this could also mean a higher installation cost when compared to alternative fuels – although many oil suppliers offer the option to lease the tank rather than buy it outright.
The pros of LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – usually made up of propane or butane gas – is an alternative to oil, in areas with no mains gas provision. As with oil, the homeowner will need a storage tank and a contract with an LPG supplier.
From an emissions standpoint, LPG is more environmentally friendly than heating oil. It isn’t toxic, for example, meaning that a leak would not contaminate water or the ground around the tank. When it burns, LPG produces fewer carbon emissions than oil or natural gas. If sustainability is the homeowner’s main priority, they can also source renewable LPG, which can reduce emissions by up to 38%.
There are also performance benefits over oil as LPG boilers tend to be both quieter and more compact, taking up less space in the property. Beyond that, LPG has similar drawbacks to oil in that fuel prices are subject to fluctuations – and the base level price is higher than for oil. It also comes with the additional admin and costs of a storage tank.
However, it has become much easier recently to benefit from LPG thanks to improvements in LPG conversion kits for standard gas boilers. These now allow a registered gas engineer to quickly convert a boiler to run on propane, with providers like Navien now offering LPG conversion kits in the box as standard.
Informed choice
At present, the best boiler choice and fuel source is probably one of the three we’ve discussed here. In the future, it might be a hydrogen blend, which is why Navien gas boilers are hydrogen-ready. Or it could even be a solar boiler or heat pump.
The key to a satisfied customer is the ability to give them informed choices.
Images provided by Navien
