LPG Gas Heating - how to reduce bill?

The fact of the matter is that in Ireland, heat ( per kWhr ) produced from LPG is several times more expensive that heat produced from oil.

At present, I understand that there are only two suppliers of LPG in Ireland. Both of them charge considerably more ( approx double ) per litre of LPG in Ireland than in England.

It is unlikely that the present pricing regime will change

Unlike Lakeview, I take the view that 'changing the boiler' is something that 'we can do'. I'm involved with one house where the LPG heating has been replaced with heat pump equipment. The heating running cost is now approx 30% of what it would be with LPG. Based on present retail energy costs the installation will be paid for in a little over two heating seasons ( excludes possible savings from using non ESB power or the price reduction due ? next month )

Apart from this saving I'm very glad to see the back of the gas tank. One time I noticed it was leaking ( could smell the gas, a bubble test confirmed significant leak ). The gas supplier ( i.e. tank owner ) eventually sent 'their man' to have a look at it.

I'm not going to post what he suggested should be done - it could be explosive
 
olddog - can you advise others what heat pump equipment you were able to source that can be paid back in 2 heating seasons based on just a 30% differential on running costs from LPG - that seems incredible but fantastic if true?

Do you know how many litres of LPG per square foot per annum you use to use?
 
Lakeview said:
olddog - can you advise others what heat pump equipment you were able to source that can be paid back in 2 heating seasons based on just a 30% differential on running costs from LPG - that seems incredible but fantastic if true?

Do you know how many litres of LPG per square foot per annum you use to use?
Click to expand...

Lakeview,

Dont get to excited, the payback period of 2 years is due to the massive amount of money that used to be shipped out for LPG.

The setup is an old-ish house, single glazed windows ( lots of drafts ) and an old technology gas boiler. On a 'real winter day' the place would use over Euro50 worth of gas in 24 hrs and still not be warm.

FWIW its Mitsubishi heat pump equipment ( but do a search for another post of mine to see a few comments about Mitsubishi dealers in Ireland ).

One thing that is really nice is that with the day / night meter that is in the house if it is cold the heat can be run all night at a cost of only a few of euros.

Olddog
 
Got some thinking to do, I'm just about to set off down the route of LPG condensing boiler & UFH. Am also including solar panels and multi-fuel stove with back boiler. Have been quoted 12K for HVAC so that may not happen!

Was looking at getting a Rayburn for cooking and heating/HW, thought that it might not be efficient enough, but LPG is scaring me now!
 
DCC ( owner of Flogas ) issued results on 19th May 2009

[broken link removed]

Some may note with interest their following comment :

"...................................................... DCC Energy, DCC’s largest division, achieved
exceptional profit growth reflecting the successful integration of a number of acquisitions, a more favourable product cost environment than in recent years and a particularly cold winter.............................."
 
Old Dog is on the money, A heat pump can if configured to run exclusivity on night rate can cost as little as under 2cent per KWH. OK now you say I dont want to heat my house only from 11pm to 8 am. But if you have underfloor heating you have storage heating ie what you put in at night is released all day it is for the same reason that when you turned off the gas at night you did not see much of an improvement because the storage aspect meant that the time you supplied the heat was not critical. People who supply oil will tell you that houses with UF heating use more oil this is true, but not because UFH is less efficient (its far more efficient) but because when you use UFH you are heating your house 24/7 even though your boiler may only operate for a fraction of this time. Insulating your home is always good it will reduce the amount of heat you will need there are grants to do this at present. However to seriously reduce your heating bill with least disruption and cost you need to think heat pump preferably water to water if possible. If it is correctly installed the complete ESB bill for a 3500 sqft house incl washing mc kettle tv etc should be below 2k per annum. my average bill for the last 3 years was 1700 per year and I do some welding and turning in my workshop also.
 
bats, go with heat pump and forget about the solar u will save the extra for the hp when u drop the solar and u will enjoy lower cost heating with the hp than if u go the way u are talking and with the hp u still meet the part l of the planning requirement. as u are going to have an assist in the multi fuel stove u could even go air to water.
 
...well, for whatever reason, and I don't know whether it's the equipment, the installation, the commissioning, or whatever -an Architect in Galway told me yesterday that 2 of his clients have removed the GSHP and gone back to oil in the last couple of months alone, because oil is now 'back at the races', cost-wise, and GSHP, isn't.

The whole thing seems very 'variable'........mmmmmm
 
I would advise any new home developer/builder to insulate their dwelling well, install a fully zoned heating system using oil/gas fired condensing boiler (irish produce) and solar hot water system to avail of the sun went it's shining:)
Many people are installing heat pumps(GSHP, ASHP), pellet boilers, etc that become very inefficient and break. Parts for some of these appliances also become very hard to source as they have not been manufactured in this country.
There is also the question of payback versus capital spend on mechanical services systems fitted into dwellings that simply don't need them.
Too much looking at the telly:)
The installation of underfloor heating should be carefully thought out too as to do it properly will need the installation of controls that will break in time and also the dumping of heat when our variable climate necessitates the need to open windows dumping heat on mild winter days.
 
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