Oil Fired Combi Boilers

What is an Oil Fired Combi Boiler?

Most people think about gas when it comes to heating, however it’s estimated that over four million homes in the UK are not connected to the gas network, making oil a suitable alternative.

Oil Fired Combi Boilers work similarly to their gas equivalent, but with a couple of key differences: they use oil fired boilers to heat water and sometimes include a hot water store rather than generating hot water on demand (as seen in Gas Combi Boilers).

The most noticeable difference however is the requirement for an external oil storage tank, stored near the property. The oil storage tank is connected to the boiler via pipework; this allows the boiler to receive a constant supply of oil, which is burned when hot water/central heating is required.

* Eager to learn or know more about how a Combi Boiler works? Then read our What is a Combi Boiler? article to find out more.

Oil Fired Combi Boiler Prices

You can expect to pay around £1,000 to £3,000 for an Oil Fired Combi Boiler (excluding installation and oil storage tank). The price will depend on several factors such as the efficiency, size and any extra accessories that you plan to purchase.

Boiler size/output is measured in kilowatts (kW) and as a rule of thumb you should consider your house size and its heating demands as a key indicator as to the size of boiler required e.g. the bigger the home (the more bathrooms and bedrooms) the bigger the boiler.

Below is a table which lists typical Oil Fired Combi Boilers price ranges suitable for small, medium and large homes.

* Please note our list should be used as a guideline and we’d always recommend you seek advice from a qualified installer with regards to boiler size and output.

* Looking for a new Oil Combi Boiler? then check our The Best Oil Combi Boilers In 2021 Guide , where we take a look at the best Oil Combi Boilers available to homeowners in 2021.

Oil Fired Combi Boiler Installation Prices

Installation prices will vary from installer to installer, as installation comes with extra work (including pipework, oil storage tank…) when compared to a more straight forward gas installation.

Homeowners will need to consider the size of the oil storage tank, making sure it holds enough fuel to supply their home’s heating demands.

Typically oil storage tank sizes start at 1,000 litre capacity up to as high as 3,500 although standard homes won’t require these extremes and should be able to find a suitable tank for as little as £500—homeowners can also opt to rent an oil storage tank as this is a common service found amongst oil suppliers.

As you can see installation prices are hard to distinguish as there’s numerous factors that will determine the overall installation price but as a rough guideline you can be expected to pay between £800 to £2,000.

* Need advice on your new Oil Fired Combi Boiler? then complete our Quick Quote Form, we’ll then arrange for someone to contact you to discuss your requirements and budget further.

How Much Does Oil Heating Cost Per Year?

Popular consumer magazine Which? estimates that the average cost of oil heating for a three bedroom house is £1,355, compared between £770 and £950 (depending on the efficiency of your boiler) for mains gas. However, there are many factors that can affect your energy bills such as how old your home is, the insulation in your home, and also how efficient your Oil Fired Combi Boiler is.

Prices can also change depending on where you live in the United Kingdom and how accessible oil is. As an example, the price for a litre of oil (kerosene) has increased from 32p in January 2016 to 48p in January 2018, a 50% increase.

Although there are many contributing factors that could affect the annual cost of oil heating, it still remains an efficient method of heating your home as you get a good return on every unit of energy consumed.

Oil Fired Combi Boiler Maintenance and Efficiency

Typical Oil Fired Combi Boilers require regular maintenance in order to keep them functioning properly. We’d recommended that you always use an engineer who is registered with OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association) to ensure you get the best service possible.

In terms of efficiency, a new Oil Fired Combi Boiler will typically be 90-95% efficient and will be a condensing boiler compared to 85% efficiency (non condensing) and 50-60% efficiency of older non-condensing boilers.

OFTEC Register

If you are considering oil for your home heating then before any work is done, it’s important to ensure that your specialist is an OFTEC registered engineer. The OFTEC register is a trade association that recognises competence for engineers working with oil fired appliances.

OFTEC engineers are able to install and check that any oil based installation is compliant with building regulations, safeguarding you from any unexpected costs and headaches that may occur when using non-registered OFTEC engineers.

The future of Oil Heating

In 2018, the government announced a ‘Clean Growth Strategy’ plan that stated it will phase out the installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating in homes that are not connected to the main gas grid—meaning that new homes will have to be built with low-carbon heating in mind by 2025.

Homes with an existing Oil Fired Combi Boiler or oil heating system can continue to use them as the government has not published plans for existing homes as of yet.

The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers suggests that a renewable low-carbon liquid fuel or bio-fuel could be a viable solution for off-grid homes.

Alternatives to Oil Fired Combi Boilers

Renewable heating systems such as solar thermal panels or a heat pump are popular and effective solutions to an oil heating system. They provide a lower carbon footprint and the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme will reward you for using a renewable energy source to heat your home.

* Read our Boiler Plus Article to learn more about the government’s ‘Clean Growth Strategy’.