Heating oil buying

[nicholab]

What are you doing based on the heating oil price.  Normal the price goes down at the end of the summer and you fill the tank.  What are you planning to do this year with filling up.  I am thinking that there’s no point filling up no more than 300-500ltr.

[ZeroHour]

It's not a great prospect, I have Home Assistant pulling approx prices each day (ignore the 0/bottom score, it was when the war kicked off and no one was pricing) for near to my area to get an idea.

 

[nicholab]

Ok, good, so needed to have bought in July.

[ZeroHour]

1 hour ago, nicholab said:

Ok, good, so needed to have bought in July.

Yeah that was when Trump had the cease fire, here's hoping for another one soon!

[southhamster]

We'll need to fill up in the next few months and dreading the cost. The price is so random. Oil is truly the devil's fuel, along with King Coal it's even filthier brother. Then you have the hassle of a smelly oil tank in the garden, higher servicing costs and the noise and fumes of the pump, fan and burner. Would love a heat pump, but Mrs. SH would really hate the disruption. 

[Norphy]

I’ve got four bars on my oil tank right now. I’m hoping it’ll last until November. 
 

I’m tempted just to buy some oil filled electric radiators and leave the boiler for the hot water. 

[nicholab]

Heat geeks have zero disrupt it changes less parts of the system so worth a look for a heat pump.  Northern Ireland installers are rubbish and we get no grant.

 

I wonder about smart valves we got 15 radiator do I put them on the 7 upstairs and the sunroom?

[jmak]

I didn't have to win that argument - our 40 year old boiler packed up and the radiator and pipework needed replacing because they were equally old and it was 8mm microbore, but....

 

The heat pump installation including 20 new radiators, all plumbing and electrical work was done in 5 days (team of four plumbers). It was chaos for a week, but then over. 

 

I've evangelised about our ashp on here before and it was a great improvement on our oil fired CH, but I'd do something different if I was starting now. I wouldn't install a system that doesn't also cool my house. The model of ashp I have has a different spec in Australia and can run in cooling mode, but the UK variant doesn't. Otherwise I'd be swapping out some radiators for these:

 https://theheatpumps.co.uk/products/chilled-water-fan-coil-units.html

 

Alternatively I'd be seriously looking at air-to-air to completely replace my wet heating system.

[machy]

There's the warm homes grant which might help some people.

Up to £30k, 15K Solar + Battery, insulation, windows etc and 15k to replace your heating with a heat pump 

 

 

<36K Household income or certain benefits or postcodes

Home Owner / permission from landlord 

 

[Sirbendy]

I'm running LPG/propane, still got 79% on the tank. Had 80% in january.

 

Also stocked up on coal for the log burner, filled the log store etc.

 

Looking at 3 rooms for heat pumps/aircon as well.

[Pink_Panda]

Are you part of a group of people ordering? Join one if you can if you haven’t already done so, as it’s obviously the amount of oil ordered that affects the price.

 

I joined a group years ago. The lady who organises it asks that you email or phone her before the 1st of each month (and also 15th during the winter months) with the amount you want to order. She then gets quotes from a couple of suppliers and emails everyone who has requested who she has gone for and price/litre, so that you can arrange payment.

 

Hope this helps.

[Fazza]

My partners brother ordered some oil ready for the end of the year to see them through winter and on the day it was due to be delivered the order was cancelled and the price was nearly doubled if he wanted to place a new order!!

[ZeroHour]

@Pink_Panda I am not part of a group, locally there are only 2 companies, one is part of Certas and the other independent, the independent one would do group orders but even if we bought a large amount for the street their per litre price was above the certas price.

 

What sort of price per litre is it for you all now?

I got a quote of 119.5p

[Andrew_C]

On 06/09/2026 at 09:13, nicholab said:

I wonder about smart valves we got 15 radiator do I put them on the 7 upstairs and the sunroom?

I LOVE our "Smart" valves.  Right temperature, and only when you want them on.  The cost however, has jumped on these too.  I think I paid £30 each, they are now north of £50.

[sigma]

9 hours ago, ZeroHour said:

@Pink_Panda I am not part of a group, locally there are only 2 companies, one is part of Certas and the other independent, the independent one would do group orders but even if we bought a large amount for the street their per litre price was above the certas price.

 

What sort of price per litre is it for you all now?

I got a quote of 119.5p

We bought 1860litres on the 28th Aug at 84.5p. Looking at Boilerjuice, the price does seem to be in a downward direction again.

[Pink_Panda]

On 23/09/2026 at 14:03, ZeroHour said:

@Pink_Panda I am not part of a group, locally there are only 2 companies, one is part of Certas and the other independent, the independent one would do group orders but even if we bought a large amount for the street their per litre price was above the certas price.

 

What sort of price per litre is it for you all now?

I got a quote of 119.5p

Just had a delivery, price was 102.95ppl.

[nicholab]

Has anyone worked out if they can run their oil heating low and slow to reduce cost and stay at a constant temperature?