Fuel prices (1 Viewer)

[CCFCSteve]

Had a gas engineer servicing my boiler earlier and we had a chat about heat pumps. He was saying they’re currently a nightmare to work on from an engineer perspective and that in a lot of cases you need to change size of radiators as well as they not as powerful as a gas boiler

Not sure if true/accurate…he might have a vested interest although was of an age when that’s unlikely, but thought I’d share

I’ll sit tight for tech etc to improve….and because I only bought a new boiler three years ago before all the end of gas boiler/focus on heat pumps chat started

One interesting thing he also mentioned was that there’s been this hydrogen and gas mix being trialed for a while at a UK housing estate. He said it’s been successful and if rolled out people could keep their current gas boilers. Also said there’s not enough hydrogen currently but could be something to keep an eye out for in future. Fingers crossed. Think hydrogen and solar sound like the longer term solutions

 

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[Nick]

Has everybody got smart thermostats etc etc? I still need to get one as my heating is either off or on!

Something I need to do before the winter.

 

[Ian1779]

Heat pumps - worth getting?

We moved house last year and the boiler died within 2 months so we had to replace. We spoke to an engineer and enquired about heat pumps - he said the technology at the moment is rubbish, and we aren’t set up to start installing these on a large scale. Also the cost is excessive even with a grant from the government that was available.
He reckoned in 10 years the tech will have improved massively and would then be worth looking at.

 

[Ccfcsj]

Has everybody got smart thermostats etc etc? I still need to get one as my heating is either off or on!

Something I need to do before the winter.

Yes I have the Hive thermostats throughout the house. Work great as I can have a different temperature per room and not use the radiators in the rooms I don't use often. Also have them set to a schedule so I'm only heating rooms when their in use - eg bedrooms are off during the day and only on evening/morning; living room off all night and turns on before getting up to make sure it's warm when needed. My heating bills have dropped a lot since having them installed. Also, if on holiday I can turn the heating off and get turn on from my mobile phone when on way back home

 

[Nick]

Yes I have the Hive thermostats throughout the house. Work great as I can have a different temperature per room and not use the radiators in the rooms I don't use often. Also have them set to a schedule so I'm only heating rooms when their in use - eg bedrooms are off during the day and only on evening/morning; living room off all night and turns on before getting up to make sure it's warm when needed. My heating bills have dropped a lot since having them installed. Also, if on holiday I can turn the heating off and get turn on from my mobile phone when on way back home

Are they room thermostats or the ones that go onto the radiators?

 

[Ccfcsj]

Are they room thermostats or the ones that go onto the radiators?

All radiators have them fitted apart from the hall as this is where the master thermostat is installed on the wall. The nice thing is they are all set to specific temperatures (all different dependent on the room use)

 

[NorthernWisdom]

What about underfloor?

Whatever you do decent insulation will give you the best bang for your buck.

Insulation is easier said than done tbh...

 

[Nick]

All radiators have them fitted apart from the hall as this is where the master thermostat is installed on the wall. The nice thing is they are all set to specific temperatures (all different dependent on the room use)

Ah, I need to get that sorted.

I only have the basic 1 to 5 on rads and no master thermostat Was like it when I moved in so need somebody to come out and fit them all when I win the lottery.

I think there should be grants on things like this too as it will help reduce usage massively.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

Ah, I need to get that sorted.

I only have the basic 1 to 5 on rads and no master thermostat Was like it when I moved in so need somebody to come out and fit them all when I win the lottery.

I think there should be grants on things like this too as it will help reduce usage massively.

Basic thermostat install on a combi is a simple & straightforward for a man of your calibre Nick! A thermostat in hall or landing & then the rad valves is all you need to balance & control your heating throughout your house.

 

[Nick]

Basic thermostat install on a combi is a simple & straightforward for a man of your calibre Nick! A thermostat in hall or landing & then the rad valves is all you need to balance & control your heating throughout your house.

Bit scary wiring into a combi boiler though......

If I knew which cable went into which bit I'd be fine, don't fancy an explosion though.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

Isn't it just Aircon in reverse?
Make sure has both options.

Yep....its basically a split-system air-con unit.

I think the whole push towards a domestic air-source heat pump revolution is horseshit frankly.

...not practical for probably the vast majority of dwellings, not particularly efficient with quite a high current draw, noisy, ugly & expensive.

The other thing most overlook is that if you want a decent flow of proper hot water (>50+ C) then you'll need a boost heater or immersion anyhow.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

Just encountered the most horrendous combination - a DPD van that's all electric.

The silent assassin!

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

Unleaded at £1.59 at the first village heading towards Bala in N Wales, just off the A5 past Corwen . An absolute bargain and a laugh at the signpost for " Glassblobbery". Gets me every time.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

We were in Tenby last week and they were selling E10 for 152.9 at Kiln Park, if anyone knows it. Cheapest i can find round here (other than Costco) is Shell on Warwick Road, Kenilworth at 169.9

 

[stay_up_skyblues]

Yep....its basically a split-system air-con unit.

I think the whole push towards a domestic air-source heat pump revolution is horseshit frankly.

...not practical for probably the vast majority of dwellings, not particularly efficient with quite a high current draw, noisy, ugly & expensive.

The other thing most overlook is that if you want a decent flow of proper hot water (>50+ C) then you'll need a boost heater or immersion anyhow.

I’ve only seen one in the flesh on an inspection. Air source heat pump outside the house, not too ugly. However, it fed to what I’d describe as a full on plant room in the guy’s garage. That was a large eyesore of water storage tanks and endless pipe work. Not sure if that’s standard for the pumps or whether he had a special set up?! It was a reasonably large four bed new build on a farm. Most normal houses are losing a room if it needs even half of that bumph.

 

[shmmeee]

Really don’t get why community ground source hasn’t taken off. I’d like to see it compulsory on new builds. Agree that air source is impractical, especially without insulation as well.

What’s the deal with hydrogen boilers?

 

[SkyBlueCharlie9]

Im working with an architect on a project to build his own 'grand design' style house running off self generated on site liquid hydrogen. It's very new tech but he is utterly convinced it's the future for the UK homes. I haven't looked at detail yet and clearly a bit of a testbed but he is well respected and knows what he is talking about. Getting planning permission is going to be the tricky bit though (for other reasons)

 

[wingy]

Rather than start a thread and I think this thread started off as related to petrol.

Football fan spent £33 on flights up north for journey that cost £389 by train

Jack Peat's flights cost £33 - the train journey would have cost him £389.

metro.co.uk

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

Picked up petrol at a Morrisons near Chatham on Sept. 4th at £!.56.9 cheapest when i got back was 13p dearer and you normally pay London prices there.For quite a while Tesco in Bedworth area were being beaten by the independant garages, with the volume they sell why?

 

[ovduk78]

Thinking of replacing our 2010 1.6 diesel polo with a petrol car. Does anyone know if the 1.0/1.2 petrol cars like Focus/Fiesta/Polo/Mazda 2 are any good? They all seem to be good on fuel & cheap road tax.

 

[dutchman]

Really don’t get why community ground source hasn’t taken off

Or Communal Heat & Power ("CHAP") for that matter?

The reason is there's no profit in it for big corporations.

 

[wingy]

Or Communal Heat & Power ("CHAP") for that matter?

The reason is there's no profit in it for big corporations.

 

[Flying Fokker]

Latest prices for Gas and Oil.

I saw petrol at 130.99 in Bolney, w. Sussex yesterday. Diesel 152.

European Gas Slumps to 16-Month Low on Strong Supply Outlook

(Bloomberg) -- Natural gas prices in Europe dropped to the lowest level since September 2021 as the supply outlook got a boost with full stockpiles in China forcing buyers to send LNG cargoes to the continent.Most Read from BloombergEuropean Stocks Rise as US Futures Signal Caution: Markets...

uk.yahoo.com

 

[Robinshio]

Costco I think diesel about 156 and Texaco sandpits lane 159. 10p dearer in the supermarkets.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

Cheapest i have seen locally for petrol is 145.5 in Alcester. I think diesel was still 170 there

 

[Robinshio]

 

[wingy]

Why is the rate still so high.
It's been falling since September and should be worked through by by now.And why are we taking it,we should be out on the streets the gov' must be getting a kickback on it.
Tame .

 

[Nick]

So Shell etc can all keep their massssiiiiveee profits.

 

[wingy]

Yep sorry just went with the fuel banner, what I really mean is gas,then subsequently gas.
It's enough now , it's going to be another 500 in a month.we being done.

 

[wingy]

Yep sorry just went with the fuel banner, what I really mean is gas,then subsequently energy
It's enough now , it's going to be another 500 in a month.we being done.

 

[wingy]

My fear is it's the new normal and eventually transfer to being an energy shortage and we endlessly paying the price.

 

[ovduk78]

I don't get the difference in prices at same sellers, eg diesel at Tescos in Stirling is 170.9 but in Dundee is 162.9. Why aren't they the same?

 

[SBAndy]

Profiteering of the highest order. Knowing the government haven’t got the backbone to do anything about it.

 

[CCFCSteve]

It’s a disgrace. It’s a cartel and they’ve all taken the piss. Unfortunately nobody has moved first…used to be supermarkets..which has kept prices high

The windfall tax is focussed on oil and gas production so I reckon BP and Shell have probably thought they’d maximise profits from forecourts, unfortunately supermarkets have filled their boots as well. Think they’re all making double usual profits per litre still. Repeating myself but Id have threatened a windfall tax on all of them ages ago as it would help get wider inflation down as well

Agree with Wingy that they’re establishing a new higher base so next time oil goes up (and it’s maybe creeping up again currently) we’ll all be paying even more

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

If only there was some large body designed to work in the public interest that had the means and ability to have the infrastructure to sell petrol on forecourts at a reasonable price to prevent private companies profiteering, and all their profit could go into improving said infrastructure instead of the pockets of wealthy investors...