Re: LPG vs Oil. Vented vs Unvented heating systems

[IMM]

Hi,

> > We have a smallish Victorian house (8 rooms or so) with no central heating. > > We have asked a builder to install CH and an upstairs bathroom. He > recommends the Megaflow system from Heatrea Sadia. > > My question is, what are the advantages of an unvented system such as this > verses a normal vented system?

It is on mains pressure so high pressure showers and no tanks in the loft. You have to reinstate the air bubble at the top of the cylinder each year. Lots of pressure controls on it. An open vented DHW heat bank is superior all around and no tank in the loft and mains pressure hot water. There are "integrated" versions that do the CH and DHW off the cylinder. I wouldn't bother with an unvented cylinder (Megaflow type)

(go to thermal storage)

We have no mains gas, so what are the advantages LPG vs Oil?

The advantages are obvious except the cost of LPG. LPG boilers are smaller and cheaper to buy and less the cost of an oil tank. So you have to work out the payback time.

[Dave Liquorice]

LPG is expensive compared to oil (at the moment...). Both need an external tank nearish to the road. Watch LPG contracts generally you don't own the tank but rent it, this pushes up the costs. Gas is nice to cook on but a 47kg propane cylinder will last for ages just running a hob/oven and cost less than =A340. Use for cooking is not, IMHO, a great incentive to get bulk LPG, unless your into commercial scale cooking.

[Tom]

Thanks for the reply - I will study your web sites refs over the weekend.

You say open vented DHW heat bank is superior all round. I presume you mean: - more reliable - cheaper to install - cheaper to run - tank takes less space (?) - could take solar or solid fuel back boiler input in addition to main boiler

Tank space is an issue. We are recommended a 210Litre system. We plan to put it in an airing cupboard which will take space out of the proposed bathroom. If we try to keep the cupboard small to keep the bathroom big we do not get much airing space with a 210l tank..

Tom

[Tom]

Dave,

Thanks for that. Oil it will be!

Our neighbour does exactly as you say - oil for heating and a small cylinder with spare for cooking.

Tom