Buying a home in the countryside or a rural location could well mean coming across oil-fired heating for the first time. If you’ve never lived in a house with oil central heating, then there may be a number of things you need to check for. Here’s everything you need to know when moving into a home that uses heating oil.
Benefits of purchasing a new home with an oil tank
If you’re buying a house with an oil tank, you’ll be joining over 1.5 million people in the UK who are reaping the benefits of using oil for house heating.
At Certas Energy, we offer two types of heating oil: Standard Kerosene and Premium Kerosene. While both are great choices to heat your home, our Premium Kerosene is a cleaner burning fuel and has many advantages when compared to standard kerosene, including:
- Potentially lower boiler maintenance costs
- Reduced sludge formation (which can ultimately prolong a boiler’s life)
- More efficient fuel performance
- Lowered risk of a boiler breakdown
Learn more about the differences between Kerosene and Premium Kerosene.
Where to start when buying a house with an oil central heating system
1. Check how energy efficient your new home is
When buying a new home that uses home heating oil, it’s worth asking the seller how frequently they fill up their tank and how often their heating is turned on. Their answers will give you an indication of how energy-efficient the property is, as well as the potential heating oil costs.
2. Ask the seller if there will be heating oil left in the tank
Before you move into your new house, ask the seller whether they are leaving with heating oil left in the tank, or arranging a delivery prior to you moving in. Doing so will ensure you’re not left without heating when you first move in. Moving into the house with no domestic oil means you will be left looking for an emergency delivery which can be costly and isn’t always available.
3. Check your boiler is in working order
When buying a property, you should ensure the boiler is well maintained, which can save you from any future breakdowns and help you get the most out of your heating oil. If you are regularly purchasing heating oil, then it’s important that your boiler is fuel-efficient so that you can get your money’s worth.
Check with the seller about the boiler’s service history and ask if it’s still running efficiently. It’s also a good idea to ask for evidence, such as boiler service reports, which should be left as a record by the OFTEC registered engineer who carried out the inspection.
When you move into your new home, conduct your own visual inspection of the heating oil tank, keeping a close eye on the following:
- Rust
- Damage
- Bleaching
- Damp patches on the floor that could suggest a leak
If you spot any signs of wear and tear, we recommend getting your boiler serviced as soon as possible. Boilers should be serviced at least once a year which can help to identify problems before they become more serious (and expensive!).
Check out our boiler care service plans carried out by OFTEC engineers across the UK.
4. See what security measures have been installed
It’s also worth checking if any security measures have been put in place to protect your heating oil from being stolen. Things such as security lighting and good quality padlocks can be a great deterrent for potential thieves looking to steal heating oil.
Check out our handy guide to avoiding heating oil theft.
5. Order heating oil from a trusty supplier
If you’re wondering ‘where can I buy oil for my tank?’, you’ve come to the right place. You can order heating oil easily from Certas Energy, the country’s #1 domestic heating oil suppliers.
If you’re a new customer, you will need to create an account and provide your personal details and address, which we’ll use for deliveries. Within your account, we’ll agree on a domestic heating oil quote and you can proceed to checkout. It really is that simple!
With Certas Energy, there are a few ways in which you can pay for your heating oil and schedule your deliveries each month.
Contact us on 0345 600 4040 to book your heating oil delivery today.
6. Manage your fuel consumption with a Smart Monitor
Thanks to our new FoxRadar heating oil monitoring system, keeping control of your oil consumption has never been easier. Once your tank is set up and ready to go, it’s important that you’re checking your oil levels on a regular basis to ensure you never run out of heating oil.
Using the handy FoxRadar Monitoring System mobile app, you’re able to check your heating oil levels anywhere, anytime.
Fitting the FoxRadar is simple. No need for drilling or professional installation, simply choose between an adhesive base or screw-in option for storage tanks that have an existing gauge hole.
With our customers in mind, the FoxRadar unit is equipped to survive even the most rural locations. This smart monitor has 3 mobile connections via CatM NB-loT and 2G as well as connecting easily to Wifi.
Discover more about the FoxRadar heating oil monitoring system and begin tracking your oil consumption for just £6 a month.
Get started with Certas Energy
Create an account with Certas today and begin your heating oil journey by placing your first order.
