Oil Boiler Guide: Are They Being Phased Out?
In this oil boiler guide, we cover how they work, how much they cost and what to expect with an oil boiler service. Oil boilers can do a lot for your bank account in terms of bills and can help keep your heating off the grid. We also cover frequently asked questions about having and installing an oil boiler.
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Get a free callbackHow Does an Oil Boiler Work?
An oil boiler works by igniting oil in a combustion chamber. This produces hot gases that are then passed through a heat exchanger (usually a copper coil) to heat water. This heated water is pumped around the home to your radiators, taps and showers when it's required.
An oil boiler is very similar to a gas boiler except it needs oil to function instead of gas. The oil must be regularly delivered to the home in a tank. The oil is held in this storage tank until it is needed for heating and hot water.
There are three types of oil boilers:
Modern oil boilers can have efficiencies of around 85% to 95%. A new condensing oil boiler will typically have an efficiency of at least 90% while a non-condensing oil boiler will be around 85% efficient.
Older oil boilers tend to be 60% to 70% efficient. Boilers decrease in efficiency as they age, so the longer you have it, the less efficient it becomes.
You can follow the tips below to improve the efficiency of your oil boiler:
Want to make your home more energy efficient? Anything that can make your home more energy efficient is vital for making sure your bills are as low as possible. Even changing small habits will have a big impact on how much you pay for your energy so you should invest some time in making the changes to help you conserve heat at home.
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A new oil boiler will typically cost between €1,300 and €3,000. The oil boiler price depends on the following variables:
A less powerful oil boiler will be cheaper than a high-capacity boiler. The size of your home and your hot water demands determine the size oil boiler that you will need.
If you are replacing one type of oil boiler with another type (such as swapping a system boiler with a combi boiler), you may need to pay additional costs. These costs could include installing or removing the hot water cylinder or cold water storage tank.
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Get a free callbackYou should hire an Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) engineer to install your new oil boiler for you. Even though this is not a legal requirement, it’s recommended in order to ensure the safety and quality of the installation.
OFTEC engineers have completed approved training courses and must periodically take assessments to make sure they are up-to-date with the best practices. Once the OFTEC engineer has installed your new oil boiler, they will give you a certificate that confirms the work carried out meets industry standards.
Most condensing oil boilers in Ireland use kerosene oil. It’s cleaner to burn than heavier oils (such as gas oil) and is also more efficient. Research is currently underway to find a more sustainable alternative to kerosene oil.
Running an oil boiler tends to cost about the same as running a gas boiler. In the following table, you can compare the oil boiler prices against different types of fuel.
Kerosene is the main fuel used to run oil boilers in Ireland. Gas oil is more popular in most other European countries.
Fuel Cost (cents/kWh) Wood pellets (bulk delivery) 11.66 Wood pellets (bagged) 11.78 Wood briquettes 18.50 Electricity 33.88 Natural gas 9.52 Gas oil 13.83 Kerosene 13.66
Source: SEAI
Last Updated: 02/11/2022
For more information about how much it costs to run an oil boiler, head to our complete guide on home heating oil and Emo Oil.
There are no boiler grants available for a replacement oil boiler. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) used to offer a grant for a new oil boiler through the Better Energy Homes Scheme. This scheme was revised in 2018 to no longer include grants for oil or gas boilers.
The scheme currently provides grants for the following:
A typical oil boiler will last for 15 to 20 years. To ensure it runs for as long as possible, you should properly maintain and regularly have an oil boiler service.
As with other heating systems, you will need to service your boiler regularly. Doing so is important for the following reasons:
You can look at our boiler service guide for more details.
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Our energy advisers can help you find a better energy offer for your home.
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Get a free callbackThe installation of oil boilers in new builds will be banned from 2022. Gas boilers will also be banned in new builds from 2025. These new regulations do not affect homes that currently have oil boilers, and oil boiler replacements will still be available.
The move comes as part of the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2019, which put in place actions to reduce the use of fossil fuels in order to move towards a green future. The Government aims to generate 70% of our electricity with renewable resources by 2030, so banning oil boilers is part of reaching this larger target.
For the time being, these new rules in Ireland will only affect new homes.
The Government’s aim is for heat pumps to replace oil and gas boilers. Air source heat pumps are typically 300% to 350% efficient. This is more than three times more efficient than most oil boilers! Since heat pumps are so efficient, swapping out your old oil boiler for one will likely produce significant savings on your energy bills. Electric boilers will also be permitted.
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Get a free callbackStill not sure if you should opt for a condensing oil boiler or go with a different type of heating system? We break down the pros and cons of having an oil boiler so that you can decide if having one installed is worth it.
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