Sarah Lynch, Fermoy, Co Cork

A Calor domestic customer who recently switched her home heating to liquefied petroleum gas (also known as LPG)

Changing your home heating system isn’t a job you undertake without some thought, but since making the switch to Calor last year, Sarah Lynch hasn’t looked back.

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“I have been in my house for 15 years and always used oil heating. However, two years ago my oil boiler started to act up. I’d come home in the evening, having had the heating timed to come on, and the house would be freezing. So instead of just automatically opting for a new boiler, I looked into switching to gas. It was a lot easier than I thought and very fast.”

From the moment the decision was made and the rep contacted Sarah, to the full and completed installation, the entire process took just three weeks.

“Calor were excellent to deal with and extremely accommodating. My oil boiler was outside so I made space for an indoor gas boiler. I acquired the measurements and they fitted it perfectly into my hotpress. They dug a neat trench in my garden for the gas tank and linked the tank to the house underground – you wouldn’t even think it was there. We don’t have piped gas on our estate and it would have cost thousands for it to be brought in. Calor made it so affordable to switch. There were so many options that I could choose from too. The system is so much more efficient and we have definitely seen a difference in the heating costs. We can stay completely in control of the gas and order it in as we like, or we can allow Calor to be in control and whenever they are in the area they top it up for us.”

The new gas system uses the Climote System. This is a control on the wall which has the heating zoned accordingly.

“I can turn the heating on from the wall itself, from an app on my phone or I can send a text message, it is completely hassle free,” says Sarah.

Eddie Houlihan, Clonmel

Converted his heating from oil to LPG with Flogas Energy Solutions

Eddie decided to convert to gas after hearing of the rise in oil thefts. The real decision came when his own oil was stolen.

“Gas is relatively theft proof. Along with this, the cost per litre of liquid gas is 20c/litre cheaper than oil. Although the calorific value of gas is slightly lower than oil, the value for money is still better.”

Eddie was already considering changing his standard oil boiler to a condensable burner.

“The condensable boiler is more efficient and has lower running costs. The gas is also a much cleaner option compared with oil, both for refilling and burning. Servicing the gas boiler is a very easy process, as there is no sooty mess or filter changes and vacuuming.”

The gas tank can be stored above or underground: “The work on site took around three days, which included the new tank being put in place, new fuel lines put in and a new boiler installed. The boiler is wall mounted and much smaller than the oil boiler, so there is so much more storage space in our boiler house. For those with limited space, they are a great option and can be wall mounted and boxed around very easily.”

Eddie has also been reaping the benefits of switching financially: “Before the switch, I was paying around €1,600 a year on heating. With gas, it’s down to about €1,300. I have also found the heat to be much more instantaneous. We have set up an easy pay system – a certain amount is taken from my account each month and put into my Flogas account. This means that I don’t get hit with a large bill at one point in the year and it spreads out the cost nicely. My barbecue and fire are both gas and I am looking into getting a gas cooker, so it is a great advantage having them all piped to the same system. It was definitely the best option for us,” concludes Eddie.