Domestic heating oil

Domestic heating oil is widely used throughout the UK in regions where access to mains gas is limited.

Depending on requirements, domestic heating oil is commonly stored in external tanks of varying sizes, with pipes running into the home where they feed an oil-fired boiler or heater.

In addition to providing a reliable way to heat the home in rural areas, domestic heating oil is also widely used because of the cost benefits it can deliver. Because domestic heating oil is not subject to the same excise and VAT as petrol, it offers customers a very competitively priced way to heat the home.

Research carried out by Oftec has shown that in the last year, domestic heating oil has compared favourably with many alternative home heating methods. Over the winter period between November 2007 and April 2008, average domestic heating oil bills for a three-bedroom house stood at £1,044, while liquid petroleum gas-heated houses of the same size paid a typical £1,310.

So too, Oftec notes that in addition to being cheaper than liquid petroleum gas, it is also easier to use and better for the environment than its other main competitor, solid fuel such as coal or wood pellets. Because of reasons such as these, domestic heating oil is used in more than 1.5 million homes throughout the UK.

In addition to being a cost-effective, clean and easy-to-use energy source to heat the home, domestic heating oil can also be used for home cooking, with a host of oil-fired cookers available for purchase in outlets around the UK.

As with home oil-fired boilers fed by on-site domestic heating oil tanks, these types of appliances have proved particularly popular for those living in rural areas where access to gas is limited.

The UK has a competitive domestic heating oil supply and distribution industry that can serve the needs of homeowners across the country.