Homes on LPG. Nightmare these days, or manageable?

[KievLoverTwo]

We're used to oil, and we hate it (the volatility of the prices with absolutely no regulation, having to constantly use a dipstick, not having a gas hob, having to fork out a ton in one go) - but what's the deal these days with LPG?

The OH thinks prices tripled; ofc they also did with oil after Ukraine, but they're now down to 62p a litre after the horror of reaching £1.30 a litre in March 2022.

He seems to think he's heard horror stories of people doing deals out the back of cars for LPG...!

I do remember friends of ours complaining at around this time last year that the price had doubled, and it was becoming increasingly hard to get hold of.

What's the current situation please folks?

We're mostly looking NE/NW England.

Most houses I really like are either on oil or LPG, gaaaaaaah.

Also, any experiences of what it's like using an oven that's been converted from gas to LPG, please?

We're on oil too. I answered a post on here about what would I prefer in a house I was looking to buy, oil or ASHP.
I think it was about a 55-45 split, and I can't believe many of the voters had oil or experienced it.

So our boiler is 20 years old and needs replacing and we're going ASHP. There's currently a Govt grant available and Octopus quote's for doing a 'standard' install are really reasonable.

As for LPG when I've read people's posts about supply on MSE forum for 'alternate' fuels they always seem to be talking about being held to ransom. TBH I think the rquirements for LPG are tougher and the choices fewer.

It sounds like it's still the wild wild west out there re: LPG.

I'll have the other half have a browse on MSE, thanks for the tip off.

Sadly, I think we're going to have to concede: town, or nothing.

Can't you switch to electricity - an induction hob, electric oven, and under-floor heating? Or heated wall paper (expensive but saves space/pipework).

The house I’m buying will be LPG. From what I’ve gathered from the vendors it is fairly straightforward. The tank has a lever that detects when it will need refilling, then they come and fill it. So there’s no ringing around having to source it.
Also, it’s not expensive. £900 for a full tank has lasted them over a year and is still going.

Also, any experiences of what it's like using an oven that's been converted from gas to LPG, please?

No difference. LPG is gas. Expensive gas.

We use the bottled version for cooking. The price only ever goes up, never down. On the plus side, it lasts for ages.

For a forever home, maybe. But not for the homes in question.

I seem to recall my mum saying her converted oven didn't have enough oomph to it.

Perhaps that was just a bad job done? It was more than 15 years ago.

We use the bottled version for cooking. The price only ever goes up, never down. On the plus side, it lasts for ages

Urgh. Oil may be volatile, but it does at least go down in cost in Spring/Summer most years.

I doubt whether LPG is any less volatile than oil.

You should be able to get historical price charts of price variation per kWh for oil and LPG delivered which is the only thing you can really compare it on for cost and price fluctuation.

People saying "a big tank lasts ages" is completely meaningless in terms of comparing costs with existing heating methods.

The most efficient way of using cash is nearly always making sure your house is really well insulated. Particularly loft insulation which is cheap to buy and fit.

https://www.nottenergy.com/advice-and-tools/project-energy-cost-comparison

LPG in bottles is indeed very, very expensive. But if the house in question has a bulk tank, then - as previous posters have said - you just need to buy in bulk and buy in summer. Those prices are much cheaper. Our last tankful (well, about 88% full) was around £680, last summer. It's nowhere near empty yet. We cook by electricity, however. I have cooked on an LPG stove in the past and I found it fine. No different from ordinary gas in performance.

Many Calor gas tanks now have an some sort of telemetric device fitted that tells the company when the gas level sinks to 5%. They then remind you to order. Or you can check the gauge on the tank yourself.

Sometimes you can buy Eco-gas, or buy a blend of that and LPG. The emissions are just as harmful as any other gas, but the Eco-gas itself is recycled from waste.

@GasPanic Our walls and roof are well insulated, thank you. And one can compare all one likes, but in some houses/ locations LPG or oil are the only options, if one does not want to rely totally on electricity.

ALSO, the OP has said that the house in question is not their 'forever' house. If it already has a LPG boiler installed for heating, then that would (presumably) be what she has to use.

For a new or forever house, then a very careful exploration of all the options and the installation of a whole new heating/water system (as sustainable as possible, with - of course - any extra insulation as needed) would indeed be ideal.

I seem to recall my mum saying her converted oven didn't have enough oomph to it.

Perhaps that was just a bad job done? It was more than 15 years ago.

Possibly. There isn’t much difference in calorific value.

Also, our LPG cookers were manufactured as such, not converted.