How do you heat your old home?

[Claireintheair]

Those with older houses (built early 1900’s)
How do you heat your home?

we currently have oil heating system and looking at more modern/eco friendly options.

Heard mixed reviews on heat pumps, I don’t believe they are recommended/work well in older homes?

Any advice/experiences very appreciated. Thank you.

Victorian House. Regular central heating radiators.

Central heating downstairs - old-fashioned (but nice design) radiators and log fires upstairs on cold mornings.

I have a Victorian cottage. Gas central heating, set low to warm the house and heat a tank of water in the morning. A 5kw log burner in the sitting room in the evening.

Last time I replaced the gas boiler, I got a detailed quote for a GSHP. Fully installed with all the pipework and radiators upgraded, it was £25k. Even with the govt grant, it would still have cost £18k.

I replaced the gas boiler for £2.5k

In the last 15 years, I've replaced the roof and installed a full liner, replaced all the exterior windows and doors, doubled the loft insulation and boarded the lofts, so I'm not being tight. The GSHP was just too expensive.

Everything due to living through power cuts😳 two up two down mid terrace when bought (circa 1900.)
Gas central heating (which needs updating as ancient when i bought the house 15 years ago but unsure what to do either). I put in electric underfloor in kitchen and bathroom, logburner in one downstairs room plus gas living flame in the other, can't stand being cold! I've read about heat pumps not being practicable for this type of house also🤷‍♂️

Oil heating with radiators and magnetic secondary glazing.
Heat pumps can work if you get an expert rather than a general sales person but you almost certainly won't qualify for the grant and you will almost certainly need to upgrade the internal pipes and radiators throughout your home. That was going to cost more than the heat pump itself for me so it really wasn't worth doing.

I have just upgraded our boiler to a Saphire which has a 25yr guarantee and can run of HVO rather than kerresone in the future when the price comes down. HVO is entirely sustainable fuel.