Oil Heating Systems
Oil central heating is called a ‘wet’ system – meaning an oil-fired boiler heats water and pumps it through the system via radiators and hot water taps, much like a gas boiler does. It is possible to install an oil-fired heat-only system, or a combi (heat and water) boiler.
An oil-fired boiler and a gas boiler function in a similar way, although their source of energy is different; oil boilers use oil to create hot water. Once the domestic oil is ignited, hot exhaust gases pass through a heat exchanger, usually a copper coil, transferring energy to the water circulating through it. This heats the water which is then distributed throughout the house via radiators. The hot water can also be used in your taps and showers. Although radiators remain hot, the boiler does not operate all the time. It switches on and off depending on the boiler water outlet temperature setting on the boiler and the room temperature where the thermostat is located. If the heating oil system is switched on, water will continually circulate throughout the boiler, heat exchanger and radiators extracting heat from the burning fuel. For oil fired central heating as with LPG, you need a specialised tank to store your oil in.