From peace of mind to practical concerns, there are a myriad of reasons why homeowners are opting for LPG over other off-grid heating options.

In this blog, we’ll find out how two Cornish households have benefitted from moving to liquid fuels to heat their homes.

Moving from electric to LPG

Bissoe homeowner, Antonia Parkinson’s research into heating options for her dilapidated Georgian home delivered one clear winner.

“Without high levels of insulation, it meant electricity was too expensive and air source heat pumps simply wouldn’t have worked,” she explained. “In fact, I worked out they’d need just as much energy to run as they would generate, so it made no sense.

“While I liked the idea of ground source heat pumps, they were too pricey to install and solar didn’t fit with the aesthetics of the building and my lovely new slate roof. Oil was out of the question for me, as I’m very environmentally conscious and I didn’t want to use such a carbon-heavy fuel.”

Ms Parkinson had an underground bulk LPG tank fitted in her garden, providing the property with instant heating and hot water.

“Having a bulk tank also works out cheaper and means I need fewer deliveries,” she said.

“I love knowing I always have a large supply and thanks to automatic top up technology, I won’t ever get caught out without gas, which is so reassuring.”

An environmentally friendly future

Sustainability was a key consideration, so Ms Parkinson was impressed that LPG emits 20% fewer carbon emissions than oil and 30-40% less than coal.

“I was also aware about the emergence of renewable BioLPG, and this was another reason for picking LPG now. Once it’s more widely available, it means I’ll have all the right equipment to move over to green gas and become carbon neutral. It’s great to know I’m already perfectly set up for an environmentally friendly future.”

BioLPG, a chemically identical, renewable alternative to LPG, can be dropped into the UK’s established LPG and LNG network without any changes to infrastructure or equipment.

Moving from oil to LPG

Sustainability was also a key consideration for Janice and Philip Whitelock, who switched their Camelford bungalow from oil to LPG in order to improve their carbon footprint.

“At our age, peace of mind really is a top priority for us, and with oil you just don’t have that security of supply,” said Mrs Whitelock.

“Another thing we’ve learnt over the years, is that oil tanks really don’t cope well with weather changes.

“Even though our oil tank was pretty new, we could already see hairline fractures. It’s a genuine worry, because you don’t want oil to spill, or seep out. Our wildlife is so precious to us, and we’re not prepared to put it at risk.”

A sense of security

Electricity wasn’t a reliable enough option and heat pumps would require too many alterations to Janice and Philip’s property.

“LPG is a much more secure and economical solution for our home. Our bills are lower, and our tank is far more robust. Plus, with our supplier we were able to sign up to a competitive fixed-rate two-year deal, which makes budgeting so much easier,” said Mr Whitelock.

Mrs Whitelock added: “I just feel so much more secure with LPG. Unlike oil, there are much tighter regulations around LPG installations and each time we get our tank filled up, the system gets checked, so we always know everything is ok. That’s the peace of mind we’re looking for.”

“Our tank has an auto top up function, which tells our supplier whenever we’re running low. This means they come and top us up automatically, so we never have to order gas, or worry about running out. It’s a huge weight off our minds. We’re delighted.”

To find out more about LPG or RLGs, speak to your local supplier or visit https://www.liquidgasuk.org/.