Is LPG cheaper than oil for an off-grid home?

Generally no — LPG tends to cost more per unit of heat delivered than oil, though appliance choice and installation cost can differ between the two.

Can any off-grid property have a heat pump instead of oil?

In principle yes, but older solid-wall properties usually need insulation and larger radiators or underfloor heating first for a heat pump to perform well.

Does switching fuel type affect my existing pipework?

Yes — moving away from oil generally means removing tank and supply pipework and installing entirely different infrastructure, which adds significantly to the job.

Off-grid heating

Heating options for off-grid villages without mains gas

Without mains gas, the realistic choices for most rural Somerset properties come down to oil, LPG or an electric-based system such as a heat pump, and each has genuinely different running characteristics.

07516 118198 Ask about the work

Written for: Households in villages without a mains gas connection

Rural Somerset village property heated by an external oil boiler

What is actually going on with off-grid village heating options

Oil remains a common choice because tank storage means fuel can be bought in bulk when prices suit rather than paid for continuously, and modern oil boilers achieve efficiency close to their gas equivalents. LPG behaves more like gas in terms of appliance choice but is typically a more expensive fuel per kilowatt hour delivered. Heat pumps suit well-insulated properties with lower flow temperature radiators or underfloor heating but are a poor fit for a draughty stone cottage without significant fabric upgrades first. Many off-grid households end up staying with oil precisely because switching fuel type means far more disruption than replacing the boiler itself.

Published business details

Based at 24 Bristol Road, Radstock, BA3 3EE
Telephone enquiries: 07516 118198
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm

Detail that affects your quote for off-grid village heating options

Oil allows bulk buying when prices are favourable, unlike a metered supply
LPG uses similar appliances to gas but usually costs more per unit delivered
Heat pumps suit well-insulated homes with low flow temperature emitters
Switching fuel type is a bigger job than a like-for-like boiler swap
Modern condensing oil boilers achieve efficiency close to gas equivalents

Questions we get asked

Is LPG cheaper than oil for an off-grid home?: Generally no — LPG tends to cost more per unit of heat delivered than oil, though appliance choice and installation cost can differ between the two.
Can any off-grid property have a heat pump instead of oil?: In principle yes, but older solid-wall properties usually need insulation and larger radiators or underfloor heating first for a heat pump to perform well.
Does switching fuel type affect my existing pipework?: Yes — moving away from oil generally means removing tank and supply pipework and installing entirely different infrastructure, which adds significantly to the job.

Extra detail on off-grid village heating options

Across the lanes around the Mendips and Chew Valley, we see most households sticking with oil rather than converting, simply because the tank, supply line and flue are already in place and working, and a fuel switch would mean redoing all three alongside the boiler.

Related help pages

Services that cover this

Boiler Installation

Go deeper

Where we deal with this

Get off-grid village heating options looked at properly

In practice: For most off-grid Somerset properties, oil remains a practical and proven choice, and any fuel switch is worth weighing against the disruption of replacing infrastructure that already works.

Use the enquiry form to describe the appliance, fault code and what changed before the problem started.