Calor LPG fuels Sarah Beeny’s TV Renovation Case Study

Homeowners not connected to the mains gas network, who are moving into a new home, renovating their property or simply updating their boiler, should certainly consider heating their homes with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

» The Croftbaker family explain their reasons for making the switch from Oil to Calor LPG

The Croftbaker’s own a website agency in London and after living in the city for many years they decided to relocate to the stunning location of rural Oxfordshire three years ago. For the Croftbaker family, the opportunity to assess their rural fuel choice came when they decided to extend and renovate their small three bedroom cottage into the home of their dreams.

“In common with many rural properties, our cottage is not connected to mains gas. A domestic oil tank had been installed some years before by the previous owners to power the heating system,” said Mr Croftbaker.

» Renovation Project

“As part of our renovation project we decided to review our heating options to ensure we had the most effective and efficient solution in place. With a larger living space to consider we were advised to replace our old oil boiler with a new LPG condensing boiler to provide maximum energy efficiency. We also opted to have a renewable energy supply, so we are installing solar PV panels sunk into our slate roof to provide free electricity’. This will improve the environmental credentials of the cottage and should also save on fuel bills.

The Croftbakers decided to have their LPG tank installed underground which meant it didn’t affect the aesthetics of their cottage and soon to be landscaped grounds. Sited at the front of the property, pipework runs from the tank under the garden and into the house so all that is visible is a green access cover. The prospect of changing fuel, for example switching from oil to LPG, might sound onerous but in reality it is fairly simple. Calor will send out a local area specialist to undertake a free site survey, including a check to ensure the potential LPG tank site has the minimum separation distance away from any building, property or ignition source, along with suitable access for gas deliveries.

» Hassle Free and Straightforward

The Croftbaker’s found the process very straightforward and hassle free. “Calor did all the necessary checks, advised on the best location for the tank and provided all the diagrams the builders needed to dig the trench for the tank and pipework,” said Mr Croftbaker. “Once the ground was ready and the old oil tank had been removed,

Calor installed the tank and connected it to the boilers inside the cottage.

” The new LPG tank is owned and insured by Calor who are responsible for safety and maintenance checks on the LPG tank every time they make a delivery. This is an important benefit over oil, where the homeowner is responsible for the upkeep of the oil tank and liable for any leaks or spillages. The Think Tank®, Calor’s telemetry technology, regularly monitors the gas level and automatically alerts the local Calor depot when gas is running low so that a delivery can be scheduled in advance. So hopefully Mr Croftbaker’s experience of been without oil for three weeks last Christmas will be a thing of the past.

» Up to £1,000 to customers who make the switch to LPG*

Calor has over 75 years’ of experience in delivering LPG to rural homes throughout the UK. With its fleet of gas delivery tankers and a computerised delivery service, Calor aims to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies to ensure constant heating and hot water. Other benefits of LPG is the ability to cook on a controllable flame hob, a real flame fire and the ability to work alongside renewable technologies such as solar. LPG has all the benefits of mains gas for rural homeowner.

Calor’s currently offering up to £1,000 to customers who make the switch to LPG from oil, solid fuel or electric. Mr Croftbaker chose to use his money off his new heating system, which was a really help in reducing his renovation costs.

The Croftbaker’s home has been chosen to feature on the property expert Sarah Beeny’s TV show, where it catalogues the families’ journey in renovating their rural home. It was aired on Channel 4 on Tuesday 19th September, to watch please click here