BoilerJuice.com would like assure our members that we have been in discussions with our participating heating oil suppliers in the south and south east of England.

The feedback we have received from the suppliers is that the supply issues at the Coryton refinery should not have an effect on heating oil supply in the short term.

With the media reporting that consumers could face the threat of petrol and diesel shortages, following the announcement that the parent group of the Coryton refinery went into administration, we feel it should be highlighted that the kerosene suppliers we contacted do not appear to be concerned about short term supply.

Our experienced suppliers in the south / south east have been aware of the potential issue with the Coryton refinery over the past few months and most already have measures in place to ensure that supply is not affected by creating partnerships via alternative distributors such as Prax Petroleum one of the largest independent oil importers and suppliers of automotive and industrial fuel in the United Kingdom.

On another note, a 7 day strike by bulk tanker drivers at the South Killingholme refinery which supplies around 340 filling stations (the majority are in the North and Midlands) have resulted in some heating oil suppliers having to make alternative arrangements to ensure they have sufficient supplies of heating oil.

Coryton Refinery Update: 26/01/2012 @ 11:00

Coryton refinery shipments start as deal signed – Fears of petrol and diesel shortages have been relaxed after the announcment that shipments were to resume at the Coryton oil refinery in Essex.

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Zug, Switzerland, January 24, 2012 – Petroplus Holdings AG (SIX: PPHN) today announced that its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Petroplus Refining & Marketing Ltd. (“PRML”), which owns the Coryton refinery, and Petroplus Refining Teesside Ltd., which owns the Teesside Marketing & Storage facility, applied for and were granted administration orders. As a result of the administration order with respect to PRML, the $1.6 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding senior notes of Petroplus Finance Ltd. have accelerated. The Court today appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as administrator for the assets of the above companies.

UPDATE: 25/01/2012 @ 22:35

Petroplus Provides Update Regarding Proceedings

ZUG, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 25, 2012–

Regulatory News:

Petroplus Holdings AG (SIX: PPHN) today announced that it and its subsidiary in Switzerland, Petroplus Marketing AG, filed for composition proceedings (“Nachlassstundung”).

Petroplus also announced that its subsidiaries in Germany, Marimpex Mineralöl-Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Petroplus Deutschland GmbH, Petroplus Bayern GmbH, Petroplus Tankstorage Holding Deutschland GmbH and Petroplus Raffinerie Ingolstadt GmbH, which owns the Ingolstadt refinery, filed for insolvency proceedings. The Court today appointed Jaffé Rechtsanwälte Insolvenzverwalter as administrator for the assets of the above companies.

Petroplus further announced that its subsidiaries in France, Petroplus Holdings France SAS, Petroplus Marketing France SAS, Petroplus Raffinage Reichstett SAS and Petroplus Raffinage Petit-Couronne SAS, which owns the Petit Couronne refinery, filed for rehabilitation proceedings (“redressement judiciaire”). The Court today appointed FHB Administrateurs Judiciaires as administrator for the assets of some of the above companies.

Petroplus Holdings AG will provide further updates to the public as needed and further information regarding the proceedings will be provided on the Investor Relations section of our website at http://investors.petroplusholdings.com.

Source: Petroplus Holdings AG

Petroplus Holdings AG
Fredrik Olsson; +41 (0) 58 580 1244

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Zug, Switzerland, January 24, 2012 – Petroplus Holdings AG (SIX: PPHN) today announced that it and its subsidiaries received notices of acceleration yesterday from the lenders under its Revolving Credit Facility. During the past several weeks, Petroplus has been negotiating with these lenders to reopen credit lines needed to maintain operations and meet financial obligations. In addition, the Company has been seeking to arrange alternative financing and liquidity facilities, as well as other strategic options.

The negotiations with the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility have not been successful (despite the Company having reached an agreement for crude oil supply) and they have served notices of acceleration, commenced enforcement actions and appointed a receiver in respect of Petroplus Marketing AG’s assets in the UK. Such acceleration constitutes an event of default under the $1.75 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding senior notes and convertible bonds of Petroplus Finance Limited. The primary goal of Petroplus’ Board of Directors is to ensure that operations are safely shut down and to preserve value for all stakeholders. The Board of Directors has resolved to prepare for a filing for insolvency or composition proceedings (“Nachlassstundung”) in Switzerland and will make the necessary filings as soon as possible. Similar steps are being taken by Petroplus subsidiaries in various jurisdictions. The filing of insolvency proceedings by any entity that is a guarantor of the senior notes, including Petroplus Holdings AG, Petroplus Refining and Marketing Ltd. and Petroplus Holdings France SAS, will result in an automatic acceleration of the senior notes.

Jean-Paul Vettier, Petroplus’ Chief Executive Officer, said, “It is unfortunate to have reached the point where the Executive Committee and Board of Directors have to inform our employees, shareholders, bondholders and other stakeholders about these circumstances. We have worked hard to avoid this outcome, but were ultimately not able to come to an agreement with our lenders to resolve these issues given the very tight and difficult European credit and refining markets. We are fully aware of the impact that this will have on our workforce, their families and the communities where we have operated our businesses.”

Further information will be communicated in due course.

Contact information:
Petroplus Holdings AG
Fredrik Olsson; +41 (0) 58 580 1244

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This week sees the arrival of the BoilerJuice Apollo Smart, advanced heating oil monitor in the BoilerJuice shop.

The new BoilerJuice Smart heating oil monitor as a revolutionary breakthrough for oil heating users. As the cost of living and the price of heating oil is increasing, a monitor such as the BoilerJuice Smart is invaluable.

• It can educate a homeowner to their usage patterns and associated costs, allowing them to take actions to make savings and use their heating oil more efficiently.

• Using state of the art ultrasonic technology, the BoilerJuice Smart allows homeowners to view the volume of oil remaining in their tank in litres and as a percentage.
• The unit also allows homeowners to monitor their heating oil consumption in litres by day, by week, by month and for the last year.
• The unique days to empty feature will give homeowners peace of mind that they are not going to run out of fuel and will avoid the inevitable panic buying during peak periods.

The cost of fuel in either Sterling or Euros and carbon emissions in kgCO2 for the same periods is also available.

BoilerJuice SMART will help heating oil users to monitor oil consuption by allowing heating oil users to more effectively monitor their heating oil usage by utilising the accuracy and visibility of this second generation device.

The BoilerJuice SMART can now be ordered in our online shop.
So don’t delay -  start being SMART with your heating oil today!

 Please note: the BoilerJuice SMART is a heating oil tank level and oil usage monitor and not an electricity monitor

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Below are some extracts from our customer comments when we last ran our “top tips on savings home heating oil”, add your comments and views to keep this topic hot.

Insulation, insulation, insulation.

• Ensure you loft insulation is 2.5 inches or more
• Cavity wall insulation (If your property is suitable – there are instances where properties would suffer damp issues if cavity wall insulation is installed, so use a trusted surveyor before installation.)
• Check the seals around doors and windows for draughts. TIP: Most modern UPVC windows can be adjusted with an ‘Allen key’ via the hinge to ensure a snug fit).
• Install a letter box draught excluder.
• Check the insulation around your hot water tank.

Heating Oil Money Saving Tips

• Ensure you boiler is serviced at least once every 12 months (ensure you have your nozzle changed)
• Consider using premium heating oil / additives e.g. BoilerMax or CookerMax to extend the efficiency between services.
• Secure your heating oil tank – some thiefs will try to empty your tank in one go, but other will steal little and often, so while you think you may be burning more oil than normal – it may be that someone is visiting in the midst of night taking small, but significant amounts.
• Consider putting a fence around your tank.
• Add a lock – secure fill points and your vent
• Consider an alarmed tank monitor like the Watchman Alarmed monitor

Short / Medium term investments:

• Install TRV’s on your radiators and adjust as required. (Thermostatic Radiator Valves cost from around £5 each on ScrewFix.com).
• Fit an electronic descaler, these cost very little but removal of scale – especially in the boiler and water tank will make the system more efficient.
• Have your heating system treated with sentinel or a similar product. (Screwfix.com)
• Install double or secondary glazing

Longer term investments:

• Consider installing a wood burning stove with back boiler to feed radiators and hot water.
• Upgrade your boiler if it is an old non-condensing type  -modern condensing boilers are around 90-92% efficient. If you live in a small/medium sized property and have relatively low hot water usage consider upgrading to a combi-boiler – which only heats the water you use.

Other suggestions:

• Visit a different friend each day and enjoy their heat. Invite your friends round to visit you in a set day – by doing this you have company, food and heat.
• Take care when strimming and mowing around your oil tank, what ever you do, don’t cut your oil tank feed pipe.

Add your tips below and you could see your tips above…

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Even in 2011 the AGA cooker remains a symbol of lifestyle, owners develop a very strong emotional attachment with what is so much more than ‘a cooker’.

• Do you have a question or issue relating to your AGA?
• How often do you have your AGA serviced - have you noticed a difference since fuel sulphur levels were lowered in 2008?
• Share your AGA hints and tips in our new AGA owners blog.

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BoilerJuice.com are appealing to the government to Zero rate the VAT on domestic home heating oil for all non-commercial users. We are calling for action to help oil users keep warm in the face of rising domestic heating oil costs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Fuel duty currently stands at 5%, which, at current oil prices, adds around £30 to the bill every time a fills up with 1000 litres. To someone struggling to pay their bills on a fixed income, it equates to heating their home for an extra couple of weeks, or having the cash to turn the heating up a degree or two.

We need at least 100,000 signatures for our petition to be eligible for debate in the House of Commons, so please take a minute to sign the petition today.

Please note: signing the e-petiton will not result in an instant 5% off your order, this will only be achieved with future orders if HMRC zero rate vate on home heating oil.

Click here to sign our e-petition!

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There are 100′s of companies that offer home contents insurance, but does your provider cover you against home heating oil theft and the possible damage that could be done to your tank and the surrounding area.

Finding an insurer that covers your oil can be like looking for a needle in a hay-stack, but we’re here to help…

We will be listing your providers below but first we want to know:

• Which home insurance company you use?
• Do they cover your heating oil and/or you oil tank?
• Have you make a claim due to heating oil theft or tank damage?
• Was the outcome of your claim acceptable?

Check back soon to read the comments and a summary of the companies offering cover and peace of mind before you fill your tanks!

(The information within this post is for guidance purposes only, please check the policy documents and terms & conditions before you purchase your insurance policy.)

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 Under a programme being run by the Scottish government, a further 6,000 households in the country will qualify to receive up to £400 cashback when they upgrade to a new, energy-saving system.

Cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment Alex Neil said: “This scheme will help households right across Scotland cut the cost of home heating by replacing run down boilers with more efficient models.”

It is the third time in the last year such an initiative has taken place, with total funding of £6 million expected to help 14,000 properties become more energy efficient.

The scheme opened this week and will run on a first come, first served basis until all available money has been allocated, so act now!

• Have you already registered?
• How much funding did you receive and how much did the new heating oil boiler cost to be installed.
• Did you see your home heating oil consumption reduce once the new boiler was installed?

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Home heating oil tank security was a major issue back in the winter months following the rocketing cost of domestic heating oil, don’t become complacent just because its summer time thefts are still being reported.

Most domestic heating oil users only check their tanks every few weeks or months and are unaware if a thief is syphoning off small quantities but on an often basis, so try to dip / check your tank on a frequent basis to monitor your heating oil level.

One of the biggest challenges is keeping the heating oil in your tank and out of the hands of thief’s, but what’s the best way?

• Siting Your Oil Tank - The position of the tank can have a significant effect on how hard a target it is in the eyes of the thief. If the tank is close to the house, with one or more windows capable of giving a view of it, then the thief may consider the chances of being seen too high.
• Oil Level Gauges – Remote electronic oil level gauges are now available which will set off an audible alarm if the oil level in the tank suddenly drops or falls below a quarter full but are dependent on you being home and in the same room as the alarm unit at the time.
• Security Lights – Security lights can have a very positive effect and make any property a much harder target for the thief, especially lights which also sound when the light has been triggered.
• Defensive Planting – Defensive planting is nature’s way of helping to reduce crime. Thieves will not wish to force their way through or over a prickly hedge.
• Securing Your Oil Tank – A wooden or metal fence, trellis or wall can give significant protection to the tank, but it must be remembered that the oil tanker driver will need access to fill the tank! A metal or grill cage with a lockable access point across the top of this wall or fence can further improve security but can be costly.

What measures have you taken to secure your heating oil tank?

How often do you check your tank level? Share your security hints and tips below…

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Improving your Boiler Efficiency with BoilerMax Premium Kerosene 28 Additives…

Under normal operation a boiler fires up and cuts out to maintain a constant room temperature (usually controlled by a room thermostat). Deposits build up between services on nozzle and heat exchanger surfaces when using untreated heating oil – without us normally knowing about it because the boiler is still working.

The nozzle deposits produce a less efficient fuel/air burn and the deposits on the heat exchanger make it harder for the energy to transfer through to heat the water. In order to achieve the same room temperature the boiler needs to fire up and cut out a little more frequently – and over time this increase use of the boiler burns more fuel.

BoilerMax premium additives can also help lower costs by reducing the risk of boiler breakdowns, blocked filters, tank/metal parts rust and other common operating problems. It has a mixture of anti-oxidants, dispersants, detergents, corrosion inhibitor, metal deactivator and other fuel stabilisers that help keep the fuel fresh, the boiler clean and avoid other operating problems that routinely occur.

Each bottle will treat around 1000 litres of fuel but can treat between 500 and 1400 litres of home heating oil.

Have you used BoilerMax Premium Kerosene 28 Home Heating Oil Additives? Did your service engineer notice a difference after you used BoilerMax additives? If you own an AGA, you may be interested in our CookerMax Premium Kerosene additives.!

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Red diesel users have been offered a glimmer of hope that the tax exemption attached to the fuel will remain intact.

The European Commission has published a draft proposal on the issue, which states that the red diesel price perks will be kept as long as the agricultural sector meets its targets to cut emissions.

It had been feared the system was going to be scrapped altogether last week, but the Energy Taxation Directive has given farmers an added incentive to trim their fuel consumption. Technology could now be used to closely monitor the amount of red diesel used within the industry.

“We need a more resource-efficient, greener and more competitive EU economy and [this framework is] an opportunity to shift the tax burden from labour to consumption, in order to favour growth-enhancing taxation,” commented commissioner for taxation and customs Algirdas Semeta.

Red diesel continues to be important to the running of a farm, as the fuel is considerably cheaper than the standard version, with a litre currently costing about 70p in the UK (April 2011). The UK already has the highest rates of tax on road fuel in Europe and the duty rate on red diesel has increased nearly fourfold in the past ten years. Farmers will find any increase in the price of red diesel as a hard burden to bear!

View the latest red diesel price trends in our BoilerJuice Price Chart

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The government’s Warm Front scheme has opened its doors once again to heating oil users who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Representatives of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have suggested the initiative is accessible to more than 90,000 households that are deemed to be blighted by fuel poverty.

“Next year we will be launching the Green Deal, the government’s national overhaul of home energy efficiency, which will provide extra help to vulnerable households,” he remarked.

What is the Warm Front scheme?

The Warm Front scheme makes your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient

The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system.

Qualifying households can get improvements worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended).

Grants are available for improvements such as:

glass-fronted fire – the Warm Front scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire

You won’t have to pay anything as long as the work doesn’t cost more than the grant available. If the cost of the work is more than the grant available you’ll have to make a contribution to enable work to go ahead. Work will not start without making sure you are willing and able to pay the difference.

The Warm Front scheme installs insulation and heating improvements to make homes more energy efficient. The scheme now has a new set of eligibility criteria and will be accepting new applications from 14 April 2011 so don’t delay, apply today to cut your fuel bills in 2011.

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Over the last few years there has been much discussion about the changes in kerosene quality (heating oil & Aga fuel) and the increase in reported field problems with boilers and Aga’s. Problems seem to be on the increase for all boilers, but the vaporising cookers such as AGAs appear to have been particularly affected.

According to some fuel quality chemists, another contributing factor to more variable fuel quality is the BS2869C2 kerosene quality standard. All fuels sold in the UK meet this standard, but there appears to be a trend of the quality being closer to the limits of this specification than it would have been in the past. This change is probably being driven by the higher manufacturing cost of the lower sulphur kerosene.

Have you noticed increased issues with your Aga or Boiler since the low sulphur fuels were introduced a few years ago? Did you find that using Premium Aga Fuel Additives (CookerMax) reduced the issues that you may have previously experienced? Do you have any other hints and tips for fellow Aga owners?

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One of the best ways to keep up to date with the changing heating oil prices in Northern Ireland is the Boilerjuice Price graph. It is exceptionally simple to use and understand. We collect oil prices from all of our participating suppliers that deliver in Northern Ireland and calculate the average price in ‘pence per litre’ and plot it on our graph.

As you would expect, heating oil prices tend to rise in winter when the demand is highest, you will also see how prices can go up and down on a frequent basis, keeping a close eye on our chart can certainly help to make more informed decisions when buying your heating oil. Unlike our main UK heating oil price chart, our Northern Ireland chart only has data going back to October 2010, but we are now storing these prices and will retain the information to help you spot seasonal trends in Northern Ireland.

I hope you find the NEW Northern Ireland Heating Oil Price Chart useful.

If you would like to add the Boilerjuice price graph to your website you are welcome to do so… more details.

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Yes, that’s right! As an added bonus, if you place an order for heating oil with BoilerJuice.com in April for more than 500 litres you will automatically be entered into our prize draw. You could win a year’s supply (5 bottles) of BoilerMax or CookerMax worth £59.95.

BoilerJuice oil additives are specially formulated to keep your boiler in tip-top condition, reducing sludge and the build up of carbon deposits to make your boiler work more efficiently. Find out exactly how oil additives work.

Terms and Conditions

Minimum delivery 500 litres, Group savings offer applies to standard orders with a standard tanker only, we always try to offer savings, but cannot guarantee this as it’s dependent on others in your area placing orders.

*This prize draw is only open for entry to domestic customers, based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each of the 10 winners will receive: 5 bottles of either BoilerMax or CookerMax, sufficient to treat 5,000 litres of fuel, which is approximately one year’s supply.
Winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date which is 30/04/2011 at 23:59, for full terms and conditions please see our website.

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If your are thinking about replacing your oil-fired boiler what questions do you need to ask yourself? A new boiler is not cheap but should be more efficient at running your heating system.

Even among oil-fired boilers, the choice is bewildering. Choosing the right boiler is an important decision. If it is too small then it will not meet your needs while if it is too big it will have an impact in your wallet. The correct size of boiler is essentially determined by two broad factors: the volume of your house and how well it is insulated. Boiler output is usually measured in kW. As a general rule: 1kW is required per 10m³

If you are replacing an existing boiler and your current boiler has been okay, then you should go with a similar size boiler but if you are starting from scratch, then you will need to consider:

Hot Water Usage

• How many showers?
• How many sinks?
• How many baths do you have in your house?

Size of House

• How many rooms need are heated?
• What size are the radiators in these rooms?

Heat Losses

• The type of house: terraced, semi-detached, detached.
• Does your house have cavity wall insulation?
• Do you have loft insulation?
• Do you have double glazing?

Aesthetic Considerations

• Do you want to hide the boiler in a cupboard?

Condensing Boilers

Condensing boilers are more efficient than normal boilers.  As their name suggests, they use the hot water return to condense the gases in the flu exhaust to recover to heat  the water. This type of boiler can be very efficient, around 90% + saving you money on your heating oil bill. Condensing boilers also reduce the amount of CO₂ going into the atmosphere. It is estimated that around 60% of the carbon dioxide generated by domestic use comes from boilers. If every British household with central heating installed a high-efficiency boiler, more than 13million tonnes of CO₂ would be kept from reaching the atmosphere. If there is a disadvantage, it would be that to squeeze every last measure of efficiency, condensing boilers are more complicated and so there is more to go wrong. However,  most are very reliable these days.

There are grants from the government for those upgrading boilers and improving the insulation in their homes. Find out if you are eligible at the Energy Saving Trust.

SEDBUK Rating

The efficiency of a boiler is given in terms of its SEDBUK (Seasonal Efficiency of a Domestic Boiler in the UK) rating. The scale goes from A-G, with boilers in the A range being 90%-91.3% efficient. If you want to save money on your heating oil then you should choose the most efficient boiler you can get. New boilers will be either A or B. You can visit the SEDBUK website to look for the efficiency rating for your new boiler.

In a drive to cut carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, all new properties must be fitted with a condensing boiler by law. The building regulations state for oil-fired boilers:

• All oil-fired boilers fitted after the 1st April 2007 have to be condensing boilers and again this applies to new installations and replacement boilers.
• All condensing boilers fitted after the 1st April 2005 have to have a SEDBUK efficiency rating of either A or B.

Hot Water Tank or Combination?

Combination boilers provide both water for heating and an almost instant supply of hot water, hence the name. They have become increasingly more popular. In fact, combination boilers now account for well over half of all the new domestic boilers installed in Britain every year. The advantages are, there is only a very small reservoir of water that needs to be heated at any one time and no hot water tank is required so this could be an opportunity to save space although, oil-fired combination boilers are generally slower to provide hot water than some gas combi-boilers. Combination boilers may not be suitable for large houses where several people could be using the hot water at the same time.

Your heating and hot water requirements are individual to you so it is always a good idea to seek advice from an expert when choosing a boiler but hopefully this has made you aware of the relevant questions to think about when choosing your next boiler.

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When you want to buy something, it is good to be big. The supermarkets can afford to give you lower prices on food because they are big. They have the buying power to get great deals from their suppliers. In economics, this principle is known as economies of scale. As a buyer, you can gain economies of scale by clubbing-together with other people to buy your oil when you order with BoilerJuice.

Oil Buying Groups

BoilerJuice offer you the chance of group savings when you order your heating oil and you don’t need to do a thing. The price that you are quoted when you order will be the maximum that you would need to pay. If your order wasn’t placed as an express delivery option or by a non-standard delivery vehicle, it will be automatically placed in an oil buying group with others in the same postcode area. The amount that you can save depends on how many other orders are in the buying group.

To take advantage you should try to order on a buying weekend; on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. This is when most of our customers order their heating oil for the greatest chance of group saving. Not only can oil buying groups save you money but it is better for the environment, as supplying groups of orders means fewer tanker journeys.

Community Groups

You can even make money for your community when you order your heating oil through BoilerJuice, be it a village hall, church, local sports team, playgroup, boy scouts, girl guides or other local community organisation.
With BoilerJuice communities, we will donate money when you order your heating oil. When you order your heating oil you can see the communities that are available in your area. If your group has already been registered you simply need to add the registration number for your community group in your order or you can register your community group on the website. For every 100 litres of oil ordered, BoilerJuice will donate 25p to your community group and issue it with a cheque when the total reaches £50 or more. The more people that order, the more your community can benefit. You can even publicise your community group to let others know with these A4 posters. Great for community centre notice boards.

For further information on either of these schemes visit the BoilerJuice group savings page or the BoilerJuice community page.

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Heating oil additives are something of a mystery to many people and often misunderstood. Some people believe that they will magically transform the fuel and give you more energy from the oil when you burn it. In fact, oil additives do not change the heating energy in the oil but regular use can improve the efficiency of heat transfer and save wear and tear on the components in your oil-fired boiler or oil-fired cooker, saving you money on expensive repairs and call out charges in the long-term. BoilerJuice sell two types of heating oil additive, BoilerMax and CookerMax.
(more…)

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With spring on its way, it is a good time to have your oil boiler serviced. Many people think that it doesn’t make much difference but OFTEC, (Oil-Fired TEChnical association) has collected data that demonstrates the importance of having your oil fired boiler serviced regularly. It can save you money in the long run.
(more…)

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Police have reported an increase in the number of cases of thieves stealing heating oil.
In Worcestershire, police arrested one man responsible for stealing oil from many rural homes in order to sell it again.
“It is very sad that when most people are pulling together to help each other during this cold weather, a small minority are committing these offences.” Chief inspector Jerry Reakes-Williams.

With around 1.3 million households using heating oil and the average cost of a tank of oil around £900 for a 1000 litres. Of particular risk to oil thefts are isolated properties in rural areas or farms. There are steps that can be taken to prevent these thefts.

NFU (National Farmers Union) Mutual insurance company has received more than one hundred claims with a value of £50,000 in the last six-months.

People are becoming more aware thanks to BBC news, radio programmes and newspaper articles spreading the word but there are also a number of measures you can take to make it less likely you will become a victim of this crime.

Make sure that your oil tank is not visible from the road, and if it is, then fences, trellis, trees or hedging can be used to make the oil tank less visible to passing traffic.

If you have a drive with gates, then keep them closed when away from the property.
Use a security light placed near the oil tank that will come on if there is any movement near the tank.

Small infra-red cameras are fairly cheap these days. A covert camera to record the number plates of any vehicles entering your drivewa could help. It may not stop theives but may help to trace the them later. Placing a highly visible camera on your house may act as a deterent to opportunist theives.

Fit a good strong lock; although be aware that plastic tanks can be drilled which may lead to other problems. Not only do you have to buy a new oil tank but you may have an environmental problem cleaning up the spilt oil.

Use a product like the Watchman Sonic Alarmed, this monitors the oil level and sends a radio signal to a receiver inside the house. It can also detect when the oil level drops dramatically such as would happen if there were a leak or theft and alerts the receiver unit.

It is still possible that even after all these security changes, a determined theif could still come along and steal your oil but if you make it difficult for them they will probably go elsewhere.

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If you have been to the Boilerjuice shop recently you will notice that we are selling an interesting new product . They may look like engineering trophies but they are in fact Ecofans.

The Ecofan is an amazing device that helps to warm up your living room more quickly. The great thing is that it actually uses the heat from your stove or wood burner to gently divert the heat into the room instead of it going up to the ceiling.

It works using the thermoelectric effect, for non techies this is a process of converting heat into electricity, so no batteries or cables are required. When the Ecofan is placed on a hot surface, such as the top of a woodburner, the metallic base will heat up and create a temperature gradient with the cooler fins at the top the Ecofan. A thermoelectric material sandwiched between the hot and cool regions generates enough electricity to power a small electric fan that diverts the upward flow of heat into the room.

The fan blades have been designed to deliver a gentle flow of warm air into the room, heating your room more quickly. It is self-regulating so it will never produce a cooling draft. The speed of the fan is determined by temperature of your woodburner, so the more heat produced, the faster the fan will turn but it will slow down if the temperature of the stove drops, then end result is a much more consistently heated room meaning you burn less fuel and save pounds!

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How’s your broadband speed? Are you chugging along at a fair lick or stuck in the data doldrums? Things have improved since the days of dial-up but services such as online gaming, video on demand, video conferencing are putting the old copper cable under increasing strain. It is also something of a lottery when it comes to speed. Advertised speeds seem like science fiction in some cases. But soon these problems may be distant, nostalgic memories.
Over the next five years, BT is rolling out the next generation of broadband service it calls BT Infinity. This is a fibre optic network where the signals that travel across the network are not electrical but pulses of light. The capacity of fibre networks greatly exceeds that of copper wire. To have a fibre link to the home has been the dream of telecoms engineers and knowledgable consumers for many years. It promises greatly increased speed and improved level of service particular for video and large files. Unlike copper wire, it does not depend on how far you are from the telephone exchange which means that everyone can enjoy high-speed internet goodness.
On the BT infinity website, there is a campaign to measure consumer’s interest for the new service. A vote is taking place online. The five regions with the greatest interest, by December 31st 2010, will have the chance of fibre optic line installed in their region. The votes are decided as a percentage of the number of people living in the region so there’s everything to play for for small rural towns. You can also use social networks Twitter and Facebook to help spread the word.
Make that drible of data coming out of your wall into a torrent of bits. Get to the site and stand up for your region. What are you waiting for, vote NOW!

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We’ve touched on this sensitive issue before, but with hundreds or even £1000 worth of fuel sitting in your tank just waiting for some scumbag to pump it out, have you ever been the victim of heating oil theft? And if so, what measures have you taken to prevent it from happening again?

Last time we posted up this blog we had a massive 81 replies with some unusual and controversial suggestions, not all of which we would recommend you follow. For example, we definitely wouldn’t recommend you invest in a shotgun, cut off thieves’ hands or cover your walls with razor blades (all of which could land you in deep water)!

But there’s no escaping the fact that oil theft is rife. One customer admitted to having had two oil thefts in as many months.

Our favourite anti-theft suggestion is always going to be to recommend you install an inexpensive tank lock like the one on our security page.

You could also do, like some of our customers suggest, and install a Watchman Sonic remote wireless device in your home which warns you if your fuel level goes down. Or an alarm on your tank. One customer caught a policeman wandering around. Good to know the local neighbourhood bobby is still well and truly on the beat.

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It’s a bit like calling in the chimney sweep or getting that leaking gutter fixed – you know it needs doing at some point before the winter; it’s just a case of getting round to it.

But getting your central heating boiler serviced isn’t just about ticking yet another irritating job off your “to do” list. It can actually save you money. And let’s face it anything that saves you money has to be Good News in this day and age.

And we’re not just saying this because we’d like you to book a boiler service from one of our engineers, although we’d be delighted if you did!

Regularly serviced boilers operate more efficiently and therefore use less oil. In fact an inefficient boiler could be costing you ££££s more to run. And all boilers should be serviced at least annually.

Also, it’s far easier to arrange a boiler service now, during the summer months, than in the Autumn when everyone suddenly remembers they need their boiler servicing too.

So why not ask for a no-obligation quote from one of our Oftec registered engineers. You can do this easily via our website. And from only £65, it could be worth every penny!

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Help!!! After years of piped gas or electricity you’ve moved house – and suddenly you’re faced with an oil tank at the bottom of the garden and a mountain of questions to go with it! (more…)

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Baking, frying, grilling, toasting, stewing, steaming, roasting, simmering or stir-frying – what do you use your oil-fired Aga or Rayburn for most in the summer? Maybe you’ve an unconventional summer use for your Aga or Rayburn which will make our other readers smile. Or maybe you hate your Aga and just can’t get the hang of it!

Why not share your favourite summer recipes or tips with us below? All we ask is that, for copyright reasons, any Aga or Rayburn recipes are your own i.e. they aren’t copied from a book, website, etc. An ideal opportunity to dip into Granny’s old Aga or Rayburn cookbook, maybe…

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When do you usually stock up on heating oil? Autumn? Before Christmas? Or at some other time of year? We’re sure our other customers would be interested to compare notes! (more…)

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Gas and electricity suppliers do something similar; phone providers do it and now BoilerJuice could be doing it too… if you’d like us to.

Basically, the plan would be for you to pay for your heating oil on a monthly payment basis so you build up a ‘Tank Account’ of savings to go towards each heating oil purchase. (more…)

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Energy bills can be a burden when you’re earning a salary, let alone when you’re living on a pension. But not all pensions are the same. Take the £28 million pay-and-pension package recently awarded to one of the gas industry’s ‘fat cats’, for instance. Although at 56 this particular gentleman is not yet eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, in four years time he will be.

The point is… should he (and all the other ‘fat cats’ out there) receive the same Winter Fuel Payment as my elderly neighbour who survives on a weekly state pension of just £97.6 and who struggles to pay his electricity and heating oil bills?

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I have my central heating on first thing in the morning and in the evening to keep costs down. But my friend says it is cheaper to have it on all the time. What do you think?

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As the winter fast approaches us the central heating will be going back on in numerous households throughout the UK.  But let’s have a look at some of the more crazy ways that people try to heat up their homes every winter.

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Having just moved to Norfolk, for the first time in my life I do not have gas and have become a heating oil virgin! The shock of having to pay for my oil before I use it; the distinctive smell of oil, the plume of steam coming out the side of my house; all of these things are new to me. And all of this during the coldest winter for years.
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Do you love your Aga or Rayburn with a passion? Does it keep you warm on these cold, winter nights? Do you have any favourite winter recipes you cook on it?  Whether you use it for cooking, hot water or heating share your favourite tips with us.

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Given the increasing value of heating oil sitting in our oil tanks, it’s not suprising to find out that heating oil thefts are on the increase. If you’ve been the victim of an oil theft please let us know by posting it here, let us know the postcode and general location, ie, village name etc so others can be warned of this kind of activity in the area.

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Share your energy saving ideas, hints and tips with other heating oil users or pick up a few ideas for yourself.

Tip: You might also want to read our Premium Heating Oil blog post.

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We are often asked by Heating Oil users to recommend a Boiler type, style or manufacturer. Given the many options to choose from we have decided to dedicate this blog section to your own views and experiences so potential purchasers can make a more informed decision, with the ultimate goal being to find the overall market leader.

 When replying to this blog please clearly state the make and model of your boiler and current length of service together with its current efficiency rating if known from last service, along with your general comments and views.

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Should we be forced to lead a more environmentally friendly way of living, many of us try to do our bit whilst others don’t. Whether we believe in climate change being caused by mankind or not should the decision to act be ours or the Governments.

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At BoilerJuice we’re looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprints. Bio-fuels could help but the infrastructure is currently non existent in the uk. If it was would you use it given the wider implications such as food for fuel, increased land prices etc.

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