With the cost of heating oil on the increase, the number of households suffering from fuel poverty is at its highest for years.

• Are you suffering from fuel poverty?
• Do you think the government is doing enough to help struggling families?
• Should the government extend the “winter fuel allowance” to those that are pregnant or have young children?
• What measures are you taking to cope with the increasing cost of living?

Have your say below…

When replying please try to provide the following information by copying and pasting the section below:

• Boiler Make and Model: 
• Approximate age of boiler:
• Reliability of the boiler:
• Boiler Serviced Regularily: Yes / No

• Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter: 
  
• No of Bedrooms / House Size:
• Approximate Year Property Built:
• Recent Weekly Oil Usage – in litres:
• Average daily use of heating system in hours:
• Aproximate internal temperature reached (c):
• Insualation Level (Poor / Good / Excellent):

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Not sure which model to go for? Get free independent help and advice from BoilerJuice members here, simply ask your central heating boiler question and usually one of our members (many of whom are heating engineers) will get back to you soon.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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