LPG vs. Gas: What's the difference and which one to choose

If you're connected to mains gas, it's highly likely that you use a traditional gas boiler to heat up your home, just like most of the UK population. 

And so you're probably unaware that there are other heating alternatives. 

For instance, you have LPG, oil heating, heating using solid-fuels and more recently, renewable heating with air source heat pumps, solar panels etc. 

All of these different sources of heating have their own pros and cons, but we're not going to run you through them all. In this short blog post we're going to quickly run through LPG, how it differs to using gas and whether you should consider switching to it to heat up your home.

How is gas heating different to LPG heating?

Gas is distributed to buildings through a pipeline infrastructure, otherwise known as mains gas. This gas is then used by your boiler to heat up your taps and heat up your home.

LPG is very different. 

With LPG, the fuel is delivered to your home and stored in a storage tank that typically sits by the side of your house or in the garden. Every time you run out of fuel, you'll need to order more and have it added to your storage tank. After you've got your fuel, your boiler will connect to the tank and heat up your home just like any gas boiler.

The pros and cons of LPG

Pros

• LPG boilers are cheaper than most other forms of heating, especially oil boilers
• LPG boilers are just as efficient as gas boilers, up to 90% in modern boilers. They're also environmentally friendly. 
• LPG boilers are produced by many of the larger manufacturers, similar to gas

Cons

• The unit price of LPG is more expensive than gas and oil
• Waiting for deliveries can be a pain
• You'll also need to find room to store a tank and be responsible for keeping it in good working condition

Should I switch to LPG if I'm on mains gas?

If you're connected to mains gas and you're considering switching to LPG, our recommendation is to not. 

With more expensive unit costs and the need to not only pay for maintenance of the boiler, but the storage tank too, you're going to fork out a lot more money for something that a gas boiler could do.

Looking for an engineer in York?

If you're looking for an engineer to install a new boiler in your home in York, please give us a call on 07834 168464 or 01904 373075 or send us a message using our contact form. 

We'll look forward to hearing from you soon.