What you need to know
Heat pumps remove fuel deliveries, but need a properly designed electrical heating system
Replacing oil or LPG can remove the need to order and store fuel. The new system still needs adequate electrical capacity, winter output, radiators or underfloor heating, hot-water storage and a serviceable outdoor position.
A useful cost comparison uses the household’s historic fuel use as evidence, checks the existing boiler efficiency assumptions and models heat-pump electricity use transparently.
Request a £0 fuel-switch survey and written whole-system quote
Tell FLO about the property, recent oil or LPG use and current emitters. The team can identify what a useful survey and proposal should cover.
Use fuel records to understand the starting point
Delivery records can help estimate how much energy the home has been buying across a full year. They need interpretation because boiler efficiency, cooking use, unusual winters and changes in occupancy affect the heat actually delivered.
Compare those records with the room-by-room heat-loss calculation. A major mismatch is a reason to investigate assumptions rather than choose whichever figure produces the preferred answer.
- At least a representative period of fuel deliveries
- Boiler age and condition
- Space-heating and hot-water use
- Any secondary stoves or electric heaters
- Changes to insulation or occupancy
Design for exposed and rural conditions
An exposed home may have a higher design heat loss than a sheltered equivalent. The selected unit’s output and efficiency should be checked at the relevant winter condition and system temperature.
Outdoor siting also needs access, drainage, prevailing weather and future maintenance consideration. A remote position that looks unobtrusive may create long pipe routes or difficult service access.
Check the electrical supply and resilience plan
Your survey will review the property supply, consumer unit and any other significant electrical loads. Required electrical work will be included in the proposal rather than appearing after the heating design is agreed.
Rural households may also want to discuss power-cut planning and how the property is protected when unoccupied. A heat pump, oil boiler and LPG boiler all depend on electricity for controls and circulation, but their exact behaviour differs.
- Existing supply and spare capacity
- Required isolators and circuits
- Immersion or supplementary heating strategy
- Cold-weather and absence settings
- Access for service vehicles and engineers
Include tank removal and retained equipment
An oil or LPG conversion may involve making the old appliance safe, dealing with fuel lines and deciding whether a tank is removed or retained. That work should be clearly allocated and priced.
Some households plan a staged change or retain another heat source. The operating logic and responsibility for both systems should be documented rather than left as an informal backup idea.
Keep in mind: Funding and rural uplift rules can change. Show any support separately and wait for the required written offer before eligible work begins.
What to read next
Related guides and services
Questions people ask
Can an oil-heated farmhouse use a heat pump?+
Potentially. Larger heat loss, emitters, electrical supply, exposure and outdoor routes need a property-specific assessment.
Will a heat pump be cheaper than LPG?+
It can be in some homes, but a fair comparison needs heat demand, system performance, current LPG use, tariffs and the full installation scope.
Does the oil tank have to be removed?+
That depends on the agreed project and any retained equipment. Decommissioning, fuel and tank work should be clearly assigned in the quote.
Is there extra funding for rural homes?+
A rural and island uplift may apply under the current Scottish scheme. Home Energy Scotland determines whether the address and project qualify.
Independent sources
Scheme rules and guidance can change. Check these sources before making a financial or planning decision.