Johnston Heating Services have installed our 1st HVO boiler.
Our partnership with Sapphire compliments our ongoing support of HVO Heating Oil trials that are happening across the UK. During the installation process our engineers were impressed with the technology of the fully modulating, open Therm certified liquid fuel boiler.
This is offered in both Kerosene and HVO, making this a future ready boiler. Our new partnership will extend our service offering and ensure a smooth transition to a greener future.
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Fuel. - Boiler Conversion Feedback
Customer: Mr John Williamson - Feb 2023
Joining the Trial
The initial idea to convert from Kerosene fuel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) came from a discussion with my Johnston Oil service engineer (Lucas).
Lucas informed me about the trials Johnston Oil were doing in the area of HVO. Lucas provided me with all the facts and explained all the steps involved. He explained everything clearly and outlined the benefits of HVO. I decided to get involved and was accepted to participate in the trials.
Johnston Oil Team
I cannot say enough about the support and care given by the team during this trial.
Ann (Service Manager) - At all times I was kept in the loop and communicated with. Ann kept me updated on progress and plans.
Lucas (Main Service Engineer) - Special mention goes to Lucas for his knowledge, skill and patience in answering all my questions.
The Service Engineers (Lucas, Scott and Gordon) - Enthusiastic and efficient and always professional on their visits.
Conversion
When it came to the installation, the Johnston Oil team covered everything and explained to me exactly what was happening each step of the way.
My heating/hot water was only out of commission for a few hours and I was given regular progress updates as things moved forwards.
After the initial conversion there were several follow up visits to carry out some fine tuning and improvements to modulation and the electronics.
The Johnston Oil team still inspect regularly to seek out ways to improve performance and check on customer experience.
HVO versus Kerosene
I have now been on the trial for just over a year now (Feb 2023) and I cannot speak highly enough about HVO.
These are some of the benefits that I have noticed:
- It is cleaner - HVO seems to burn cleaner than Kerosene - there is much less of a black sooty deposit around the outflow exhaust.
- Refuelling - HVO seems to last longer than Kerosene - I noticed a longer period between tanks refills. This also might be due to the technology in the smart boiler.
- Intelligent Technology - The Boiler is full of technology that seems to be more proactive and intelligent with demands on it. The boiler and controller constantly monitor temperature and performance and adjust as required - there is very little for me to do.
- Programmer/Controller - Very easy to read and programme. The Wi-Fi connection ensures that the boiler and the controller are constantly talking to each other ensuring adjustments are made efficiently.
- Ease of Use - The boiler and controllers do it al for me really. It is all very user friendly and very easy to boost the temperature between programmes if needed.
In Summary
I am very happy to be part of this trial and with my conversion to HVO and would be reluctant to go back to Kerosene fuel.
HVO is clean, efficient and most important of all it helps me reduce my carbon footprint. The smart boiler comes with intelligence and efficiently modulates changes based on constant updates from sensors. I notice several benefits as a customer moving over to HVO.
However, the best thing about the conversion has been the support, expertise and enthusiasm of the Johnston Oil team. Throughout the whole exercise they were very professional, supportive and always kept me informed. I cannot praise the team enough.
Overall, I am very happy with the conversion over to HVO and I am now a keen ambassador across my neighbourhood, friends and family, for this greener alternative to reducing our carbon footprint.
Huge credit should go to Johnston Oils team for helping customers to have and alternative fuel to Kerosene. I believe that householders who use oil fuel, will benefit from this technology and at the same time support our aims and targets around climate change.
I also believe there should be stronger subsidies and incentives to support householders convert to this more environmentally friendly alternative as soon as possible.
Hints and Tips
Why does my heating stay on when the clock/programmer is off?
This is usually the result of a faulty actuator on a motorised valve.
Why are my radiators cold when my boiler is hot?
This is normally a result of the circulation pump or a motorised valve having failed.
Why is my radiator cold at the top but warm at the bottom?
This is usually caused by air being trapped in your radiator. Using a suitable radiator ‘airing key’, you should be able to release the trapped air through the ‘bleed point’ at the top of your radiator.
Where do I find my oil shut off valve?
Your main oil shut off valve can usually be found at the bottom outlet of your fuel tank. The valve will have either a wheel type handle (clockwise to close) or a lever handle (quarter push to close).
Do I need to service my boiler and if so how often?
Annual servicing can increase your boiler efficiency, reduce emissions and ensure its safe operation. Studies have found that with just a 3mm layer of soot, your boiler efficiency can be reduced by more than 8%.
Where do I find my boiler restart button?
Your boiler restart button, also referred to as ‘lock out’, is located on your boiler burner unit. Usually, the burner unit front door cover will need to be removed to gain access to the control box reset (when ‘tripped’ the button is normally illuminated). To initiate a start-up, simply push the reset button – always […]
Why does my boiler gauge show no pressure?
The majority of modern boilers are installed as sealed systems with no header tank to automatically top up the system with water. The system pressure gauge, located either on the front of the boiler or on a nearby pressure vessel, will normally indicate 1 Bar when the system is cold. If your gauge is showing […]
Fault: Oil Boiler Locking Out
Have you checked your Fuel level? If there is plenty of oil in tank – call us and we can arrange someone to callout. If oil level is low or tank has ran dry the boiler will Lockout. Buy Heating Oil.