How Much Does An Oil Boiler Cost in Ireland 2024

By David Tait Reviewed by Cormac Breen

Editorial Manager

A new oil boiler will typically cost between €1,300 and €3,000, depending on the size, type and brand. It is recommended that you service your oil boiler once a year to maintain its efficiency and avoid the need for a replacement boiler. There are no longer grants available from the SEAI for replacing oil boilers. Oil boilers work similarly to gas boilers in that they heat water that can be used in your radiators, taps and showers to provide your home with heating and hot water.

How Much Does a New Oil Boiler Cost in Ireland?

A new oil boiler in Ireland will typically cost between €1,300 and €3,000, The oil boiler price depends on the following variables:

• The manufacturer
• The boiler model
• The capacity of the boiler

A less powerful oil boiler will be cheaper than a high-capacity boiler. The size of your home and your hot water demands determine the size oil boiler that you will need.

You should hire an Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) engineer to install your new oil boiler for you. Even though this is not a legal requirement, it’s recommended in order to ensure the safety and quality of the installation.

OFTEC engineers have completed approved training courses and must periodically take assessments to make sure they are up-to-date with the best practices.

Once the engineer has installed your new oil boiler, they will give you a certificate that confirms the work carried out meets industry standards.

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Which Is the Best Oil Boiler on the Market?

Given that the individual expectations, and budget, of someone purchasing a new oil boiler will be different, it's difficult to give a definitive recommendation as to which is the best boiler available on the market.

What we can advise is the factors to take into consideration before buying a new boiler. By having an idea of this, you will be better placed to compare what is available on the market.

Factors to consider include:

1. Budget
   With prices starting from just above €1,300 and rising to €3,000+, your budget will largely dictate which boiler you choose.
2. The length of warranty
   Boilers can be expensive to service and replacement parts can take time to source, so by purchasing a boiler with a good warranty period you can offset these possible future costs. 
3. Boiler efficiency
   It's important to buy a boiler with a high efficiency rating, otherwise you will be losing money on any energy wasted by the boiler.
4. The size of your home
   The size of your home will determine its heating needs. The bigger your home, the bigger a boiler you'll need. If you are living in a smaller property, a smaller, cheaper boiler may be sufficient.
5. External or internal?
   Oil boilers can be placed internally or externally outside your home. Before deciding which one to buy, make sure you have the space for it on your property, especially if it's an external boiler.

Below you will find a table that show the average estimated prices for some popular oil boiler brands:

How Efficient Is an Oil Boiler?

Modern oil boilers can have efficiencies of around 85% to 95%. A new condensing oil boiler will typically have an efficiency of at least 90% while a non-condensing oil boiler will be around 85% efficient.

Older oil boilers tend to be 60% to 70% efficient. Boilers decrease in efficiency as they age, so the longer you have it, the less efficient it becomes.

You can follow the tips below to improve the efficiency of your oil boiler:

• Use room thermostats or smart heating control.
• Use a boiler interlock to prevent short cycling when you don’t need heat or hot water.
• Use a cylinder thermostat for the hot water tank.
• Programme heating and hot water separately.
• Place thermostatic radiator valves on radiators.

Is There An Oil Boiler Replacement Grant in Ireland?

No. There are no boiler grants available for a replacement oil boiler.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) used to offer a grant for a new oil boiler through the Better Energy Homes Scheme. This scheme was revised in 2018 to no longer include grants for oil or gas boilers.

The scheme currently provides grants for the following:

• Up to €6500 for a new heat pump system. (depending on the size of your home)
• Up to €1200 for solar thermal systems.
• Up to €700 for upgrading your central heating controls.

Given that carbon emitting heating system will be phased out completely in the future, it may be worth investing in one of these more sustainable and environmentally friendly heating systems.

Are Oil Boilers More Expensive Than Gas or Electric?

Oil fired boilers are similar in cost to gas but given that electricity is always more expensive than either of the other two, it will always be the most expensive means of heating a home.

Having said that, there are several factors that impact on the total cost of heating a home regardless of which type of boiler you have, including:

1. The size of your home
2. Number of occupants
3. How well insulated it is
4. Your average consumption

The following table gives a basic breakdown of the difference in price between the three types of boilers along with an indication as to which boilers will be phased out in the future.

How Do I Service My Oil Boiler in Ireland?

A typical oil boiler will last for 15 to 20 years. To ensure it runs for as long as possible, you should properly maintain and regularly have an oil boiler service.

As with other heating systems, you will need to service your boiler regularly. Doing so is important for the following reasons:

1. Ensure safety
   OFTEC engineers will check the system to make sure you and your family aren’t being exposed to poisonous fumes such as carbon monoxide.
2. Maintain efficiency
   A regular boiler service ensures your oil boiler is running at its maximum efficiency. This also ensures lower energy bills.
3. Avoid a breakdown
   Regular servicing helps you to prolong the life of your boiler and avoid having to pay for expensive repairs. A properly maintained boiler could last for up to 20 years.
4. Keep your warranty
   Many boiler manufacturers require you to get an annual oil boiler service. If you don’t have this service carried out, you could lose your warranty.

Oil boiler services are very similar to gas boiler services. Both involve thorough inspections of key components, such as the burner, heat exchanger, and controls, to ensure everything is operating safely and efficiently.

How Does an Oil Boiler in Ireland Work?

An oil boiler works by igniting oil in a combustion chamber. This produces hot gases that are then passed through a heat exchanger (usually a copper coil) to heat water. This heated water is pumped around the home to your radiators, taps and showers when it's required.

An oil boiler is very similar to a gas boiler, except it needs oil to function instead of gas. The oil must be regularly delivered to the home in a tank. The oil is held in this storage tank until it is needed for heating and hot water.

There are three types of oil boilers:

1. Regular Oil Boiler
   This type of oil boiler is often called a conventional boiler. It requires having two separate components: a hot water storage cylinder and a cold water storage tank. A regular oil boiler is best for homes that have low water pressure or more than two bathrooms.
2. Oil Combi Boiler
   With an oil combi boiler, cold water is fed straight into the boiler and heated on demand. It requires neither a cold water tank nor a hot water storage cylinder, thus making it ideal for small spaces. This type of boiler can help you save on hot water costs since there is not a constant hot water supply.
3. Oil System Boiler
   A system boiler is basically an upgraded version of a regular boiler. It requires a hot water cylinder, which means it is good for homes with high hot water demands. Water is supplied to the boiler via the mains, so you do not need to have a cold water storage tank.

Are Oil Boilers Being Phased Out in Ireland?

The installation of oil boilers in new builds has been banned since 2022. Gas boilers will also be banned in new builds from 2025. 

These new regulations do not affect homes that currently have oil boilers, and much like gas boiler replacements, oil boiler replacements will also be available.

The move comes as part of the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2019, which put in place actions to reduce the use of fossil fuels in order to move towards a green future. 

The Government aims to generate 70% of our electricity with renewable resources by 2030, so banning oil boilers is part of reaching this larger target.

For the time being, these new rules in Ireland will only affect new homes.

Is an Oil Boiler Worth It?

For those without access to the gas network, an oil boiler would be the best alternative to an electric or biomass boiler, given its high efficiency. Oil burns hotter than electricity or natural gas, allowing homes to heat up faster while using less fuel.

Despite this, you need space on your property to store the oil, while the boiler itself needs regular servicing to enure it runs efficiently, with replacement parts being costly.