Oil
Reducing the amount of oil you consume or the cost you pay for it, is as important as ever with kerosine prices currently near £1.00 per litre. Here are some really simple steps you should consider…
Running your cooker lower - For those of you who normally leave your AGA cookers running through out the summer, turning your cooker down slightly in the summer seems so obvious, but we’re amazed how turning the cooker down from 240 celsius (465 f) to 215c in the top oven saved 15% per week / £7.50 per week / £30 per month.
* If you turn the cooker down lower than this you run the risk of premature burner blockages but at £30 per month saving you can work out whether one extra visit from your engineer to clear a blocked burner still leaves you in pocket or not.
Turning your cooker off - Another simple one, but at these prices if you’re not needing the heat and have a back-up cooker then turning your cooker off is going to save you £45-55 per week.
Ordering your Oil - Keep an eye on your oil levels and avoid, where possible, ordering oil in late August to November, as prices generally rise during these months, inline with demand.
Chimney - Get your chimney swept in the summer months. You may be thinking ‘How does this help with oil consumption?’. Getting the chimney cleared and the draught sorted allows the cooker to burn cleanly. This in turn can help reduce the need for a visit from an engineer, saving you money.
Remove the Boiler - If your AGA currently heats water (has a boiler inside) then it maybe worth considering getting the boiler removed and running the AGA as a cooker only. You would need an alternative method to heat the water (an immersion heater etc) but you could reduce your heavy reliance on oil and save up to 20% on your oil consumption.
Filters on Oil Lines - It would be worth chatting to your engineer to see if they could make sure you at least one high-density paper filter on the oil line as well as the regular filter. Many of the oil providers have started to recommend putting these filters on the oil lines to make sure what gets through to the control box of the AGA is as clean as possible.
Fuel Additives - I’m sure scientifically these additives work, the question is whether they work well enough to improve a low grade (high sulphur content) oil delivery so that your AGA can reach it’s service period without blocking. Although we’re not 100% sold on the additives I do think it’s worth taking the advice of your oil provider and if they suggest using one then it would be worth trying.
Extra Insulation - You could also get your engineer to check the insulation around the loose/expansion rings. It’s easier to check this when the cooker is cold as you can remove the rings around the hotplate and check to see if the insulation level has dropped. It also gives the engineer an opportunity to top up the insulation there and then or quote for a new part insulation pack to be fitted at a later date.
Electric Conversion - If you have PV cells or do not require the constant heat into the room that an oil fired AGA produces and perhaps you’d like a little more flexibility then it would be worth checking out the new electric conversion kits on the market, which heat up quickly and give you independent control of hobs & ovens http://www.davidpointer.com/electricconversions
Gas
Running your cooker lower - For those of you who normally leave your AGA cookers running through out the summer, turning your cooker down slightly in the summer seems so obvious, but we are amazed how turning the cooker down from 240 celsius to 215c in the top oven saved 15% per week / £5.50 per week / £22 per month.
Turning your cooker down to pilot - Another simple one, but at these prices if you’re not needing the heat and have a back-up cooker then turning your cooker off is going to save you £35-45 per week.
Chimney - Get your chimney swept in the summer months, but only if advised by a GAS Safe engineer. Getting the chimney cleared and the draught sorted allows the cooker to burn cleanly. This in turn can help reduce the need for a visit from an engineer, saving you money.
Remove the Boiler - If your AGA currently heats water (has a boiler inside) then it maybe worth considering getting the boiler removed and running the AGA as a cooker only. You would need an alternative method to heat the water (an immersion heater etc) but you could reduce your heavy reliance on oil and save up to 20% on your oil consumption.
Electric (13amp)
PV Cells & Battery - If you have any an electric AGA then now is the time to consider getting a quote for PV cells and /or battery storage. With energy prices going sky high, self generation & storage is well worth exploring. Even without the PV cells
Running the cooker on Eco/Slumber mode -
Timers -
New Eco Conversion Kits -