FeaturedGas Safe reg. 515374
Tarka Boilers
Barnstaple & across North Devon· Heating contractor
- boiler installation
- boiler repair
- boiler servicing
- emergency boiler repair
Central Heating in South Molton
Central heating installation and upgrade work is handled by all six of South Molton's listed businesses, and the jobs here lean rural in a way that sets the town apart from the coastal places on this list. Retrofitting a proper central heating system into an old farmhouse that's relied on solid fuel or ageing storage heaters for decades is a genuinely different job to extending an existing gas system in a Barnstaple semi, involving decisions about oil versus LPG, tank positioning, and running pipework through a building that was never designed to have it. Around North Molton and the more remote parts of Filleigh and Bishops Nympton, LPG is often the practical middle ground for properties without easy oil tank access — smaller cylinder or bulk-tank setups rather than a large oil tank taking up garden space. With only six businesses covering this ground, it's worth asking directly about experience with rural retrofits specifically, rather than general central heating experience alone.
Heating engineers in South Molton
South Molton · Plumber
01769 572361
South Molton · Heating contractor
01769 540106
South Molton · Plumber
07860 286191
South Molton · Plumber
07796 541317
South Molton · Gas engineer
07834 853622
South Molton · Heating contractor
07931 369789
Retrofitting central heating into an old Exmoor-edge farmhouse
A surprising number of rural properties around South Molton still don't have a proper whole-house central heating system, relying instead on a mix of open fires, storage heaters and portable options that leave large parts of the house cold through winter. Retrofitting a full system into a building like this means more than just picking a boiler — it means deciding on a fuel source (oil or LPG, given the distance from mains gas), positioning a tank somewhere practical, and running pipework through solid stone walls and floors that were never designed to carry it.
This is a bigger, more involved job than routine central heating work in a modern estate house, and it's worth getting more than one quote given the scope for the approach to vary between engineers — some will suggest a full wet system with radiators throughout, others might propose a more targeted approach for a property that's only occupied in certain rooms day to day.
LPG central heating: the other rural option besides oil
Oil dominates the conversation around South Molton's rural fuel mix, but LPG is a genuine alternative for properties where a large oil tank isn't practical — a smaller cylinder set-up, or in some cases a bulk tank buried underground, can work where space or access is limited. LPG boilers themselves aren't drastically different to service or repair compared with oil ones, but the supply side is: bottled gas needs monitoring and reordering in a way that oil delivery schedules don't quite match, and running out mid-winter is a real risk if nobody's tracking usage.
If you're considering a switch from an old system to LPG central heating, it's worth asking a South Molton-based engineer for a straight comparison against oil for your specific property, rather than assuming one is automatically better — the right answer usually comes down to space, access, and how much heating your household actually uses through the year.
| Central heating job | Typical UK range |
|---|---|
| Full retrofit (oil, multi-radiator) | £5,000–£9,000+ |
| LPG boiler and cylinder set-up | £3,500–£6,500 |
| Additional radiator | £150–£250 |
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Central Heating in South Molton: common questions
Should a rural property near South Molton go for oil or LPG central heating?
It depends mostly on space and access — oil needs room for a larger tank, while LPG can work with a smaller cylinder or buried bulk tank. A local engineer can compare both against your actual property and usage. Getting more than one opinion is worth it, since engineers can genuinely differ on which option suits a specific property best.
How much does it cost to retrofit central heating into an old farmhouse?
It varies a lot depending on the building and how much pipework needs running through solid walls and floors, but a full retrofit with radiators throughout typically runs into several thousand pounds — get more than one quote given how much the approach can vary.
Do all six of South Molton's businesses handle full central heating installations?
Most do, alongside servicing and repair, though it's worth confirming experience with rural retrofits specifically, since fitting a first-time system into an old farmhouse is a different job to extending one in a modern house. A quick question about recent, similar jobs they've completed nearby is a reasonable way to judge that experience directly.
What's the risk of running out of LPG mid-winter?
It's a real one if nobody's tracking the cylinder or tank level, since bottled gas doesn't announce low supply the way a utility bill would — worth setting up a monitoring or reorder routine when the system's installed. Most suppliers offer an automatic top-up service, worth asking about when the system's first installed.