Stove for house built to passive standards

mrs.q

Hi all
I'm looking for some advice on heating a 146m2 house built to passive standards-have 3 electric UFH cables, MHRV, triple glazed windows etc. This is our first winter in.
Our problem is that we use it at weekends & school holidays- so when we arrive in on a Friday-in this weather the temp is approx 12 C-and this is after leaving MHRV off. So we huddle around a 3kW electric heater in our open plan area for a while!
We are thinking about a multifuel stove (plenty of access to turf & timber). Have read some of the other threads but would really like to hear from anyone who has installed a stove in PH. What brands are recommended? do they take long to heat up the space? Do I need a room sealed unit? etc...
Many thanks!

Mothman

Not a passive standard house but low energy, c180m2 (125 downstairs, 60 up) open plan, other spec similar. I'll give you my experience and thoughts. We installed an 8kw wood stove in centre of house. We found it totally over the top with regard to heat output. No sooner lit and we needed to close it down so we didn't overheat. We rarely had it running efficiently.
BUT, we didn't encounter winters like this and last, and we didn't start from 12C.

Once lit, the stove would heat up quite quickly (dry timber needed) and the heat would be quite noticeable within about 20 minutes. We never used the underfloor heating after the stove was installed.

A smallish stove may be rated about 5-6kw, so doublish output to the electric heater and you've got the visual effect as well! I think based on my experience and with the current winter, it may prove quite effective for you in heating the house reasonably quickly.

We did get rid of stove and got in a wood burning range <snip> which suits our needs perfectly, but this is off topic with regard this thread and would not suit you.

There are many good stove makes. Ours was a <snip.. Brilliant stove, only for timber or turf, so not multifuel. If you do get stove, get advise on how to use it. I see so many using them like an open fire or with all air inlets open which is very poor use of it.

fishfoodie

mrs.q,

Given the cost of a stove & the aggro of perhaps needing to get external air so as to not compromise the passive structure; you should think about something simpler, like a timer to turn your UFH on on Thursday/Friday night ?

No point in using a sledgehammer to crack a nut

CJhaughey

mrs.q wrote: »

Hi all
I'm looking for some advice on heating a 146m2 house built to passive standards-have 3 electric UFH cables, MHRV, triple glazed windows etc. This is our first winter in.
Our problem is that we use it at weekends & school holidays- so when we arrive in on a Friday-in this weather the temp is approx 12 C-and this is after leaving MHRV off. So we huddle around a 3kW electric heater in our open plan area for a while!
We are thinking about a multifuel stove (plenty of access to turf & timber). Have read some of the other threads but would really like to hear from anyone who has installed a stove in PH. What brands are recommended? do they take long to heat up the space? Do I need a room sealed unit? etc...
Many thanks!

Your house sounds like one from a Galway company;)
Our 99m2 house is not passive but Low energy with a few passive upgrades.
We fitted a 4kw <snip> and this supplies plenty of heat for us.
We only use it as a space heater not to boil water or heat the UFH.
Like you we have electric UFH cables but the only one we use is the one on the N side of the house to heat the bedrooms a little.
I wouln't bother too much with room sealed but maybe when you start the fire you could increase the supply feed on the HRV unit if it is choking the fire.

paddy147

I had a <snip> (non boiler) inset stove fitted recently.

It gives some serious whack of heat out into the house,its sometimes too hot in the house (mostly open plan downstairs),that we have to open the sitting room and also the kitchen windows a little to let in some fresh cold air,if you can believe that.

The heat that rises upstairs from it is great too,no need for central heating to be on really.:)

Poor Uncle Tom

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mrs.q

Thanks for all your advice- we were getting worried we'd be freezing for Christmas. In the end, we couldn't get a stove delivered for Christmas so put on the large circuit UFH cables 3 days before we went up- worked a dream! We had MHRV turned off while we were away to try & conserve some heat.
Yes CJH- it is a SH house- dont want to mention names in case of being snipped!!;)
UFH in tiled areas really made a difference to the overall warmth of the house.
External temp on arrival on Christmas Eve was minus 15, Internal temp was 16.Turned on convection heater & an hour later turned MRHV back on. Within 2 hours temp of house was approx 20- very comfortable!
So overall, very happy with performance of house. Stove issue (maybe a small stove with back boiler)- will be revisited at a later date when bank balance has recovered!!
Once again, thanks for all your advice.

galwaytt

...I'd be interested in hearing about your ESB bill - I have a relation with electric UFH, and he is robbed trying to heat the house.

I had it in on room in my old one, and promptly disconnected it, for the same reason.

However, your's is a higher spec house, so I'd be interested in hearing about it when you get your ESB bill for the cold snap.