Heating a home

daithi12

Hi all.

My wife and i are in the process of purchasing a 4 bed detached 2 storey house with oil heating

We were wondering what to do with the heating as the boiler that is in the house is not working and is around 15 years old.
So we are looking at changing it.

Just some info on the house and what is there all ready.
The boiler is located in the Utility room of the house.
It heats 14 rads and im not sure about the immersion.

As soon as the deal is closed on the property we will be getting the walls pumped and extra attic insulation installed.

What boilers should we be looking at purchasing, or are there any other better ways at heating a house without digging up too many floors ?

gutteruu

Depends if you have access to solid fuel? Could you store wood/coal. Do you want to install a stove with back-boiler and pipe to hot press or stick with oil or gas? I changed from oil to stove and buy wood. Fuel bills went from 1300+ ish to 400 ish but thats because we buy wood in bulk and cut myself. I just bought an external wood/coal boiler that goes into shed. Fill once or twice a day and should work even cheaper again.

IMO oil/gas is clean but prices are only going one way. Solid fuel is good but hassle digging up for pipes and storage.

daithi12

gutteruu wrote: »

Depends if you have access to solid fuel? Could you store wood/coal. Do you want to install a stove with back-boiler and pipe to hot press or stick with oil or gas? I changed from oil to stove and buy wood. Fuel bills went from 1300+ ish to 400 ish but thats because we buy wood in bulk and cut myself. I just bought an external wood/coal boiler that goes into shed. Fill once or twice a day and should work even cheaper again.

IMO oil/gas is clean but prices are only going one way. Solid fuel is good but hassle digging up for pipes and storage.

Ya that wouldnt be a problem as such. In the first part of your post there, are you saying that you have a stove with a back boiler in the house.
The fireplace is under the hot press,well almost. So shouldnt be a huge problem getting a pipe to there.
I would have access to some timber every now and then so that could be a good option. Would that keep an imersion warm along with 14 rads if lit at 5 o clock in the evening.
And also could it be used along with oil as we would need some bit of heat in the morning time.

crock!

Maybe change boiler to a condenseing oil boiler (grant vortex) and have your house zoned so you can heat upstairs or water or downstairs all seperatly and that way your only heating what you need.there is a grant for boiler and controls.also change your hot water cylender to an insulated one with 2 coils.one for oil and one for solid fuel.there is talk about a grant for seai for stoves but not for a while but i believe there comeing.insulateing your attic and pumping your walls is a great start providing you have doubleglazed windows.good luck with your new home

Sam Kade

What about putting a solid fuel boiler.
I inquired about one recently around 1850 for four bedroom house.

gutteruu

daithi12 wrote: »

Would that keep an imersion warm along with 14 rads if lit at 5 o clock in the evening.
And also could it be used along with oil as we would need some bit of heat in the morning time.

Depends on your stoves boiler size. My house is 2500 sq ft and my boiler puts 4kw to room and 16kw to water. Very under spec but we light at 5pm and the house is very warm all the time. Steel stoves heat up quicker but cast iron hold heat longer. If your lighting that late steel is the best option. To get the same heat as a stove with a boiler using oil would cost you thousands.

A quick tip would be a 1.2 metre standard double radiator is 2kw. We only ever need to heat downstairs as a big hall makes heat go upstairs but that is personal preference. You won't need radiators on in the room with your stove so exclude them when calculating. IMO 4kw out of stove to room is more than enough to heat any room.

Last tip is shop around. I saved about 500 by ringing around the list of suppliers who sold the stove I wanted.

daithi12

Thanks for all your comments.
Haven't started looking at stoves yet but i remember someone telling me about stoves called oisin and Cara.
Will definitely go for a condensing boiler. nice to hear that there is a grant for it and looks like the company that will be doing the insulation will probably be able to do the stove if there ok on price.

Should boilers be outside or inside ?
The old one is inside and where we are renting at the moment it is also inside.
There is a timer shed in the garden so if needed to go outside, then would that suit.

Thanks again for the advice

daithi12

Just after getting a brain wave.

What if i was to install a multi fuel stove.

Just thinking out loud here now.
The open fire as it currently is, is on the wall that separates the sitting room from the kitchen.
What if i could open the wall either side of the chimney breast and install a double sided Multi fuel Stove if they exist.
They would probably be expensive but i would look at it as a investment more so than anything.
So that would involve getting in a structural engineer to make sure its possible and then getting quotes from builders and so on.
A bit of work in it but could be worth it.
I think!
I wonder has anyone got this done before?