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Water Heating Question - Old House

  • 05-08-2023 4:24pm
    #1
    HHH
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 484 ✭✭


    Hi,

    My wife and I purchased an old house last year and we're unsure about how the water heating works. It was never explained by the previous owner or the estate agent.

    The radiators for the entire house come on when the oil heating is turned on. This also heats the water.

    There is a solid fuel stove which heats the radiators for one side of the house. This does not heat the water.

    The immersion doesn't work to the best of my knowledge.

    As of today, the only way to have hot water in the taps or run a bath is to turn on the oil and heat the whole house too.

    We have an electric shower so it's not too much of an inconvenience but we have a baby on the way so I'd like to have it sorted out.

    We have access to an abundance of solid fuel to heat the house and we light the solid fuel stove regularly as required. The stove has a capacity to heat 12 radiators so we should be ok to use the solid fuel stove only if we wanted to.

    When I explain the situation to any local plumber they say they're too busy to work on it. This has happened 5/6 times now with different guys.

    Has anyone any idea what's the best way to explain it to a prospective plumber without it sounding like a daunting complex task.

    What do I need to do to get the radiators for the entire house and the water heated with the solid fuel stove?

    We'd like to retain the option to top up the heat with the oil burner as necessary?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.



Comments

  • #2
    monseiur
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,416 ✭✭✭monseiur


    Not a plumber but I would advise you to set up your central heating system with a time clock etc. so that you can heat your entire house with the oil burner. Look at the solid fuel boiler/stove as a boost to the oil fired system not as the main heating element. With a new baby on the way and winter on the doorstep you will need the house warm & cosy probably in the middle of the night or very early in the morning etc. - this is almost impossible with a solid fuel stove unless you employ a full time 24 hour stoker !

    But a well designed dual system will cut your oil bills by half or more depending on the hours the stoker is on duty and the quality of the fuel he/she is using😁 - Once the stove heats up it will automatically boost and will almost replace the oil - as long as the water circulating in the pipes is piping hot the stats will not be calling on oil boiler to heat water already heated by the stove.

    But on the other hand the stove will provide gallons of domestic hot water so you'll hardly ever need to use the immersion except perhaps for a few warm days in June (a.k.a. our summer !)

    Also double check attic insulation - if it's under 300mm be sure to top up. You may qualify for grant assistance - check the SEAI website for info.



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