Solid fuel CH System - Ground Floor Flat

[snapjack]

Hello - I'm new here - I'm a householder, not a plumber, but would really like some advice - here goes:

I wish to install a multifuel boiler (possibly a charnwood Cove 2B) in a ground floor flat. I obviously have no loft space and a maximum ceiling height of 2400mm.

I wish to run underfloor heating in the bulk of the flat (kitchen/diner, utility, Bathroom, small bedroom and hall), all on solid floors prepared ready to accept UFH, and radiators in the remaining rooms - master bedroom and lounge (suspended floors) bedroom 2 and porch (solid floors)

I have one main bathroom with bath and shower mixer and one en-suite with thermostatic shower and would like mains pressure hot water.

I have a potterton promax combi HE (24kw) which I only wish to use as back up, and not as the main source of heat.

I would like the facility to add solar water heating into the system in the future.

I have received advice from one (hetas) engineer that I could install a solid fuel boiler in the property with an excel thermal heat store on the same level as the stove and a large heat leak radiator above the stove, but I actually do have the capacity to raise the thermal heat store off the floor up to a level where it would fit under a 2.4m ceiling and then install a F & E Tank above that level - but the F & E tank would need to be located outside on a flat roof extension (obviously sufficiently insulated)

I have been told by a different engineer that the thermal store must be located above the top of the boiler and an F & E tank above that. Obviously, this is not possible in a ground floor flat.

I have read the specifications for excel thermal stores (amongst others) and the excel specs do seem to indicate this system would be possible by utilising a pumped gravity system, and the specs also mention about not using trvs on more than the just the heat leak radiator - which isn't a problem to me.

I have approached our local supplier of the solid fuel boiler I am looking to purchase (they have advised that they do not use/supply Excel Thermal Stores, but do supply all other types) and have been advised by them and their engineers that it's just not possible to install this system using any multifuel/wood boiler as the coil within the thermal heat store would need to be at least 1m (but preferably 2m) above the middle of the boiler and this height would also need to apply to the heat leak radiator.

Is it just by using the Excel Thermal Store that this system can be achieved, or can anybody advise the system is definitely out of the question completely.

Grateful for any advice whatsoever 🙂
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[Worcester]

There are lots of makes of unvented thermal stores that have built in F&E tanks above them as well as the options for solar coils - speak to a renewables specialist (Soild Fuel / Biomass with Solar Thermal experience as well) done correctly you could qualify for the RHI that way as well.

Depending upon the stove / boiler (and I haven't looked at it's specification) no reason in principle why this can't be done,

Unfortunately unless you specialise in renewables, people only know what they have done as opposed to what is possible.

Bread and butter for the specialists.



p.s. if you live in a ground floor flat where were you thinking of putting the Solar Thermal panels 🙂

 

[snapjack]

Thanks, Worcester 🙂

I have a south facing roof above one bedroom which is single storey, so I could put the solar thermal panels there, hopefully.

I will find a local renewables specialist and contact them