woodburner link to combination boiler

[woodstoke]

Hi just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. I have a new combination boiler which is oil fired, but the price of oil has risen so high it is very expensive to run....would it be possible to fit a woodburner with a back boiler to it to help heat the radiators in winter, the hot water is ok from the combi boiler but the central heating really does hammer the oil consumption. Would i have to fit a second radiator in each bedroom which is only attached to the woodburner or is there an easier way. many thanks in advance.......

 

[SimonG]

If it's a new boiler it should be condensing, therefore cheaper to run. All depends how you run it and how it's set up. Who fitted boiler and what results do you have on the benchmark for the combustion?

Or

Strip out the combi and replace with system/heat only then into a thermal store/neutraliser/h2 panel along with your woodburner.

Or fit a woodburner without boiler attached and leave internal doors open.

 

[AWheating]

stick a thernmal store in, run off the combi and woodburner, use the hot water from the combi to feed kitchen sink so you have hot water at one tap now matter if the thermal store is cold.

 

[Centralheatking]

Hi Woodstoke - welcome to UKPF - there is loads of collective wisdom on here
put up by well meaning experienced fellas. We like new members and will help you.

Your question has been asked before but I dont have the history to hand. Someone else will
do this on here .

Your motivation to save dosh on your heating oil is understandable - and it is possible
to do as you have thought. However - this is NOT a diy job, uncontrolled woodburners
installed by non HETAS engineers are potential bombs.

We shall await the collective wisdom - there are some really experienced fellas on here
who give their advice freely


Centralheatking

 

[Ermintrude]

stick a thernmal store in, run off the combi and woodburner, use the hot water from the combi to feed kitchen sink so you have hot water at one tap now matter if the thermal store is cold.

This is what I would suggest. U could run DHW outlet from store through combi? Then always hot at all taps? When stor

 

[snowhead]

Starting at the basics;
Do you have an unlimited FREE supply of logs?
If not you have some serious number crunching to do regarding whether any modifications will save money in the long term.
Logs as a fuel give a poor heat output, check out the small print on outputs on Manufacturers websites, wood as a sole fuel derates the rated output.

 

[Centralheatking]

I think snowhead has got it right - logs are for fun and pretty fires/stoves but when you want really seroius heat do oil or nat gas if you have it - thats what I do CHK

Starting at the basics;
Do you have an unlimited FREE supply of logs?
If not you have some serious number crunching to do regarding whether any modifications will save money in the long term.
Logs as a fuel give a poor heat output, check out the small print on outputs on Manufacturers websites, wood as a sole fuel derates the rated output.

 

[Ermintrude]

U can get some horrific gasification log burners that will make oil boiler look like a candle!

Your wood needs to be at least a year old and not brash wood or low density pine. U need good quality timber cut from 20 - 100 year trees.. If u have a local tree surgeon he may sell . Do not burn any conifer / evergreen rubbish.

It's going to cost u a minimum of £1500 to set up? If your bill is £1000 a year u might save 25% so that's a payback at 6 years ! Excluding labour and cost if wood. Very optimistic

Why not buy a Rayburn or aga. They will chug along on anything, the prefer a diet of anthracite and dry hardwood but, nappies, compressed rubbish, ect . May need a chimney sweep 3 times a year tho.

 

[Phil_Plumb]

you could have a system boiler and a wood burner linked up to a thermal store, when both heat applicances are used, this would cut down on gas or oil being used as the wood burner would share some of the heat input required to heat the thermal store, the system boiler would also provide heat to rads as well, but using Y or S plan system could be used to divert heat to store when required.

As thermal stores heat the incoming mains water by indirect means (eg a coil inside the cylinder) there is no limit to the amount of hot water that can be supplied, should it be in the summer, then should the thermal store drop by say 6 degrees C. then the stat on side of store would call for heat from boiler. boiler fires up raises temp by the small required amount, then shuts off. If during winter there is a demand for hot water then the wood burner would provide heat as well. there by leaving the boiler to do less work, and more able to concentrate its energy burnt to heat the rads.

Overall this type of system is an excellent way to provide unlimited mains pressure hot water (which a, is always at mains pressure beacuse it doesnt have to go through any delicate combi boiler or require gravity to push it round the house b. will always be unlimited as its heated up inside the thermal store by heat transfer, the level of the stores water never changes no matter how long one runs the taps for. )

Oh and as its all vented no G3 is required! so no explosive cylinder situations,

One would have to install an F & E tank to accomodate the back boiler on wood burner and for the system boiler as this would need a gravity fed system for the rads, but this also comes with a pump so no issues there.

 

[Phil_Plumb]

oh and fuel costs, if you have a free supply of logs then this helps, but using the above it should help in lowering your fuel costs

Please note that this is advice only and actual savings can vary, consult a local HETAS engineer, and do your own research also!

 

[SimonG]

The only problem with the thermal store is the volume of water you are maintaining at a high temperature. Would potentially cost more in the summer to run it than the combi. Also as said, if you don't have access to cheap/free logs then these are expensive. The log people jumped on the electric/gas/coal price increases.

 

[Ermintrude]

Can get an ACV with thermoclimb. I.e in summer just use top 25% of cylinder .

 

[Centralheatking]

We have done this one before and it is a really good way - economical installation and straightfwds operating CHK

stick a thernmal store in, run off the combi and woodburner, use the hot water from the combi to feed kitchen sink so you have hot water at one tap now matter if the thermal store is cold.